Winners: July 2025 ACTION/ADVENTURE Festival

A showcase of the best short films in the world today.

AUDIENCE WINNERS:
Best Action: VERTIGO SPRITZ
Best Micro-Short: antisocial
Best Adventure: AKASHIC SPHERES
Best Story: THE CORNER ROOM
Best Animation: SPEED, HEART, AND SOUL
Best Direction: LAST TOUCH
Best Performances: HAPPY PLACES

THE CORNER ROOM, 15min., USA
Directed by Gita Farid
An homage to the tragic ending of the Ann Frank story. It always saddened me that Ann Frank didn’t survive to see the Liberation although it was only months away. Two women hidden in an attic apartment in the Jewish Quarter in a town in Poland are joined by their younger brother, a fighter in the Resistance. There is a round-up…

SPEED, HEART, AND SOUL, 5min., USA
Directed by Orlando Mendesv
Nick, a 17-year-old race driver, has spent his life chasing speed, but now, the stakes are higher than ever. Haunted by the loss of his older brother in a Formula 1 crash and with his little sister trapped in an unbreakable coma, Nick is thrust into a race unlike any other—a race that isn’t just about winning but about facing his fears and rewriting destiny.

https://www.gingagear.us/

VERTIGO SPIRTZ, 15min. Italy Directed by Cecilia Brianza
A fight in the night in Milan. A man slips into a vortex of misadventures beyond his control.

https://www.instagram.com/vertigospritz/

antisocial, 2min., Germany
Directed by Tobias Rothacker
I am the hero, I’ll remain,
See only me, push you away,
Embrace destruction, face the pain,
Transforming swiftly in my own domain!

Akashic Spheres, 11min., USA
Directed by James Scott
Mystical orbs hold the power to control the multiverse are being sought by dark forces who plan to use them for evil. Captain Everest must find them first to save mankind.

http://akashicspheres.com/

LAST TOUCH, 25min., Uzbekistan
Directed by Gulnara Ivanova
This is the story of a man trapped in a cycle of self-punishment, unable to break free from the torment of his own guilt. Each day, he finds new ways to inflict pain upon himself, believing it to be penance for his past mistakes. Blind to the damage he’s causing, he begins to destroy not only himself but also the world around him—relationships, opportunities, and dreams crumble under the weight of his relentless self-blame. It is only when he confronts the truth—that forgiveness must come from within—that he can hope to heal and rebuild the shattered pieces of his life.

https://www.instagram.com/gulya.films/

HAPPY PLACES, 20min., USA
Directed by Nich Frost
A mysterious stranger interrupts the evening of a seemingly normal family to visit his childhood home. But his presence progresses towards a possibly ominous outcome.

WINNER: July 2025 BLACK & WHITE Festival

A showcase of the best BLACK & WHITE films from around the world.

AUDIENCE AWARDS:
Best Short Film: Pvt. Ravel’s Bolero
Best Direction: We’re Nothing
Best Story: Ice Cream Sidewalk
Best Micro-Short: THE VEGETABLE GARDEN – a tale from the Barbagia region in Sardinia

We’re Nothing, 4min, USA
Directed by Kelly Hughes
Music video collaboration between director Kelly Hughes and Italian Post-Metal band Postvorta. Hughes filmed most of the footage in Kitsap County in WA State (Port Orchard, Gorst, Sunnyslope, Bremerton, Suquamish) with a mostly local cast.

https://www.instagram.com/kellywaynehughes

Ice Cream Sidewalk. 5min., USA
Directed by Randy Zuniga

Pvt. Ravel’s Bolero, 28min., USA
Directed by JZ Murdock
Pvt. Ravel’s Bolero is a unique anti-war film blending historical documentary, visual poetry, and the haunting music of Maurice Ravel. Based on the poem by JZ Murdock, the film delves into Ravel’s time as a truck driver in World War I, reflecting on the profound impact of his music and the devastating effects of war.

https://www.instagram.com/jzmurdock/

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN – a tale from the Barbagia region in Sardinia, 3min., Italy
Directed by Samantha Comizzoli
In a Sardinian’s village of Barbagia, a mother writes to her son in prison beacuse. She is to old to work the land, so she can’t makes the vegetable garden. The son finds an ingenious solution.

http://www.samanthacomizzoli.blogspot.com/

LA Winners: July 2025 COMEDY Festival

A showcase of the best comedy short films in the world today.

AUDIENCE AWARDS:
Best Short Film: AL FRESCO
Best Story: HEAD OVER HEELS
Best Direction: HELLO
Best Performances: Indyana Jones – End of the world

Al fresco, 8min., Spain
Directed by Ignacio Rodo
Large room in a dream apartment. Unbeatable location. Ready to move in. Plenty of light.

https://www.instagram.com/ignacio.rodo

https://edge.aditude.io/safeframe/1-1-1/html/container.html

Head Over Heels, 12min., UK
Directed by Ignacio Rodo
When conventional therapy fails, it’s time for a crazy approach.

Hello, min., USA
Directed by Lauren A. Poole
A disaster brings three people into irritating proximity of each other.

Indyana Jones – End of the world, 25min., Finland
Directed by Petri Puroano
Sometimes filming a movie is not easy when people involved in the film-production have a different vision of the final product. Star wanna-be faces these challenges and struggles with motivation to move forward when dealing with the demands from the films director, producer and reacting to animals on set. All this dream-chasing moves “Indyana” into direction that was not planned. The film is a parody, almost like a mockumentary while trying to show respect towards the original movies which this one is based on. This shortfilm, fan film, is a prequel-film that launches season 5 for “We Sock” webseries & feature film.

https://www.instagram.com/we.sock.pp

A showcase of the best LGBTQ+ films in the world today.

