See also Fall 2025 Award Winners – Technical Competitions
Best Narrative Short (Grand Jury Prize)
Spare! by Jules Cales and Balthazar Ullmann (France)


Outstanding Achievement Award (Grand Jury Prize) for Narrative Short
Thickly Settled by Brian D Jones and Jordan Brooks (USA)


Honorable Mention (Grand Jury Prize) for Narrative Short
Summerville 70 by David Boatwright (USA)



Best Foreign Short (Grand Jury Prize)
Ditto by Suresh G (India)



Honorable Mention (Grand Jury Prize) for Foreign Short
Soaring Hoops by Yasheng Tao, Guanzhen Gao, and Wei Yi (China)



Best Documentary Short: The 3100 by Mark Fisher (USA)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Documentary Short): Creating A Photojournalist by Erik Castro (USA)
Best Comedy Short: Spare! by Jules Cales and Balthazar Ullmann (France)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Comedy Short): A Film by Roland Wehap by Roland Wehap (Austria)
Honorable Mention (Comedy Short): Salty by Josh Martin and Alex Raban (USA)
Best Thriller Short: Where The Shadows Wait by Riley Robbins (USA)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Thriller Short): Thank You for the Ride, Aileen by JP Pullings (USA)
Honorable Mention (Thriller Short): You Still See Dead People by Neo Wagner (USA)
Best Horror Short: Kinfolk by Andre Dixon (USA)
Best Sci-Fi Short: Memoria Obscura by David Christopher Nelson and Connor Ryan (USA)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Sci-Fi Short): Pro by Ray Peng (China)
Best Fantasy Short: The Feast of the Serpent by Craig M Baurley (USA)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Fantasy Short): When the Scales Tip by Chenyi Jiang and Wei Yi (China)
Best Animation Short: Ocher by Chee Ho (USA)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Animation Short): The Family Photo by John Norris Ray and Maria Victoria Sanchez (USA)
Honorable Mention (Animation Short): Fluff & Furious by Chieh-Chih Liao (USA)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Children Short): Willow by Libuše Kmínková (Czechia)
Best Newcomer Short: Our Last Summer by Alannah Wilson (Ireland)
Honorable Mention (Newcomer Short): Rachel’s Room by Matilde Ebeian (USA)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Experimental Short): Magas (Fly) by Ashkan Nasseri (USA)
Honorable Mention (Experimental Short): La Jet by Chris Merrill (USA)
Best Microfilm: Tomb of Butterflies by Wei Yi (China)
Honorable Mention (Microfilm): Whisper in the Abyss by Junda Wu (USA)
Best Web Series/TV Pilot: Sky of Tides: Atla – Welcome Party by Jason Loftus and Masha Loftus (Canada)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Web Series/TV Pilot): Timewriter by Ryan Luevano (USA)
Best Music Video: Iradoh – 3 Acts Of Brotherhood by Kaique Alves and Thiago Eva (Brazil)
Honorable Mention (Music Video): My Love by Ilia Noyabrov (Ukraine)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Short Script): Very Soon Now by Jeremy Heilmeier (USA)
Honorable Mention (Short Script): Dog Person by James Palombo (USA)


























See also Fall 2025 Award Winners – Technical Competitions
Cal Film Festival 2023-2025 © All Rights Reserved
