CATEGORIES

At our festival, we believe that great storytelling can come in many forms, and we’re dedicated to celebrating all of them. So whether you’re a fan of traditional narrative film or you’re excited to explore the possibilities of new media and virtual reality, we’ve got something for you.

Join us as we continue to push the boundaries of what cinema can be.

  1. Best Short Film
    (Fiction Short Film – motion pictures with a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all credits)
  2. Best Feature Film
    (Fiction Feature Film – motion pictures with a running time of more than 40 minutes, up to 150 minutes)
  3. Best Music Video
    (Music Video, up to 20 minutes including titles and all credits.)
  4. Best Dance Film
    (Music Video, up to 20 minutes, including titles and all credits.)
  5. Best Documentary, Short Film
    (Documentary Short Film – motion pictures with a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all credits.)
  6. Best Documentary, Feature Film
    (Documentary Feature Film – motion pictures with a running time of more than 40 minutes, up to 150 minutes.)
  7. Best Short Student Film
    (Student Short Film – motion pictures with a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all credits. Awards will indicate Student Short Film Category.)
  8. Best Feature Student Film
    (Student Feature Film – motion pictures with a running time of more than 40 minutes, up to 150 minutes. Awards will indicate Student Short Film Category.)
  9. Best Artist Short Film
    (Best Artist Short Film – motion pictures with a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all credits)
  10. Best Artist Feature Film
    (Best Artist Feature Film – motion pictures with a running time of more than 40 minutes, up to 150 minutes)
  11. Best Photography – Cinematography, Short Film
    (Photography / Cinematography, fiction or documentary, motion pictures with a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all credits)
  12. Best Photography – Cinematography, Feature Film
    (Photography / Cinematography, fiction or documentary – motion pictures with a running time of more than 40 minutes, up to 150 minutes)
  13. Best First time Director, Short Film
    (First time Director, Short Film, motion pictures with a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all credits)
  14. Best First time Director, Feature Film
    (First time Director, Feature Film – motion pictures with a running time of more than 40 minutes, up to 150 minutes)
  15. Best Director, Short Film
    (Best Director, Short Film, motion pictures with a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all credits,)
  16. Best Director, Feature Film
    (Best Director, Feature Film – motion pictures with a running time of more than 40 minutes, up to 150 minutes)
  17. Best Music Score, Short Film
    (Music Score, Short Film, a substantial body of music that serves as original dramatic underscoring. Motion pictures with a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all credits)
  18. Best Music Score, Feature Film
    (Music Score, FeatureFilm, a substantial body of music that serves as original dramatic underscoring. Motion pictures with a running time of more than 40 minutes, up to 150 minutes)
  19. Best Actor
    (Best actor: an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance, all film categories)
  20. Best actress
    (Best actress: an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance, all film categories)
  21. Best animation, Short Film
    (Animation, short film, may be fiction or documentary. An animated film narrative or abstract may include but are not limited to hand-drawn animation, computer animation, stop-motion, clay animation, pixilation, cutout animation, multiple pass imagery, kaleidoscopic effects created frame-by-frame, and drawing on the film frame itself. Motion capture and real-time puppetry are not by themselves animation techniques, and will compete in the regular films category.Running time must be less than 40 minutes.)
  22. Best Animation, Feature Film
    (Animation, feature film, may be fiction or documentary. An animated film narrative or abstract may include but are not limited to hand-drawn animation, computer animation, stop-motion, clay animation, pixilation, cutout animation, multiple pass imagery, kaleidoscopic effects created frame-by-frame, and drawing on the film frame itself. Motion capture and real-time puppetry are not by themselves animation techniques, and will compete in the regular films category. Running time must be more than 40 minutes, up to 150 minutes.)
  23. Best Costume Design
    (Costume design and creation for film, television, or stage productions. The evaluation is based on the aesthetics and design alone, or understanding the story, character, mood, and other elements of a film.)
  24. Best Film Editing
    (A prize for best film editing is an award given to recognize the exceptional skill of a film editor in selecting, cutting, and sequencing the visual and audio elements of a movie.)
  25. Best Makeup and Hairstyling
    (Best Makeup & Hairstyling is awarded for artistry in makeup and hairstyling in terms of aesthetics, or understanding and matching the story, character, mood, and other elements of a film.)
  26. Best VR and 360 Video Experience
    (Our festival prize for Best VR and 360 Video Experience celebrates innovation in storytelling and immersive experiences. This award recognizes exceptional use of virtual reality and 360 video to transport audiences to new worlds, challenge perceptions, and create unique emotional connections. All popular and standard formats are accepted.)
  27. Best Visual Effects
    (Use of visual effects in film, technical expertise and creative vision, contributing to the film’s overall storytelling, world-building, and immersive experience.)
  28. Best Experimental Short Film
    (Challenge traditional narratives, push boundaries, and experiment with form, style, and content to create unique and captivating cinematic experiences. Motion pictures with a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all credits.)
  29. Best Experimental Feature Film
    (Challenge traditional narratives, push boundaries, and experiment with form, style, and content to create unique and captivating cinematic experiences. Motion pictures with a Running time must be more than 40 minutes, up to 150 minutes.)
  30. Best Commercial and Advertising
    (Commercial and Advertising: visual communication used for promoting a product, service, or idea. Up to 20 minutes including titles and all credits.)
  31. Best Instructional Film
    (Instructional film: a video or film used to teach or provide instructions on a specific skill, process, or concept. Any duration.)