WINNERS: October 2025 DIVERSITY Film Festival

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

AUDIENCE AWARDS:
Best Feature Film: RICK NELSON: GUNTERSVILLE
Best Short Film: AT THE EDGE OF SKIN
Best Story: FOR THE LOVE OF DOGS
Best Direction: ON TIPTOES

Rick Nelson: Guntersville, 60min., USA
Directed by Kenny Scott Guffey
This poignant documentary goes beyond the myth to explore iconic musician Rick Nelson’s final performance, from the people who were there when he rocked the stage that one last time.

At The Edge of Skin, 20min,. Brazil
Directed by Danielle Villanova
“At The Edge of Skin” (20’, 2024, dir. Danielle Villanova) is an observational documentary guided by the lives of Laiz and Joselito, both Black and albino. By juxtaposing Laiz at the height of her 7-year-old childhood and Joselito at 60, the film weaves together and reveals the complex ancestral network that connects their two lives.”

https://www.instagram.com/tarrafaprodutora/

For The Love of Dogs, 26min., India
Directed by Mohanjeet Baldev Singh Kalsi
In the biting cold of North India’s winters, thousands of stray dogs struggle to survive, unseen and unheard. But in the bustling city of Gurugram, one man refuses to look away.

https://www.instagram.com/fortheloveofdogs2025

ON TIPTOES, 23min., Brazil
Directed by Giovanna Romano
When Fernanda and Andressa received the autism diagnosis for their sons, Rafael and Martin, they found themselves facing a future that seemed to be decided by others—invasive treatments, heavy medication, and the fears and uncertainties that come with the diagnosis. But in their pursuit of dignity and autonomy for their children, the two mothers decided to rewrite their future. The key? Cannabis oil, which gave their sons the possibility to dream. A story of courage, where maternal love transforms into a fight. Each new step is taken with the hope of achieving what once seemed impossible.

https://www.instagram.com/tarrafaprodutora/

A showcase of the best new films from around the world today.

AUDIENCE AWARDS:
Best Short Film: NEXT UP
Best Visual Design: EMMA
Best Performances: TREU (FAITHFUL)
Best Music Video: TIMELESS: A SYMPHONY IN MOTION
Best Direction: NIGHT SHIFT AT NED’S
Best Documentary: CHICAGO CRIME
Best Student Film: PESTICIDE
Best Cinematography: INVINCIBLES
Best Sound & Music: THE TENDER ONES WILL TRIUMPH

Emma, 11min., Canada
Directed by Robert Bockstael
Two women, associated through addiction are spiraling downwards. In a rare moment of clarity, nearing the end of their salvageable lives, Emma remembers a long-forgotten ‘secret stash’ of money she and her grandmother kept for an emergency. Embarking on a quest for this treasure – this perceived salvation – they find instead an offer of redemption.

https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/audience-feedback-emma

Treu (Faithful), 15min., Germany
Directed by Hansjoerg Thurn
A woman wakes up in a bed she doesn’t know and seems to be trapped by a man twice her age. She tries to escape, but after a wild getaway, she saves herself back in the same house she escaped from. An older version of her speaks to her from a computer. Only then does she realize that she is suffering from Alzheimer’s and is actually the same age as the man who is her husband. She remembers the early years of their relationship, when they were both famous actors on stage. TREU depicts the disorientation of a woman with dementia and the mental imprisonment of her caring partner. This short film focuses on the suffering of the husband (Anthony Arndt) and his wife (Annika Kuhl) in a tense atmosphere. The film has already won awards at many festivals. This short film is also going on a charity tour of international cinemas.

https://www.instagram.com/anthonyarndt_actor/

https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/audience-feedback-faithful

Timeless : A Symphony in Motion, 5min., UK
Directed by Susan Mey Lee Lim, Christina Teenz Tan, Samudra Kajal Saikia
“Timeless : A Symphony in Motion”” is a captivating music video that seamlessly blends a live recording of the titular song with poignant animated overlays, creating a visual and auditory experience that resonates deeply with audiences. Filmed at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in April 2025, the video features the 82-member Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and the extraordinary vocals of Tom Ball, a star from America’s Got Talent.

https://www.instagram.com/fantasyofcompanionship/

https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/audience-feedback-timeless

