View all of the general ballot winners by category. See winners page for Special Award winners and first place category winners.
Environmental
1st Place - Reclaim
By: Kelly Guerin
Jo-Anne McArthur visited two pig farms: one industrial, packed with thousands of pigs, and one long abandoned.
2nd Place - 1.5 Degrees of Peace
By: Kasha Sequoia Slavner
Kasha sets out to change the world.
3rd Place - Coral Comeback: What Can We Do?
By: NOAA Ocean Today
Learn about some of the bold and brilliant ideas researchers and conservationists have to rescue corals and coral reefs from disaster.
Animation
1st Place - Twisted Tale Cinda Real [excerpt]
By: Sara Bozanic
Cinda Real (our take on the Cinderella), a story about a girl who is stigmatised for having only one leg and her intention to come to a dance, “only to dance”.
1st Place - We are the Earth
By: Zoé Rose
A powerful expressionistic animation for connecting to life.
2nd Place - Saving Fabi
By: Moussa Thiam
This is the story of Fabi, a baby elephant born in a herd and his mother is not killing poachers for their ivory.
3rd Place - My Neuroplasticity
By: Katy Ross
In this animated short, we explore the fascinating world of neuroplasticity; our brain's incredible ability to adapt and change throughout our lives.
Documentary
1st Place - Just A Girl
By: Yassa Khan
The emotive film shares the voices and stories of three young girls whose childhoods were stolen when they became child brides and mothers in Nigeria.
2nd Place - Keiko Fukazawa
By: Anabelle Vo
Keiko Fukazawa uses her art to address an issue that has greatly impacted the quality of life in America: gun violence.
3rd Place - Gulf Coast Love Story [excerpt]
By: Dayna Reggero
Dayna Reggero has been listening along the beaches and the bayous of the Gulf Coast to artists who are building a safe movement to vision a better future.
3rd Place - Undervalued Women in the Workplace
By: Davon Johnson
In this short documentary, two college-educated women from different professions share their experiences with gender discrimination.
College Animation
1st Place - Stuffing Up
By: Rachel Berkowitz
A teddy attempts to lose her roundness after being rejected by her weight-obsessed owner.
2nd Place - Bottom of the Well
By: Xinyu Shen, Charlie Yuying Luo
A little Mouse falls into a well, and meets a seedling who offers them an escape plan...
3rd Place - Forest of Hearts
By: Patric McKeown
Wangle, an overworked creature living in a human’s mind comes to realize after a harrowing experience that there is more to life than simply his job.
Narrative
1st Place - It Takes a Lemon
By: Corey J Gilbert
This film is about a grieving man who builds a lemonade stand in the park in honor of his daughter
2nd Place - War
By: Mahyar Zaheri
The story of a boy named Farid Bardbar…
3rd Place - Just A Friend [Trailer]
By: Courtney Deelen
Sometimes the hardest part of coming out is not knowing how your loved ones will react.
Experimental
1st Place - Water 3
By: Morgan Maassen
A short film about my affinity for the ocean, its mystery and power.
2nd Place - Matthew Modine's I AM WHAT YOU IMAGINE [teaser]
By: Matthew Modine
Matthew Modine’s new short film, I AM WHAT YOU IMAGINE, is a sensual exploration of the unexplainable.
3rd Place - Such Complexity/Air & Wood
By: Pamela Falkenberg, Jack Cochran
"Such Complexity/Air & Wood" uses text and editing patterns in dialectic with the rhythms of the music, to create a visual poem for the forest produced by sound.
College Documentary
1st Place - Los Guardianes
By: Kira O'Boyle
Two brothers in Mexico work to conserve the ancient Maya practice of raising stingless bees.
2nd Place - Have You Eaten Yet?
By: Ayla Perez
A documentary film following a local bakery that explores how we express love through food.
3rd Place - Sun Over Haven
By: Yanny Yan
Haven Training Restaurant provides disadvantaged Cambodian youth with a work-integrated training program that teaches them employable work skills and important life abilities.
3rd Place - Worm Meals
By: Madison Sample
This is the story of a family living just outside of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.
Science Heroes
1st Place - Trash Counts
By: NOAA Ocean Today
Featuring a citizen science project that is making a difference, one data entry at a time.
2nd Place - The Diary of a Marine Researcher
By: Christopher Neill
You can now watch AIMM’s first short-documentary about The Diary of a Marine Researcher.
