View all of the general ballot winners by category. See winners page for Special Award winners and first place category winners.
Environmental
1st Place - A Game We Can't Afford To Lose
By: Chris Larsen
Biodiversity Game is a visually compelling film that uses a Jenga tower as a metaphor for Earth's fragile ecosystems.
2nd Place - 6,000 Miles
By: Masha Karpoukhina
Through the experiences of NorCal paddler Kayla Lopez, viewers will get a first-hand look at her connection to her beloved "soul river", the Trinity River in Northwest California.
3rd Place - Bahari Bingwa, The Turtle Protector
By: Samuel Wanjohi
Sammy Safari is a ranger with Bahari Hai, a marine conservation nonprofit organization that works to empower coastal communities to manage and protect their own resources in East Africa.
3rd Place - Mancolona
By: Ángel Linares
A young Tzeltal embarks on a fun odyssey to make a video about his community, overcoming the challenges of being an indigenous communicator in the Mayan jungle and showing us the power of technology in the defense of the territory.
Documentary
1st Place - Yatichana (Teach)
By: Mauricio Panozo Montero
In the Huaricana Valley, La Paz, Bolivia, a dedicated teacher of indigenous origin teaches computer skills to children and youth in a rural school.
2nd Place - BUBBLES
By: Los Angeles Barea
PASSWORD: BUBBLES2025
Ali Musa, a 25-Year-Old Orphan, Devotes His Life to Caring for Ten Abandoned Children in Mityana, Uganda.
3rd Place - Black Water
By: Wildlife Works
Black Water is a poignant exploration of survival and resilience deep in the remote forest of the Congo Basin. This short film delves into the lives of a local community around Lake Mai Ndombe (Lake of ‘Black Water’) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
3rd Place - The Good Doctor
By: Leo Plunkett
Accessing healthcare in this extremely rural and isolated region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has always been difficult, and for some, even impossible and non-existent.
Portraits of an Individual
1st Place - 2 Legs is 2 Easy
By: Tamara Susa
In Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, specifically in the Roaring Fork Valley, one resident stands out as an inspiration to many.
2nd Place - Building Bub's Grubs
By: Loye Miller
In 2023 I met a young man who overcame his addiction, built his own business and became a leader in our community. He invited me to help tell his story and the result is our video, “Building Bub’s Grubs”, an inspirational story of one man's journey into recovery and beyond.
3rd Place - The Miracle Girl
By: Maram Eleyan, Mohammed Eid
Rama is a girl from Gaza who was involved in a fire accident when she was young and narrowly escaped from it.
Arts Heroes
1st Place - Lab Man
By: Neil Butler
A short docu-portrait about Arturo Arnold, a master of emulsion who processes all of the 8mm and 16mm motion picture film for a busy film lab in North Hollywood, CA.
2nd Place - Permanence of Stone
By: Susan Young
A short profile of Somerville, MA, artist and gravestone carver Andrew Carr.
3rd Place - A Clear Lens
By: Sarah Ware
"A Clear Lens" introduces the inspiring story of JP Henry, an autistic young man who hails from Maryland’s Eastern Shore and takes extraordinary photos with a cellphone.
Portraits of an Organization
1st Place - The Teachers of Tomorrow
By: Jessica Rowe
In an area facing pollution and climate challenges, Audubon de Mexico has taken responsibility into its own hands.
2nd Place - What Feeds Us
By: Emily Brown
In Bangkok, Daeng leads the Nang Loeng community, working tirelessly to address its challenges, including food insecurity.
3rd Place - Kids Ocean Day | A Love Project
By: David Creech
A behind the scenes look at the the educational philosophy of Kids Ocean Day founder, Michael Klubock.
Animation
1st Place - No One is an Island
By: David Bunting
Through an animated conversation, scientists explore if everyone can live well without harming the environment and reveal how hope and creativity can inspire change.
2nd Place - Little Body, Big Heart
By: Teo Nalani, Eli Huang
A fish stays in the comfort of his own pool garden, until his heart leaps out of his body, looking for adventure. He chases it outside, discovering a wider ocean and world waiting for him.
3rd Place - Para Saber Que Te Quiero
By: Katalin Egely
There are many pieces of art about the love between parents and children but there are very few that talk about the relationship between parents and adopted children.
Experimental
1st Place - A Little Story About Forever
By: Max Romey
This short film by artist and filmmaker Max Romey unfolds from the points of view of father and son as they attempt to write a book about what forever means.
