Winners for various genres and categories are selected by our screening committee each month. Winners for each month are announced on the first day of the proceeding month and posted on our website and social media outlets. To view the winners of a specific month, choose the corresponding accordion link below. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns. Good luck!
Adam S. Gelles
Best Actor
Little Green Bastards
Russell Emanuel
Best Movie Poster
Staycation
Shamnas PP
Best Mobile Short
Beyond the Wall
Brigid Turner
Best Female Filmmaker
Wounds
January 2026
FEATURE FILM AWARDS
Best Feature Film
Sixteen Years
SHORT FILM AWARDS
Best Drama Short
There is Always Tomorrow
Best Comedy Short
Murphy
Best Horror Short
Come the Nightfall
Best Animation Short
Sugar Rush!
Best Inspirational Short
Patient
Best International Short
The Iron Scream
Best Microshort
Serial
Best New Jersey Short
Beyond Words
Best College Short
What Could Have Been
Best High School Short
All It Needs
Best Mobile Short
We Talk Like Adults
Best Music Video
A Letter to Mom
Best AI Short
Grow
Best Trailer
Sixteen Years
Best Movie Poster
In Case…
ACTING AWARDS
Best Actor
David Morton (Beyond Words)
Best Actress
Alessandra Greco (There is Always Tomorrow)
Best Supporting Actor
Joshua Matchin (All It Needs)
Best Supporting Actress
Maddie Giardina (Murphy)
Best Ensemble
Come the Nightfall
Best Young Actor
Tanner Grigoli (What Could Have Been)
TECHNICAL AWARDS
Best Director
Tom Michaels (Come the Nightfall)
Best First-Time Director
Mida Kagolkina (The Iron Scream)
Best Female Filmmaker
Mya Forlenza (Serial)
Best Young Filmmaker
Ryan Matteo (What Could Have Been)
Best Cinematography
Colin Freire (There is Always Tomorrow)
Best Editing
Ned Thorne (Come the Nightfall)
Best Visual Effects
Cristian Urzua Lagos (Come the Nightfall)
Best Special Effects Makeup
Vanessa Marone (Beyond Words)
Best Sound Design
Maui Holcomb (Come the Nightfall)
Best Original Score
Josh De Rosa (Beyond Words)
SCREENPLAY AWARDS
Best Feature Screenplay
“The Suicide Pact” by Jane Boyd
Best Short Screenplay
“Magical Violet” by Jon Osei & Aidan Zimmerman
February 2026
FEATURE FILM AWARDS
Best Feature Narrative
Spades
Best Feature Documentary
Pints With Kelly
SHORT FILM AWARDS
Best Drama Short
Life
Best Comedy Short
Oh, Hell No!
Best Horror Short
Locked In
Best Thriller
Empty
Best Sci-Fi Short
Sheltered Spaces
Best Inspirational Short
Les Enfants Fa’a’amu
Best International Short
Unspoken
Best Microshort
A Scare in the Night
Best New Jersey Short
New Casper
Best College Short
Shadows in Faith
Best High School Short
Filthy
Best AI Short
I am your MIRA
Best Trailer
Empty
Best Movie Poster
Les Enfants Fa’a’amu
ACTING AWARDS
Best Actor in a Feature
Jason Narvy (Spades)
Best Actress in a Feature
Maya Brattkus (Spades)
Best Actor in a Short
Moustafa Khlaf (Life)
Best Actress in a Short
Ariana Papaleo (Living With Mr. Fishy)
Best Supporting Actor
Thain Wesley (Absent)
Best Supporting Actress
Michela Putzu (Life)
Best Ensemble
Unspoken
Best Young Actor
Noella Smith-Beltran (New Casper)
TECHNICAL AWARDS
Best Director of a Feature
Johnny Yong Bosch (Spades)
Best Director of a Short
Danny Cotton (Sheltered Spaces)
Best First-Time Director
Frank Doucet (Les Enfants Fa’a’amu)
Best Female Filmmaker
Kayla Neves (Absent)
Best Young Filmmaker
Naeem Opoku & Gisli Ingimarsson (Empty)
Best Cinematography
Andolin Fanti (Unspoken)
Best Editing
Johnny Yong Bosch (Spades)