This is a very special project for us and we couldn’t have done it without the dedicated work of our producer Christopher Neill. We want to thank everyone that was a part of this project.
3rd Place - Watch NOAA's Hurricane Hunters Fly Into the Eye of a Monster
By: NOAA Ocean Today
The job of a hurricane hunter is not for the faint of heart. This brave crew must fly straight into one of the most destructive forces in nature in order to collect important data that helps save lives.
Series
1st Place - Protecting Coral Reefs
By: NOAA Ocean Today
NOAA and the National Park Service are creating a geo-referenced coral reef base map to better understand coral reefs
2nd Place - No Shell Left Behind
By: NOAA Ocean Today
Nationwide shell recycling programs and oyster lovers are helping to restore wild oyster reefs.
3rd Place - Whale Rescue
By: NOAA Ocean Today
Learn about the dangers whales face and what is being done to help.
3rd Place - Trash Trip with the Marine Debris Tracker
By: NOAA Ocean Today
Help keep our ocean clean while participating in citizen science! Learn how to use the Marine Debris Tracker app to collect trash, log it, and track it.
Stop Motion Animation
1st Place - The Kite
By: Martin Smatana
An enchanting tale about remembering those who are no longer with us.
2nd Place - Voyage
By: Vivian Revolorio
The story follows a young woman going through the five stages of grief when she loses her husband.
An original song about wellness made by students at Pacific Elementary mentored by Wendy Milette
2nd Place - Wellness Doc
By: Simone & Kamila
A documentary about wellness made by 6th graders at Pacific Elementary mentored by Wendy Milette.
3rd Place - Human Impact on the Environment
By: Jayden Del Real
PSA by 5th grade student about the negative impact humans have had on the environment.
3rd Place - Bees
By: Carol
PSA made by 5th grade student about bees and their impact on the environment.
Overcoming Obstacles
1st Place - Secondary Strobe
By: Maddie Barnes
This film follows Libby Gotta, a competitive swimmer and member of the Great British Deaf Swimming Club
2nd Place - Calm Waters
By: Amanda Rutllant
Gabriel Terán is an exceptionally resilient boy.
3rd Place - "Dslexia & Me"
By: Patrick O'Connor-Mason
A day in the life of Cian, a student with dyslexia who struggles with traditional learning in school who finds temporary escape through his drawings.
PSA
1st Place - THE GREY SPACE - PSA
By: William Goins
Liam Neeson voices this heart wrenching PSA about the rescue of women, children, families and Americans stranded behind the front lines of war in Ukraine, an ill-fated evacuation in Afghanistan, and the carnage of a Cat 5 Hurricane IAN.
2nd Place - The Woman in Darkness
By: Zahra Karimi, Abbas Ghazali
An experimental short film made in support of the Iranian Women Liberation Movement.
3rd Place - Bystander
By: International Youth Media Summit
A PSA made by filmmakers and students from around the world to address the global issue of discrimination and to urge people to be allies and speak up.
Arts Heroes
1st Place - Greenwashing Fast Fashion's Dirty Laundry Into Art
By: Manuel Gussmann
Witness in "Greenwashing Fast Fashion's Dirty Laundry Into Art" the stunning transformation of discarded clothing into a powerful art installation.
2nd Place - Brave Art
By: Kris von Kleist
With the time getting to know Karin, we learn that despite our doubts, it's never too late to learn or to pursue a new passion.
2nd Place - Beyond The Brush
By: Izzy Soden
This short documentary film is a glimpse into the life of a painter working in a small village in Guatemala
Portrait of an Individual
1st Place - The Unbound Project - Sarah Heiligtag, Founder of Transfarmation
By: Thomas Machowicz, Sabina Diethelm
The founder of Transfarmation shares her vision for a healthier world.
Second Place - Turbulences
By: Morgan Maassen
Ben Thouard is based out of Teahupo’o, Tahiti, where he spends the vast majority of his time swimming under the waves, obsessing over the power and mystery of their hydrodynamics.
3rd Place - I Am More Dangerous Dead [excerpt]
By: Majiye Uchibeke
Ken Saro-Wiwa led his tiny hometown, Ogoni, in protest against Royal Dutch Shell for polluting his community with oil and gas.
Portrait of an Organization
1st Place - Ocean Guardians
By: Selket A Kaufman
Visionary creates grassroots social enterprise to prevent whale extinction.
