The following projects (short films, TV & web series, and music videos) are the finalists of the Summer 2026 quarter season competing across the genre categories, plus the technical ones.
These finalists were shortlisted from an official selection pool with an acceptance rate of 32.0%, drawn from submissions representing 25 countries with a total runtime of 26:53:27, in addition to the short scripts.
Nominees represent the top 23.0% of all submissions for the season.
Categories not listed did not receive submissions that met the minimum qualifying score.
TBA categories include two or fewer qualifying entries; award winners in these categories will be announced alongside the winners of all other categories.
Summer 2026 Nominations – Technical Competitions
Best Narrative Short (Grand Jury Prize)
Belly Whizzer by Kyle Rodgers (USA)
Mr. Fleischmann by Frank Crim (USA)
Weep No More by Truitt Glover (USA)
Best Foreign Short (Grand Jury Prize)
Casus by William Eguienta (France)
Piz Tri. The Voice of the Mountain. by Francesco Pedrazzi (Italy)
The Last Berth (艔) by Tsui Kai Yuen (Hong Kong)
Best Documentary Short
A Beautiful Walk by Gabriel Taylor (USA)
She Wrote ‘My Girl’ but They Never Came Back by Pelly Sewell (USA)
The Thirteenth Banner — China Behind the Walls by Pierre Alivon (France)
Best Student Short
Who We Once Were by Jasmine Gabriel Winoto (Australia/Indonesia)
Wolf Man by Samuel Benavidez (USA)
Skater Haters by Justice Nelson (USA)
Best Experimental Short
TBA
Best Newcomer Short
Heart Felt by Alex Arce (USA)
Journeez by Rowan Wheeler (USA)
Smoker by Ollie Alexander (Canada)
Best Microfilm
Afterimage by Shigenobu Sanda (China)
I/O by Molly Vernon (USA)
The Grass Is Stone by Timothy Bellavia (USA)
Best Animation Short
Fido by John Norris Ray and Maria Victoria Sanchez (USA)
Skater Haters by Justice Nelson (USA)
Til’ Death Does His Part by Nathan RJ Fox (USA)
Best Children Short
TBA
Best Sci-Fi Short
TBA
Best Horror Short
Canine by Colin Sanchez (USA)
Howl of the Moon by Immanuel Golden Gracia (USA)
We’ll Be Right Back by Lorena Stefania De Maddalena (Switzerland)
Best Music Video
TBA
Best Web Series/TV Pilot
TBA
Summer 2026 Nominations – Technical Competitions
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