Best Visual Effects
Sebastian H. Foxworth (New Casper)
Best Special Effects Makeup
Amber Monroe (Living With Mr. Fishy)
Best Sound Design
Ugo David (Les Enfants Fa’a’amu)
Best Original Score
Liam Ramsker (Sheltered Spaces)
SCREENPLAY AWARDS
Best Feature Screenplay
“Sure to Impress” by Stacy Wiseman
Best Short Screenplay
“Hurt” by Craig Douglas
March 2026
SHORT FILM AWARDS
Best Drama Short
Perplexity
Best Comedy Short
This Sucks
Best Horror Short
Vamped
Best Thriller
Your Flower Is Closing
Best Experimental Short
Moabit XXVIII
Best Documentary Short
The New Perspective
Best International Short
A Musician’s Requiem
Best Microshort
Static Whispers
Best New Jersey Short
The Benefit of Charity
Best High School Short
Pagbasa
Best Trailer
Your Flower Is Closing
Best Movie Poster
Moabit XXVIII
ACTING AWARDS
Best Actor
Rob Morris (Your Flower Is Closing)
Best Actress
Liia Kasenova (Vamped)
Best Supporting Actor
Juan Pablo Salazar (Perplexity)
Best Supporting Actress
Susanne McDonald (August)
Best Ensemble
This Sucks
Best Young Actor
John Schaub (Scorned)
TECHNICAL AWARDS
Best Director
Colin Christopher Hankenson (This Sucks)
Best First-Time Director
Juan Luis De Filpo (Perplexity)
Best Female Filmmaker
Kara C. Caubalejo (Pagbasa)
Best Young Filmmaker
Eli Valencia (Vamped)
Best Cinematography
Christian Aguirre (Perplexity)
Best Editing
Luis Galán (The New Perspective)
Best Visual Effects
Frank Cettina (This Sucks)
Best Special Effects Makeup
Liia Kasenova & Janae Mejia (Vamped)
Best Sound Design
Oscar Vazquez (This Sucks)
Best Original Score
Edwin Ospina (The New Perspective)
SCREENPLAY AWARDS
Best Feature Screenplay
“Save and Protect” by Mila Nova
Best Short Screenplay
“Last Meal” by Rick-kendy Noziere
April 2026
FEATURE FILM AWARDS
Best Feature Film
Broken: Redemption
SHORT FILM AWARDS
Best Drama Short
The Drop Off
Best Comedy Short
Turnbuckle
Best Horror Short
Royston Vale Road
Best Animation Short
Pitico
Best Experimental Short
Emma’s Birthday
Best Inspirational Short
Who Art In Heaven
Best International Short
Anino
Best New Jersey Short
Chaos & Meticulous
Best College Short
Afterthoughts
Best High School Short
How to: Lose a Guy in 10 Days
Best Web Series/TV Pilot
Radiation Zone
Best Music Video
Favorite Crime
Best AI Short
Wuthering Heights
Best Trailer
Unseen
Best Movie Poster
Pitico
Best Concept
The Wrath of The Jinn
ACTING AWARDS
Best Actor in a Feature
Samuele Bartolini (Call Me Joe)
Best Actress in a Feature
Tara Beavers (Broken: Redemption)
Best Actor in a Short
Eric Daniel (Chaos & Meticulous)
Best Actress in a Short
Christina S. Thompson (The Drop Off)
Best Supporting Actor
Jesaniel Marrero (Radiation Zone)
Best Supporting Actress
KJ Traynor (Hearts of New England)
Best Ensemble
Hearts of New England
Best Young Actor
Ty’zir Pierce (The Drop Off)
TECHNICAL AWARDS
Best Director of a Feature
Franco Ceredi (Call Me Joe)
Best Director of a Short
J.R Fortin & S. Conicelli (Hearts of New England)
Best First-Time Director
Nita Pednekar (Two Steps)
Best Female Filmmaker
Ava Bella Nunziata (Who Art In Heaven)
Best Young Filmmaker
Jacob Donahue (Lamentations)
Best Cinematography
Joel McKowan (Radiation Zone)
Best Editing
David Fullwood (Royston Vale Road)
Best Sound Design
László Bús & Zoltán Bognár (Emma’s Birthday)
Best Original Score
Christopher Fyfe (Hearts of New England)
SCREENPLAY AWARDS
Best Feature Screenplay
“Ghostlight” by Francesco Colangelo
Best Short Screenplay
“Ember & I“ by Amber Morgan