2nd Place - Art as a tool for social change
By: Emmanuel Mushy, Nazir Atul
Based on our traction in Dar Es Salaam region, our artivism receives support from social and cultural actors to scale our message on COVID-19 Street Art Campaign.
3rd Place - Tears, Fears, Guns & Solutions
By: Mitchell Waters
The film tell the story of the struggles of teens in the Minneapolis inner city and the organizations that are improving their lives.
Middle School Documentary
1st Place - Water, Star, Medicine
By: Lisa Spencer
A teacher and her students study the nature, science, and brilliance of water. They visit the Rio Grande in New Mexico and interview Veda Austin, a New Zealand Māori scientist to learn that water is life, memory, and healing.
José Rizal: The Birth of a Hero
By: Lora Batchelor Middle School
This is a 5 minute documentary produced by 3 middle schoolers. This documentary is about Dr. José Rizal, an activist and polymath.
3rd Place - An Unsung Hero Called Jeff Rudkin
By: Annie Belle Davis | Batchelor Middle School
Teaching for roughly 37 years!
3rd Place - The Wright Brothers - Change the World
By: Henry Nolan McMurray
This is a short film about the Wright brothers and their impact on the world.
3rd Place - Unsung Heroes of America: Booker T. Washington
By: Evan Lew Wolf
The film features the career and life of American unsung hero Booker T. Washington, his accomplishments and his activity in the civil rights activism scene.
Trailer
1st Place - Green SuperHeroes 2030 Trailer
By: Los Angeles Barea
A group of 10 young environmentalists changing the world for the better. Their powers make the planet greener.
2nd Place - Dante's Paradise [trailer]
By: Osseily Hanna
Dante helps the planet by raising butterflies
3rd Place - I am Kanaka [Trailer]
By: Genevieve Sulway
“I am Kanaka” gives a glimpse into the future with Ex-schoolteacher Kaina Makua’s non-profit program teaching Hawaiian language, sustainability and life skills.
Humanitarian
1st Place - Down the Road [excerpt]
By: Care Dorghalli
Woody and Luna generously help people in need after the Paradise fire.
2nd Place - Ministry of Surf
By: Collins Reagan
Healing power of surf
3rd Place - Colorful Souls
By: Charlie Schaff
"Colorful Souls" spotlights Alma de Colores, a unique restaurant and store that predominantly employs individuals with disabilities.
High School
1st Place - Hard to Say
By: Levi Brous-Light, Dovely King, & Madelyn Netto
HARD TO SAY dramatizes a moment in a teen girl’s life, when she speaks her truth and allows another person into her trauma.
2nd Place - The Hill We Climb
By: Destiny Brown
Students in Wide Angle's Virtual Event Planning class created a collaborative artistic work surrounding Amanda Gorman's poem, "The Hill We Climb," which represented everything the students believed in.
In ACTIVATE, a tennis serve is juxtaposed with the powerful voice of Holocaust survivor Maria Wida, who contemplates the interconnected nature of the human body and social change.
Wellness
1st Place - The Making of the Big Picture
By: Benjamine Reid
The Big Picture is a play written by teens for teens about The Big Picture-- what is really important in life, and the monumental challenges that teenagers face.
2nd Place - Seeds of Hope
By: Mark Cavanagh & Thérèse Dunn
After losing her daughter to a fentanyl overdose, Jenny Moore seeks healing for herself and others.
High School Animation
1st Place - A Prayer for My Mother: The Eva Brettler Story
By: Cheri Gaulke and Samara Hutman
An animated film that chronicles the extraordinary saga of Holocaust survivor Eva Brettler – a child facing brutality and profound loss who finds sustenance in faith and her own dreams for the future.
2nd Place - Cloud Racers
By: Chase Olivera
The moon is hurdling toward Earth and our swashbuckling heroes must race to the clouds before the end of the world!
3rd Place - Crescendo
By: Karina Xiao Loerchner
A short film that follows a young child following their dream in becoming a professional musician.
High School Documentary
1st Place - Finding Home
By: Ethan Dumper
A short documentary put together by a youth film maker regarding the systemic problems behind Homelessness and possible solutions.
2nd Place - Impact
By: Dallin Hansen
A Nasa scientist shares the goals of NASA for humans to live away from home.
3rd Place - PRessure
By: Basil Alexander Paterson
PRessure is a short documentary that shows both the benefits, and the physical and mental costs of being a competitive varsity track athlete.