2nd Place - Gales from Gaza
By: Tampere University
This film is an animated short film that explores the lives of a Nigerian man and his teenage daughter living in Gaza. The film delves into the chronicles of their daily struggle for survival and the resilience of the human spirit.
3rd Place - Not Alone
By: Maryam Imogen Ghouth
This poetry film delves into the transformative and communal power of creative expression, a practice that both heals and illuminates our shared human experience.
Trailer
1st Place - Water for Life
By: Maria Jose Calderon, Rick Tejada-Flores
Water For Life explores the collision of water rights, Indigenous beliefs, and resource extraction through the lives of three Latin American community leaders.
2nd Place - TRAILER: Footprints on Katmai
By: Max Romey
Following his Grandmother's footsteps to one of the most remote and bear-strewn beaches in Alaska, painter Max Romey discovers that an ocean of problems is closer to home than he could have imagined.
3rd Place - Seaweed Story
By: Jake Sumner
Narrated by Forest Whitaker, Seaweed Stories is a vibrant, global look at the wonders of seaweed...
College Documentary
1st Place - HUMAN HEART
By: Margot Magdalene Torresin
The ways the trans community can empower themselves and each other, and persevere in a society that wasn’t built for them.
1st Place - God's Sons
By: Don Tortellini
Est. 41 years ago by 4 men by the name of Leon Simon, Charles Thibodeaux, James Hurd & Earl Thompson. The Red Bird Raiders mentor and coach young boys in football & also coach & mentor young girls in cheer.
2nd Place - Shadow Boxing
By: Lena Darabha
Shadow Boxing follows Navreet Chadee's empowering journey as she confronts her inner shadows of self-doubt.
3rd Place - Flavors of Home
By: Yasmin Kerikar, Abby Metcalf, Sekou Cherif
Chronicling the journey of Moroccan chef Bushra Fakier and her culinary enterprise, this film encapsulates the transformative potential of storytelling to amplify voices and incite dialogue.
College Narrative
1st Place - La Bruja
By: Simone Kirlew
PASSWORD: LABRUJADELMAR1 On the night of his eighth birthday, Pablito mourns the loss of his Amá.
Best Animation Award Presented by Wacom - College
1st Place - Runaway, Star!
By: Riverside City College
A star falls into a little boy’s room, and he is going to send it back to the sky with his sister.
2nd Place - Balam
By: Guillermo Casarin
Itzel, a young girl of Mayan descent, goes on a camping trip with her father deep in the jungle.
2nd Place - Leapt Niches
By: The Animation School
Six-year-old orphan Allie is picked up at the docks by her sequestered grandfather, Gram Pops, in his fantastical deep-sea exploration submarine.
3rd Place - Star Shine
By: School of Visual Arts
Star Shine is an animated 3D short film that harnesses a cutting-edge CG pipeline to deliver an emotional and awe-inspiring experience.
Narrative
1st Place - Ballerina
By: Morteza Mazloumi, Farima Khalili
Ballerina is the story of an 8-year-old girl who is about to have a dance performance but due to the Iranian rules, her father and other men are prohibited to watch the ballet.
2nd Place - TWO
By: Lisa Riccardi
PASSWORD: DUEcortometraggio Marta, 7 years old, has a very specific plan. A plan that she kept hidden from anyone.
2nd Place - The Legend of Mikey
By: JLee MacKenzie
A group of former prisoners who used to fight praying mantises reenact the story of an insect who became a prison legend.
3rd Place - Pick One
By: Matthew Serrano
“Pick One” follows a half-Latino/half-white 3rd grader named Matthew who is facing his biggest challenge yet…taking his first-ever standardized test.
PSA
1st Place - The Story of Sugar
By: Deborah Van Dyke
This film highlights the harmful effects of sugar and processed food, helps people understand the risks of diabetes, and shows those at risk the lifestyle changes that can lead to better health.
2nd Place - If Only
By: Gracen Matai Meyers
A dark and eerie drunk driving PSA, where time slows down and reverses as a drunk driver questions what he could have done differently in his final moments.
3rd Place - I Think I'll Walk
By: Olivia Sobolevsky
A fun PSA about ditching our cars in favor of walking, cycling, or taking public transit. The PSA won Best Encouragement PSA and Best Production Design at the Streets Art Safe Awards Show by the nonprofit Streets Are Safe For Everyone (SAFE).
High School Portrait of an Organization
1st Place - My Hero Ubantu International
By: Wilbroad Kiiza
2nd Place - Los Angeles Family Housing
By: John F. Kennedy High School
High School Portrait of an Individual
1st Place - Painting Resistance
By: BAYCAT Academy
Painting Resistance is a short documentary that explores the life, work, and motivation of the San Francisco- based muralist, Chris Gazaleh.