AUDIENCE AWARDS:
Best Short Film: Astronaut’s Uniform
Best Direction: Reflections of Us

Reflections of Us, 15min., USA
Directed by Sanna Lexhed
Anna wants to have a perfect relationship, devoid of any negativity. Her partner, Charlie, wants to have honest, difficult conversations about their feelings. When the two stumble upon an ice rink in the park, we see Anna at her best: spontaneous, fun, pushing Charlie out of her comfort zone. Later that night, Charlie receives devastating news from her mom over the phone. Instead of asking Charlie about it, Anna avoids Charlie and acts as if everything’s fine. As their relationship falls apart, Anna must overcome her fear of opening up if she wants to keep Charlie in her life.

https://www.instagram.com/reflectionsofus.film

Astronaut’s Uniform, 30min., Russia
Directed by Dmitri Frolov
Mockumentary experimental film, which shows one day in the life of a young man.

https://www.instagram.com/astronauts_uniform/

A showcase of the best from the STYLE, EXPERIMENTAL, FASHION festival.

AUDIENCE AWARDS:
Best Micro-Short: NAKIELSKY
Best Dance Film: HYPNAGOGIA
Best Experimental: MX.
Best Story: BLACK AND CATHIE
Best Performances: SEEKING TRANQUILITY
Best Direction: RIPPLES
Best Visual Design: LAST LOVE
Best Documentary: Tomasz Kwiecien – Professional skating instructor
Best Music Video: Maria Niklińska Marlen – make it

Mx., 5min., UK
Directed by WWenen Lusa
“Mx.” is a title used as a gender-neutral alternative to Mr. or Ms., reflecting inclusivity in gender identity. This film delves into the tension between gender identity and societal expectations, highlighting the quest for selfhood amidst oppression. Through the lens of diverse, non-binary lesbians, it showcases their struggles with physical acceptance, cultural pressures, and homophobia. The narrative emphasizes the symbolic power of costumes and dance as tools for inner awakening and liberation, illustrating the beauty and strength found in diverse identities. By following the journeys of these individuals, “Mx.” challenges societal norms and questions how the fashion industry can lead the way in accepting varied gender expressions, ultimately portraying the ongoing fight for identity acceptance and understanding.

BLAKE AND CATHIE, 8min., Argentina
Directed by Ileana Gómez
SHORT FICTION FILM ABOUT WILLIAM BLAKE, ENGLIH WRITER AND PAINTER.

https://www.instagram.com/ysabelle_taylor_dance/

Hypnagogia, 4min., UK
Directed by Ysabelle Taylor
Hypnagogia is the transitional state of consciousness between wakefulness and sleep. A sensation of semi-consciousness or trance where images float sometimes randomly, sometimes sequentially through our minds.

Seeking Tranquility, 4min., UK
Directed by Ysabelle Taylor
An improvised dance film in collaboration with dancer Aleth Berenice and composer Alberte Erantis. Filmed at Acosta Dance Centre, located in a historic building of the Woolwich Royal Arsenal in London.

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https://www.instagram.com/ysabelle_taylor_dance/

Ripples, 1min., UK
Directed by Ysabelle Taylor

Last Love, 18min., Russia
Directed by Dmitri Frolov
The musical and poetic composition “O my prophetic soul” on the verses of Fedor Ivanovich Tyutchev for the Reader, Pianist and String Orchestra of the composer Sergei Aleksandrovich Oskolkov served as a sound basis for the philosophical parable about the Love of the human and divine, about the cycle of life, about the decline of civilization, That the latter will be the first. The film is shot as a dream, and the use of the aesthetic series of experimental cinema only emphasizes this state. The universal sound gives him the poetry of Fedor Tyutchev (1803-1873), deeply played by Leonid Mozgovoy behind the scenes. The young actors Natalya Surkova and Vladimir Zolotar, who existed in the frame, had a difficult task to show the first people not burdened with the intellectual work of subsequent generations. It was necessary to abandon today’s problems and try to imagine themselves as original people, and then immediately move to the very end of time. The plot begins with them and ends with humanity. This author wanted to show continuity: the first love and the supposed last is an indivisible whole of one eternal Love.

http://dmitrfrolov.narod.ru/Last_Love/en.html

https://edge.aditude.io/safeframe/1-1-1/html/container.html

Tomasz Kwiecien – Professional skating instructor, 6min., USA
Directed by Dominika Machel
Tomasz Kwiecień is on a mission — to get as many people involved in blading as possible, not just kids but adults too. His passion for skating knows no limits — he even set a Guinness World Record by completing a full marathon… skating backwards! Blading in schools?

https://www.instagram.com/dominika_machel/

https://edge.aditude.io/safeframe/1-1-1/html/container.html

Nakielsky, 1min., Poland
Directed by Dominika Machel
This isn’t a story – it’s a collision of senses. Movement, sound, image – equal, sharp as glass, precise as a blade. Nothing leads, nothing follows. They coexist in tension, in a rhythm that doesn’t obey rules but rises from the clash of motion, sound, and visuals. Each sense holds its ground – sight never overshadows hearing, sound never silences the body. But everything penetrates everything else – without that, there’s no meaning. The layers merge, not in harmony, but in friction – and that friction sparks reaction.

https://www.instagram.com/dominika_machel/

https://edge.aditude.io/safeframe/1-1-1/html/container.html

Maria Niklińska Marlen – make it, 3min., Poland
Directed by Dominika Machel

https://edge.aditude.io/safeframe/1-1-1/html/container.html

Submit to the festival via FilmFreeway:

Loved this festival! It was great to receive feedback on our short film 148: SNEEZE – something many festivals do not do. Also we were very happy to have won “Best Performances” too – thanks. Highly Recommend!