2025 SFF – Winners

Best Narrative Short – The Middle

Director: Sylvia Ray

Best Documentary Short – Appalheads

Director: Scott Faris 

Producer: Anna Richardson White, Meg Griffiths

Best Adventure/Outdoor Short – Mother River

Director: Jeremiah Schuster

Best Comedy Short – tomorrow

Director: Jessica Liu

Best Science Fiction Short – OBSERVER

Director: Dylan Powers

Best Web Series/Episodic/New Media – South Pasadena 4

Director: Brian Farrell

Best First Time Filmmaker – The Wishing Wand

Director: Jane Kathleen Fraser

Best Student Film – Satch

Director: Asher Horwitz

Best Music Video – Wander

Director: Marcus Mezzano

Best Experimental Short – OXYMORON

Director: DAMILOLA ABAYOMI AFOLABI

Best Animation Short – Cowboys And Cosmonauts

Director: Max Aaron Tikhonov

Best Local Filmmaker – We Exist

Director: Autie Carlisle

Best Locally Filmed Short – All By Myself

Director: Seth Hemken

Best Commercial/Advertising – Seed to Shelf – A Green Chili Advertisement

Director: Andrew Jowett, Brett Langolf

Best Budget Short (Under $500) – JOB

Director: Maxwell Klaiber, Jordan Moran

Best Indigenous Film – Keepers of The Coastline

Director: Jeremy Charles

Best Photograph, Local Photographer – Spooned

Photographer: Susan Tangeman

Best Short Script – Amy and Dad

Writer: Diana Robertson Bond

Best Treatment – MR. MOJO’S MOJO

Writer: Kenny Wayne Grimble Jr

Best of Festival: The Middle

Director: Sylvia Ray