2nd Place - The Spectacular Quiet
By: Air Academy High School
Growing up in Colorado, biracial student Sierra Buah has become increasingly aware of how her race sets her apart from her peers.
3rd Place - The Chapter of Dowd
By: Midwood High School
A short film made by Midwood High School students about their teacher Mr. Michael Dowd.
3rd Place - Rolling Through the Dream
By: Koeun Kwak
A short film created by high school students about their teacher who used to be a figure skating world champion.
High School Documentary
1st Place - Not All Heroes
By: Connor Strange
'Not All Heroes" is a coming-of-age film that examines heroism, fatherhood, and the quiet strength of those who show up.
2nd Place - Fire Relief Boutique: A Story About Community
By: New Roads School
3rd Place - What We Choose Not to See
By: Meilin Shen, Dylan Han
As homelessness in the United States reaches unprecedented levels, cities scramble for solutions, many turning to criminalization in a desperate bid to reclaim public space.
Best Animation Award Presented by Wacom - High School
1st Place - Abuela's Cookbook
By: Isabel Kembel-Rodriguez
When a young girl finds an old recipe book in her late Spanish grandmother’s boxes, she is transported back in time.
2nd Place - Dear Senior Year
By: California State Summer School of the Arts
Dear Senior Year is a short coming-of-age film that depicts a letter to senior year.
3rd Place - Dear Papa
By: DCTV Youth Media
Dear Papa is a short film of a letter from a teenager to her father, talking about academic expectations and how their family can heal.
High School Narrative
1st Place - The Photographer
By: Gracen Matai Meyers, Jacob Kautzky
A teen girl grieves the death of her boyfriend as she struggles to finish his last work of art.
2nd Place - In Bloom
By: Youth Cinema Project, Schurr High Montebello
A short film created by a student at Schurr High.
3rd Place - Find Me in the Void
By: Denver Humphrey
A teen Black girl uses astral projection and the support of her childhood best friend to solve her own case.
High School Experimental
1st Place - ISAAC
By: Trip Breslin
A few friends recount their memories with their friend, ISAAC.
2nd Place - Salt in the Soil
By: Celeste Duffy
The story a mother tells as she confronts her past trauma, and highlights her growth as a mother and a woman.
3rd Place - los blues que son
By: New Roads School
A short film created by New Roads' students, MJ Gonzalez and Milan Campbell.
Middle School Documentary
1st Place - Nai Nai
By: Emilee Sung
My ancestors come from an illiterate fishing village
Where pirates lay in wait for merchant ships to plunder
2nd Place - Paradise in a Pencil
By: Emily Song
"Paradise in a Pencil" is a film I made about how drawing helped me heal from hurt.
3rd Place - A Modern Hero: A Love Story
By: Imaginate Ink
“It was from my grandmother, my Popo, that I learned how to love and that seemingly ordinary things are what are most extraordinary.”
Best Animation Award Presented by Wacom - Middle School
1st Place - Super Dad
By: NTUEEES, National Taipei University of Education Experimental Elementary Sch...
My dad is a firefighter- super brave! He goes on all kinds of missions: rushing into fires, diving into water, and helping people in scary emergencies.
2nd Place - The End of My Pink Cake Life
By: Imaginate Ink
The tale of how Alyssa Wu moved from video-game addicted teen to realizing that treating yourself makes your dreams sit on a shelf.
3rd Place - Untamed Rhymes: Poems to Celebrate
By: Imaginate Ink
Elementary Documentary
1st Place - Mario Molina
By: Kevin R
A Mexican physical chemist.
2nd Place - A Home for Harlem
By: Jubilee Sung, Ed Sung
A Home for Harlem is about 8-year-old Harlem Sung, who lives in a cardboard box with his Mom in Central Park. His dream is to build his Mom a real home. Will Harlem be able to use his creativity to do what seems impossible? Find out in A Home for Harlem.
3rd Place - Buckminster Fuller
By: Rey Romero
An American architect, systems theorist, writer, designer, inventor, philosopher, and futurist.
Elementary Narrative
1st Place - Curse of the Forest
By: Christian Ornales
2nd Place - Pasta Boy
By: Hannah Wu
Organizer created on 1/1/2026 1:32:19 PM by Kitty Richardson
Last edited 1/2/2026 9:44:31 AM by Kitty Richardson
