2025 Awards
Best of the Fest: Feature Narrative
One Stupid Thing
Producers: Todd Traina, Michael Leeds
Director: Linda Yellen
uSA
Audience Choice Award:
Best Feature Documentary
Blue Zeus
Dir: Rocky Romano
Miranda Winters
uSA
Audience Choice Award:
Best International Short
Medicine
Dir: William Amos McKegg
New Zealand
Audience Choice Award
Best International Animation Short
In Half
Dir: Jorge Morais Valle
Spain
Best Int’l Short Drama
The Dog
Dir: Omri Levy
Israel
Grand Jury Award – Best International Short
The Reach
Dir: Luca Caserta
Verona, Italy
Best International Short Horror
The Carrot
Dir: Joakim Benum
United Kingdom
Audience Choice Award:
Best Feature Docu-Drama
Lucky Jack
Dir: Bridget Smith, Prod: Steve Edwards
uSA
Best International Director- Short
Luca Caserta
The Reach
Verona, Italy
Grand Jury Award:
Best Director (Feature)
Linda Yellen
One Stupid Thing
uSA
Best Music Video
Country Couture
Dir: Dustin J. Robinson
uSA
Audience Choice:
Best Narrative Short
Because I Love You
Dir: Bob Celli
uSA
Best Animated Music Video
Nocturnal
Dir: Big Howl
uSA
Best Director- Short Film
Lisa Ellex
Angela
uSA
Best Short Short Animation
Dependents
Dir: Megan Gale
uSA
Best Director for a Music Video
Rajiv Mallick
What Are You Waiting For
New Jersey, uSA
Grand Jury Award:
Best Qwik Qlip
Big Top Drop
Dir: Michael Dorfman
Somewhere, uSA
Best Horror Narrative Qwik Qlip
Sad Psycho
Dir: Chase Goforth
Fayettville, Arkansas, uSA
Best International Qwik Qlip
Communication
Dir: Dogan Yildiz
Denmark
Audience Choice:
Best Qwik Qlip
Autumn
Dir: Jean-Marie Villeneuve
Paris, France
Best Qwik Qlip:
Promo Sketch -Trailer
The Man With No Face: The Satoshi Nakamoto Mystery
Dir: George Thelen
Somewhere, uSA
Grand Jury Award:
Best International Extended Qwik Qlip
Un-brella – Dir: Kaixi Cathy Yang
China
Audience Choice:
Best Short-Short Animation
Catchin’ Z
Dir: Natalie C. Baumann
Branchburg, New Jersey, uSA
Best Jersey Digital Short-Short Animation
Race Walking: An Origin Story
Dir: Jeff K. Salvage
Medford, New Jersey, USA
Best Short-Short Sci-Fi Animation
Gladiolus
Dir: Eric Veltre
Anywhere, uSA
Best ‘Student’ Animated Qwik Qlip
Two Beautiful Eyes
Dir: Valentina Asenov
Ocean City, New Jersey, uSA
Best Extremely Short – Short Narrative
Dear Diary
Dir: Mark Morris
Los Angeles, California, uSA
Best International Short-Short Narrative
Moments of Weakness
Dir: Shirah Levin
Jerusalem, Israel
Audience Choice Award!
Best Short-Short Animation
Rizzy Dean And The Mighty Mullet
Directors: Tyler March, Eric Paperth
Neptune City, New Jersey, uSA
Best ‘Student’ Short-Short Sci-Fi Narrative
Hivemind
Dir: Joey Tangradi
Center Valley, Pennsylvania, uSA
Best Short-Short Narrative Dramedy
Tuesday
Dir: Amanda Pinto
Manhattan, New York, uSA
Best Short-Short Horror
Fritarex
Dir: Vincent Macaluso
Coppell, Texas, uSA
Best Jersey Short-Short Horror
Self-Clean
Dir: Jules Santamauro
Howell, New Jersey, uSA
Best Jersey Short-Short Comedy
S.Y.N.T.