Middle School
1st Place - Pestis Muliebris - Stories of Female Resilience
By: Vittorio Caratozzolo, Luca Nicolini & Class 2 A (2022-23)
How many difficulties have women encountered to undertake scientific studies and, in particular, in medicine? Ask Marie, Elizabeth, Emily…
2nd Place - Little Anonymous Mobile Phone Users
By: Vittorio Caratozzolo & Class 2 A
The mobile phone maniacs start their careers very young...
3rd Place - Amleto - Hamlet. A Grammar Test on the Use of the Verb "to Be"
By: Vittorio Caratozzolo & Class 2 A (2022-23)
Is or isn't the famous Hamlet's monologue a meditation about the relevance of "to be" or "not to be"?
Community Heroes
1st Place - Cadena en Cadena (Stitch by Stitch)
By: Juliana Kasmanas
A women's embroidery collective in Mexico passes down traditional Maya patterns while innovating new designs and expanding gender roles for future generations.
2nd Place - Passion
By: Moemen Mahmoud
A short documentary showing the rehabilitation process of Rivoli Cinema by young volunteers, bringing it back to life after being closed for 30 years.
3rd Place - Combo of Marvelous
By: Jinna Kim
A discussion of race and decolonization in the South.
Elementary Poetic
1st Place - Australia
By: Gehrig Blackburn
An original poem celebrating the uniqueness of Australia.
2nd Place - Mother Earth
By: Lily Virostko - Pacific Elementary School
Lily's original poem for the Earth!
3rd Place - Bananas
By: Aadi Mistry - Pacific Elementary School
Aadi appreciates this fantastic fruit!
3rd Place - Mother Moon
By: Elciana Hudson - Pacific Elementary School
Elciana shares her poetry for the Moon.
Middle School Women Heroes
1st Place - Heroes Among Us - A conversation with Captain Alma Lowry
By: Clara Yang
In this student reporters interview, Captain Lowry and I talk about her experiences in leadership and community service.
2nd Place - My Hero - Maya Angelou
By: Sakura Forney
Maya Angelou's life and how she changed her community's perspective on racism and sexism.
3rd Place - Bessie Coleman an American Aviator
By: Scarlotte Noel Hammock, Eliza Biltz
This documentary details the impressive achievements of Bessie Coleman, the first African-American woman to earn a pilot license.
Sports
1st Place - Goddesses
By: Morgan Maassen
A short film on Vahine, Heimiti and Kohai Fierro of Tahiti.
2nd Place - The Wall [trailer]
By: Evrim İnci
The first female tennis player to represent Turkey in the Olympics.
3rd Place - Imogen Caldwell
By: Morgan Maassen
Imogen is a 23 year old woman from Red Bluff, Western Australia - one of the remotest regions I've ever traveled to, known for its abundance of perfect waves, Outback dust and treacherous wildlife.
Elementary Science
1st Place - Sally Ride
By: Hanna
Documentary made by a 3rd grade student on why Sally Ride is her hero.
2nd Place - Mary Jackson
By: Michelle Antonio
This is a documentary made by a 3rd grade student about Mary Jackson.
Elementary Women Heroes
1st Place - Women's History Month
By: Anastasia
A montage celebrating great women for women's history month!
2nd Place - Ms. Dawson
By: Amy Rameriz
This film was made by a 4th grade student to honor her teacher, Ms. Dawson.
3rd Place - Flying Free: The Amelia Earhart Story
By: Brandon M
This documentary on Amelia Earhart was made by a 4th grade student in celebration of Woman's History month.
4th Place - Kamala Harris
By: Sophia Flores
This documentary was made by a 3rd grade student in honor of Women's History Month.
4th Place - Harriet Tubman
By: Jeremiah Carter
This informational video on Harriet Tubman was made by a 3rd grade student.
High School Environmental
1st Place - PB&J Productions My Hero
By: Shelby Dahl
This is an interview of Savannah Ackerman, the School Outreach Coordinator for Tree People.
2nd Place - How Consumer Culture Drives Climate Change
By: Lian Crystal Wang
An overview of how consumption, an aspect of our everyday life - something we don't even think twice about - has devastating climate implications
2nd Place - Unveiling The City
By: Oliver Cho
A student documentary about the disappearance of San Francisco’s iconic fog, nicknamed “Karl,” due to climate change.
3rd Place - Our Energy: A Student Documentary
By: Mayu Simpson, Shayna Blum
The environmental documentary, “Our Energy”, addresses the issue of excessive energy use and the hope for its conservation.