NEXT UP, 30min., UK
Directed by Marion H von Loewenstern
Juliette Mandeville and Tilly Anders, two actresses follow a call for an audition to London. Juliette is already a successful and well-known actress who, however, due to her age, is no longer offered good film roles. Tilly Anders on the other hand, is at the beginning of her career, she is very young, inexperienced and full of self-doubt. The director is a shady character driven by selfishness. Juliettes audition doesn’t go well . Tilly is overcome nervousness and flees from the theatre before it’s her turn. How will the two women deal with it and will their lives take a turn? In the style of a surreal dramedy, the story gives a socially critical insight into the entertainment industry, with its possible obstacles and difficulties.

https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/audience-feedback-next-up

Night Shift at Ned’s, 25min., USA
Directed by Hagen Mattingly
A seasoned waitress starts a new job at an overnight diner in the deep south, and learns new meaning to the term “customers from Hell.”

https://www.instagram.com/night_shift_at_neds

https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/audience-feedback-night-shift-at-neds

Chicago Crime, 19min., USA
Directed by Marcus DiPaola
Marcus DiPaola and Jermaine Kelly chase crime across Chicago, finding shocking differences between how police act in minority neighborhoods versus wealthy neighborhoods.

https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/audience-feedback-chicago-crimes

Pesticide, 7min,. USA
Directed by Justin Graham
An exterminator duels both late night insects and an overbearing car salesman.

https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/audience-feedback-pesticide

Invincibles, 25min., France
Directed by Shane Rosilio
This film is a dinner party behind closed doors. Hannah is hosting a dinner party at her house with her grandmother, her old school teacher, one of her classmates, and her brother, who lives with her. The classmate seems unaware of what he’s doing there, the school teacher tries to be as discreet as possible, and the brother keeps coughing. The atmosphere at dinner is heavy, as if everyone is superfluous, and the room is increasingly filled with unease…

https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/audience-feedback-invincibles

THE TENDER ONES WILL TRIUMPH, 15min., Poland
Directed by Francisco Bassignana
A young Ukrainian girl live in Poland as immigrant. she received several calls from her mother but she doesn’t want to answer because she think that something bad is going on.

https://wildsound.vhx.tv/videos/audience-feedback-the-tender-ones

Submit via the Festival site: https://blackfeedbackfilmfestival.com/black-screenwriters-festival/

Submit your screenplay that’s written by a black writer and/or the main character(s) are black, to the festival.

FULL FEEDBACK on your screenplay from our committee of Professional Screenwriters, Production Heads and Script Consultants. Get your entire script performed at the writing festival.

SUBMIT your FEATURE, TV PILOT or SHORT SCREENPLAY.

Submissions take 3-5 weeks for evaluation. Looking for screenplays from all over the world.

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This festival has a guaranteed 4-tier set up for each accepted script. (No matter what, all screenplays submitted receive FULL FEEDBACK on their work.)

1st Tier: FULL FEEDBACK on your screenplay (all submissions)

2nd Tier: Accepted scripts (25% on average of submitted entries) get the best scene of their screenplay performed by professional actors and made into a promotional video.

3rd Tier: We will send you a list of questions to answer for our blog interview that will promote you and your film.

4th Tier: Then we will set up a podcast interview on our popular ITunes show where we will promote the winning writer and script./p>

(BONUS: 5th Tier. A winning screenwriter’s WhatsApp group has just been formed. Over 50 writers to date. Great way to share ideas and contacts with people in the industry.)

You can also take advantage of the Best Scene Screening Video Reading Deal:
https://tvfestival.org/best-scene-screenplay-deal/

What this festival does is give the writer exposure. With our best scene video reading, plus the 2 interviews, this festival simply makes the screenwriter’s name and script searchable and out there to the world. Plus, submissions receive full feedback on their script no matter what.

Submit via the Festival site: https://storypitches.com/body-image-short-story-festival/

Submit your BODY IMAGE short story to the festival here, and we will automatically have it performed by a professional actor and turned into a promotional video for yourself.



Accept only stories that fit into the BODY IMAGE genres.

See example of recent reading completed:

Submit on the Festival site: https://femalefilmfestival.com/womens-fiction-novel-festival/

Submit your WOMEN’S FICTION Book by the deadline.

Women’s fiction is a broad term for books that center on women’s experiences and are marketed to female readers.

Watch Novel Performance Readings: