The judges wish to recognize the Award of Recognition winners for their achievement in a specific category of entry
Addison Gomez (USA), Can You See Me?, Young Filmmaker – 17 and younger
Adriana Kostetska (USA), Unique Beauty, Women Filmmaker
Alex Kamara (USA), YARA, Young Filmmaker – 17 and younger
Alexander Antoniadis (Canada), Dynamo, Documentary Short (Student)
Anurag Srijit and Arman Shaikh (India), Chhava, Editing (Student)
Barbara Anne Lindstrom (USA), The Long Road Home, Jewish Theme
Benjamin Heim Shepard (USA), The Clash, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising, Liberation / Social Justice / Protest, Documentary Feature
Caleb Bailey (USA), Masquerade, Script / Writer (Student)
Carol J. Amore (USA), Ancient Lands and Lives-Above the Grand Canyon Rims, Nature / Environment / Wildlife
Cherie Kerr (USA), It’s the Gravy, Film Feature, Women Filmmaker, Movie Trailer
Chris James Keefer (USA), Grumbles and Mr. Bones, Animation, Web Series
Christiane Karajeva, Sigrid Friedmann and Ulrich Kaufmann (Austria), HANDMADE, Women Filmmaker, Creativity / Originality, Experimental
Christiano Evans (United Kingdom), When the Withered Leaf Awakens, Film Feature
Christopher Sheffield (USA), Bounty Hunters, Actor: Leading (Francisco Marquez as Jasper), Cinematography, Film Short
Connor Qinmengtai Gong, Yijia Ma and Yifei Zhang (China), Sunk Town 2024, Documentary Short, Narration / Voiceover Talent
Daina Krumins (USA), Glass, Film Feature
Daryl Denner (USA), FIVE FLIGHTS, Film Short
David Ray Lopez (USA), Peanut Butter, Film Short (Student), Actor: Leading (Samuel Estrada as Jake), Actor: Supporting (Alexander Aguirre as Mikey)
Dinesh Shukla (India), SAVE SKIN SAVE LIFE, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising
Dominique Buccellato (France), The Avenue of Plane Trees, Actress: Leading (Myriam Charleins as Valerie), Direction, Film Short
Douglas J. Corcoran (USA), Dragonfly MP, The Pho Michael Story, Asian Filmmaker (Lorene M. Yoxtheimer), Documentary Short, Editing
Elizabeth Marie Lang Oreamuno (Costa Rica), [SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH], Latin / Hispanic Filmmaker, LGBTQ+ Theme
Gavin Grant (USA), Intermission, Cinematography (Student), Latin / Hispanic Filmmaker (Student), Young Filmmaker – 17 and younger
Gregg Furuoka (USA), Ordinary Objects, Asian Filmmaker, Film Short
Ian Charles Lister (Italy), Lulu in Turin, Experimental, Women Theme
Ivy Penn (USA), Forked Tongue, African American Filmmaker, Women Filmmaker
Jack-Murray Birrell (United Kingdom), Crave, Film Short (Student)
James Matthew Storm (USA), INSIDE LOOK: Captain Fantastic and the Magic Piano, Documentary Short, Direction, Costume Design
Jeremy Shinder (USA), Theo’s Tears, LGBTQ+ Theme (Student), Actor: Leading (Student) (Brody Book as Theo)
Jesse Scales (USA), The Bullet and the Heart, LGBTQ+ Theme (Student)
Joseph Payne (USA), Christmas Cop, Film Short
Joseph Vialpando (USA), Shaping Kulture, Documentary Short, Film Short
Juan Carlos Cruz (USA), COZMO GIRL!, Music Video
Julianne Elizabeth Eggold (USA), The Finding Papa Movie, Women Filmmaker (Student)
Karthikeyan k (India), Good Gangster – Episode 1, Actor: Leading (Srinivas Bommali as Hari)
Leon Moore (USA), Tara Byte, Documentary Short (Student)
Leonard Eckhaus (USA), The Rhythms Never End, Religion / Ethics, Dramatic Impact, Nature / Environment / Wildlife
Liam Wan Lui Martin (USA), The Last Courier, Young Filmmaker – 17 and younger
Madison Michaela Grayson (USA), Thirst No More, Christian Filmmaker (Student), Film Short (Student), Editing (Student)
Marty Beaudet, Lucky Lobsters Productions (USA), The Call, Web Tube Length Video, Actor: Leading (Christopher Massey as George Foster), Humor / Humorist
Matthew Cichella (USA), Hyde Out, Actress: Leading (Arianna Lexus as Emily), Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising
Melody Brooke (USA), 15, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising, Actress: Leading (Bronwyn Henri as Angela), Direction
Michael Gearheart (USA), Crede, Film Short (Student), Experimental (Student), Actress: Leading (Student) (Laura Chesshir)
Mike Burdick (USA), Chew, Direction, Ensemble Cast
Miki Holiday, Kal-El Billy Holiday, Kareem Dula Dixon, Troy L. Mitchell and Yolanda Nollie (USA), Direct & Reflect, Documentary Short, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising, African American Filmmaker
Mila Perkins (USA), The Rising, Experimental
Miles Anthony Stanley (USA), Living Fast – Rock Travelers, Music Video
Naresh Kumar Rajendran (India), Closed Gates, Film Short
Neshell Noelle (USA), Freak Like Me, Women Filmmaker, Actor: Supporting (Carlyle A Stokes Jr.as Sean)
Peter Strupp (USA), Better from Within, Actress: Leading (Lora Oliver as Grace)
Scott MacLeay (Brazil), BLIND FAITH: Moments of Missed Understanding, Experimental
Rafael Maria Friebe, What Am I Without You, Islamic Filmmaker, Music Video
Ralph Cinque (USA), Dovey’s Promise, Actress: Leading (Joy White as Dovey Roundtree), Actor: Supporting (Eric Wilkerson as Judge Howard Corcoran), Actor: Supporting (Karl Lucht as Ryle Reilly)
Renjith Ravi (Australia), The Final Cut, Film Short, Cinematography, Editing
Ricardo Antonio Aguirre Jr. (USA), Thrilla, Documentary Feature
Robert Hicks (USA), There Is A Moose, Film Short, Music Video
Ryan Rivera and Yasmine Tohme (USA), Those Who Don’t, Latin / Hispanic Theme (Student)
Sakhil Raveendran (India), 1.5 Metre Diametre, Documentary Feature
Satu Miettinen (Finland), The Making of Tuuliluleima, Documentary Short
Seneca Robinson (USA), Spider-Man Two Spiders, African American Filmmaker
Shihyun Wang (Japan), I Want to Be on Top, Editing, Ensemble Cast
Sofi Tongson (USA), The Every Day Life of Everyday Cups, Animation (Student), Film Short (Student)
Sonny Smith (USA), Dating Like A Dyke, LGBTQ+ Theme, LGBTQ+ Filmmaker, Web Series
Tanya O’Quinn (USA), Keepsake, Television – Pilot Program, Actress: Leading (Sarah Williams as Lauren Michaels), Women Filmmakers
Tom Knoff and Kurt Hemmer (USA), American Joyride: 100 Lines for the Kerouac Centenary, Documentary Short, History / Biographical, Arts / Cultural / Performance / Plays
Victor Buitrago (USA), GJ Kimsunken | Journey of Art, Experimental, Latin / Hispanic Filmmaker
Yusef Bunchy Shakur and Scott McCartney (USA), Redemption Road, African American Theme, Documentary Feature