3rd Place - Bettering our corner of the world
By: Ryan Tarletsky
Melanie Coombs gives us an inside look into the Maize Solar initiative and the way Bergkamp is bettering our Maize community, one building at a time.
Immersive 360
1st Place - The Emerald Edge: Cedar's Story
By: Chad Horn
"Explore the world’s largest coastal temperate rainforest in 360 degrees in a new immersive experience.
2nd Place - Yankho
By: John Tenny, Praises Padambo
Experience Nankhoma’s story through Virtual Reality. A Malawian mother’s dreams for her daughter are altered by the challenges of rural poverty.
3rd Place - Life On The Edge VR
By: Axel Drioli
Learn about how the natural environment and wildlife living in the Cardamom Mountains of Cambodia has been threatened and protected.
Educational
1st Place - Empowerment In Action
By: Yuelin Liu
This short documentary centers on the work of the Eco Spanish School, persevering in a small town on the shores of Lake Atitlán
2nd Place - Anjali House
By: Sophie Oppfelt
Educators at Anjali House show children that there is hope for a brighter future in Cambodia.
3rd Place - Planting Roots
By: Erica Negrini
Many locals in San Juan la Laguna do not have the resources to educate their youth and build community - but one local leader has created a new school to do just that.
Middle School Civil Rights Heroes
1st Place - Dorothy Cotton
By: Dylan Winiger
Dorothy Cotton was an American civil rights activist,
2nd Place - Andrew Goodman
By: Reed Richardson, Adam Stout, Griffen Stogdill
Andrew Goodman fought for the voting rights of African Americans
3rd Place - Nelson Mandela: The South African Figure of Hope
By: Lora Batchelor Middle School
This is a documentary about Nelson Mandela and his life's journey to get rid of Apartheid.
Middle School Humanitarian
1st Place - Echoes of Peace - The Gandhi Story
By: Daniel Joseph Taylor
This is an 8 minute film about the life of Mahatma Gandhi and how he fought for India's independence through non-violent resistance.
2nd Place - Sir Nicholas Winton: The Savior of Czechoslovakia
By: Nicholas Christopher Ransford | Lora L. Batchelor Middle School
This documentary is about a man who saved 669 children from Czechoslovakia during the Holocaust.
3rd Place - The Man Who Saved Millions
By: Damien Nordess | Lora Batchelor Middle School
Norman helped fight hunger around the world.
High School Profiles
1st Place - Oasis: The Projection of your own Identity
By: Amiko Muscat
Jessica Recinos, a choreographer based in San Francisco is yearning to pursue her identity and culture through dance.
2nd Place - Mahsa "Gina" Amini
By: Xavier Walker | New Roads School
A documentary about Mahsa "Gina" Amini.
3rd Place - Mark Dean
By: Tony Morris
Student Tony Morris made a video about Mark Dean, the co-inventor of the personal computer, because he’s not always heard about in Black history or history for that matter.
High School Overcoming Obstacles
1st Place - Freeman
By: Daisy Thwaites
Every day we pass homeless people, like Freeman, on the street and we don't know anything about them. This film is about one homeless man.
2nd Place - Sphar Faces Everyday Battles
By: Ryan Tarletsky
For every 345 kids born in the U.S., 1 is born with cerebral palsy as a birth defect. Maize sophomore Kyndal Sphar is a part of the rare percentage of kids affected by cerebral palsy, yet she gives it her all each day towards walking independently.
3rd Place - Kateryna Yushchenko: Effects of the War in Ukraine
By: Logan Montalbano and Ethan Sung | New Roads School
Through an interview with Kateryna Yushchenko, former first lady of Ukraine, this documentary goes in depth exploring the up close effects on everyday people throughout the war on Ukraine.
Middle School Science Heroes
1st Place - Grace Hopper
By: Audrey Eason
Trailblazing mathematician Grace Hopper is amazing example of the power you have if you put your mind to it!
2nd Place - Louis Le Prince
By: Gabe James Miller
A documentary about what Louis Le Prince did and how his invention of the motion-picture camera impacted the world.
3rd Place - Louis Braille
By: Maylee Hutchinson | Lora Batchelor Middle School
Louis Braille was a French educator and the inventor of a reading and writing system, named braille after him
Organizer created on 11/10/2023 11:02:07 AM by Wendy Milette
Last edited 11/27/2023 3:33:02 PM by Wendy Milette
