“It’s not every day one gets to experience a beautifully animated life-cycle biopic of a home… There’s an authenticity and compassion for this building’s life that thrives in every frame.”

“This lovely piece earnestly meditates on the absence of a loved one… The sense of longing feels beautifully explored in its compositions, characters, and clever emphasis on negative spaces.”

“This film truly stood out to us as a complex portrait of a neighbor… For us, it genuinely humanized those living in homelessness.”

“Arepas En Bici was a whirlwind of energy, food, and bicycling… beautifully captures someone taking a risk, following their heart, and finding community support.”

“For its intimate point of view along with astonishing cinematography and creative sound design, Viktor succeeds in weaving intricate themes into an immersive experience.”

“For its sensitive exploration of trauma and emotional resonance, the jury awards an honorable mention to The Kids Are Not Alright.”

“A timely emotional story with comedic elements that reflects the challenging times we are living in, especially as it relates to when social media, public discourse, and isolation collide.”

“Takes a satirical and surrealistic look at difficult work situations. Lead actress Erica Ja-Kī Truesdale gives a memorable performance as the ‘April’ who says all the things we’ve ever wanted to say.”

“Powered by two dynamic lead performances… Ride or Die is equal parts muscular, haunting, and lyrical in its gripping portrait of a lesbian couple navigating the American West.”

“One of the hardest things to pull off as a filmmaker is a holistic singularity of tone, but director Morgan Evans achieves it with Micro Budget… effortlessly deploying an acidic hilarity.”

“This film stood out for its bold simplicity and devastating impact… The final reveal, where rescuers uncover the cot and the child is alive but orphaned, lands with devastating clarity.”

“We commend this film and filmmaker for the well defined style and voice used to captivate audiences… with passion, wit, style, and insight.”

“The Best Student Short Award goes to The Truck by Elizabeth Rao. This powerful short follows an impulsive Chinese American teen and her boyfriend as they try to buy the morning-after pill in post-Roe America. The storytelling is simple on its surface, yet layered with meaning and control. The Truck is a testament to the strength of clear vision and voice.”

“Our Honorable Mention goes to Check Please by Shane Chung. What begins as a dinner disagreement between two headstrong Koreans spirals into a martial arts showdown. With its playful stylization, rhythmic editing, and bold production design, Check Please rises above the bounds of a student budget, celebrating culture, genre, and cinematic imagination.”