Dir: Wendy Tesoroni
Asbury Park, New Jersey, uSA
Best Short-Short Animated Documentary
Planet B
Dir: Wobbe F. Koning
Somewhere in NJ, uSA
Best Short Do-Over
Distant Memories
Dir: Chris Esper
Foxboro, Ma, uSA
Best Short-Short Trifecta Award
Dir: Jay Sullivan
Choice, Formerly Known As D, Free Time
Red Bank, New Jersey, uSA
Best Jersey Short Documentary
Saving an American Hero
Dir: Micki Pagano-Parente
Camden, New Jersey, uSA
Best International Short Documentary:
Justin’s Addiction Story: No Family is Immune
Dir: Jacob Surette
Canada
Best Wise Guy Movie:
The Rooftop
Dir: David Musolf
Bushwick, Brooklyn, NY, uSA
Spooky Story Award
Widow’s Walk
Dir: Blaise Cauvin
Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, uSA
Best Jersey Narrative Screenplay
Parts & Labor
Dir: Anthony La Pira
Bergen County, New Jersey, uSA
Best Prime-Time Pilot for T.V.
The Podcast
Dir: Garrett Pahl
Montclair, New Jersey, uSA
Best Reality Prime-Time Pilot for T.V.
I Could Eat: Episode 2
Dir: Rick Bedrosian
Somewhere, uSA
Best Short Drama
Life Support
Dir: Jamon Tolbert
Palo Alto, California, uSA
Best Jersey Short Drama
Stay At Home Mom
Dir: Mary Zappulla
West Orange, New Jersey, uSA
Best Jersey Short Sci-Fi
In Proximity: Activated
Dir: Bobby Markov
Union, New Jersey, uSA
Best Short Horror
Quarantine
Dir: Russell Emanuel
Huntington Beach, California, uSA
Best Short Documentary
Forgotten Dogs 4 Forgotten Vets
Dir: Producer Marc
Washington State, uSA
Best Female Actor in a Short Narrative
Candi Boyd
Stay at Home Mom
West Orange, New Jersey, uSA
Best Female Actor in an Int’l Short Narrative
Jana Balkan
The Reach
Verona, Italy
Best Male Actor in a Short Narrative
David Morton
Beyond Words
Somewhere in New Jersey, uSA
Best Short Comedy Narrative
Breaking & Entering & Humping
Dir: Jeremy Sless
California, uSA
Best Original Score
Widow’s Walk
Composer: Alon Peretz
Somewhere uSA
Honorable Mention
We Regret To Inform You
Directors: Matt Levy, Aaron Bryan
Anywhere in New Jersey, uSA
Best Original Experimental Short Narrative
Bloodercream
Dir: Elise Valderrama
Somewhere Jersey, uSA
Grand Jury Award
Best Male Actor – Feature
Rico Simonini
Sinatra! Eternity
Los Angeles, California, uSA
Grand Jury Award
Best Female Actor – Feature
Emily Elicia Low
Sinatra! Eternity
Los Angeles, California, uSA
Best Student Film
My Next Guest
Dir: Lucas Hydock
New Jersey, uSA
Humanitarian Award
Mariella Spagnolo
Becoming Mari Ji
Edgewater, New Jersey, uSA
Best Short-Short Dramedy
Tuesday
Dir: Amanda Pinto
Manhattan, NY, uSA
Rising Star Director Award
Tony Carpinelli
Beyond Words
Astoria Queens, New York, USA
Inspiring Young Filmmakers Award
A.J. Ciccotelli
New Jersey, USA
Best Feature Ensemble
Blue Zeus
Elmer, New Jersey, USA
Asbury Park Triple Threat Award
Margaret Leone (Writer-Director-Producer)
Asbury Park, New Jersey, USA
Best Family Ensemble Team Productions
The Kampy Kids Series
Alexander, Samantha & Jonathan Bastianelli
Toms River, New Jersey, USA