Winners 2025

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Best Director - Queen of the Catskills directed by Jamie Kennard

Best Cinematography - Sketch of an Artist directed by Olya Zueva

Best Film - Gimme My Medicine directed by Lauren Bash

Best Score - Quad Life (David Jeffers) directed by Joyce Tsang

Best Script - Cornellskop: Freedom of Fear directed by Nathan Oliva

Program 2025

10 Dollar Toilet Seat

Meet Darick—a modern-day urban survivalist. Fueled by desperation, he turns to stealing Amazon packages, a lifeline for his drug-addicted existence.

Directed by Gregory Mitnick

Gregory Mitnick is a cultural anthropology graduate who has transitioned into a distinguished filmmaker, earning his MFA from NYU’s Graduate Film Program. In the commercial director's chair, Mitnick is a prominent figure in the world of doc-style spots, focusing on illuminating the narratives of underrepresented individuals and fostering social change for brands like Amazon, Google, Apple, Microsoft, and Disney. Gregory's films take audiences on immersive, character-driven journeys, exploring raw emotions and weaving playful narratives. His noteworthy achievements include Vimeo Staff Picks, Webbys, five Cannes Lions, AICP honors, One Show Golden Pencils, and a Kodak Vision Award.

The Unlimited World

Tranquil, unspoiled landscapes. The sound of the sea mingling with the whistling sound of the wind influenced by the great waves of the Atlantic. Red mountains, a stork circling above a fallen tree. A feeling of dreaminess, a palpable infinity that manages without many people. Aesthetic compositions in motion.

Directed by Lukas Berger

Lukas Berger holds a bachelor in Photojournalism & Documentary Photography and a M.A in Documentary Film Directing from DocNomads. His first film "Circus Debere Berhan" (2015) premiered at 20th Milano Film Festival and was screened at more than 30 film festivals. His second film "Circus Movements" (2019) premiered at the 57th Ann Arbor Film Festival and was selected for the 68th Melbourne, 16th Vienna Shorts, 23rd PÖFF Shorts and more than 100 film festivals. He filmed “Wuqiao Circus” during the last Chinese New Year before the pandemic, it premiered at 17th Vienna Shorts and was selected for the 45th Hong Kong International Film Festival and many other festivals, winning 6 awards.

Over the Board

Directed by David Scheckel, Billie McKelvie

David Scheckel and Billie McKelvie are independent filmmakers living in Brooklyn, New York. While David works in academia and Billie works in publishing, both have backgrounds in independent filmmaking and are consistently working on smaller productions within their friend groups and communities.

Sketch of An Artist

This short documentary provides an intimate look into the life of a Hamptons based artist Darius Yektai, as he faces the legacy of his late father, renowned New York School painter Manoucher Yektai, and forges his own path in the art world. The film captures Darius's creative journey, revealing how he transforms personal challenges and experiences into sources of hope, motivation, and beautiful art. Set against a backdrop of music written and performed by Darius himself, the documentary highlights the universal human desire to leave a meaningful and authentic mark on the world.

Directed by Olya Zueva

Olya was born in 1983 in Vladivostok, Russia. At age 15 she left her homeland and started a modeling career living and working between London, Milan, and Paris until she moved to New York in 2006.
She got her acting training at Susan Batson’s studio which led her to discover a passion for directing and writing. In 2013 Olya graduated from The New School with a screenwriting BA.
After directing a few shorts, her first feature film, “In the Hood” was released in 2018 in over 1,000 theaters across Russia and film festivals in London, New York, and Sydney. In the Hood explored the masculine world and its struggles for power and money. Olya continues to live and work in New York while raising her 3 y.o. daughter.

Queen of the Catskills

After a series of traumatic events, a high school English teacher in the South Bronx begins retreating to the mountains looking to heal. As the wilderness starts to mend her spirit, she rediscovers a past love of skiing, and embarks on a multi-year quest to become the first woman to backcountry ski 33 of the highest peaks in the Catskill Mountains—alone.

Directed by Jamie Kennard

Jamie Kennard purchased a camera in 2022 after losing his wife, and partner of 31 years, to cancer (having spent the prior two years as her full-time caregiver). He immediately began a self-taught journey into filmmaking. A month later he made his first vignette film ‘The Ski Guy’. He followed up with vignettes ‘The Needle Felter’ (2022) and ‘The Ciderist’ (2023). His 2024 documentary film, VARIABLE, screened in 15 cities across the US and Canada, and was an International Skiing History Association (ISHA) film award winner. He lives in Woodstock, NY, in the heart of the Catskill Mountains.

Cornellskop: Freedom from Fear

Documentary short about Luke Cornell’s creation of a South African sanctuary that gives wildlife a second chance at life while confronting the brutal realities of animal exploitation across the country.

Directed by Nathan Oliva

A travel enthusiast and explorer at heart, Nathan—an experienced cinematographer—took on the role of director for this documentary after a transformative trip to South Africa. Moved by his time there, he felt a deep pull to return and tell the story of Cornellskop, which became the foundation of his thesis project at Savannah College of Art and Design. Growing up in New Jersey, Nathan has long been driven by a passion for discovering new places and uncovering meaningful stories. His creative lens is shaped by a curiosity about the world and a desire to connect audiences with the extraordinary people and places he encounters.

Gimme My Medicine

"Gimme My Medicine" is a vertical short film following the transformative journey of 67-year-old James Neil Ferree. Steeped in the American diet, he struggled with heart disease and relied on a daily cocktail of medication. Through participating in "Veganuary" for just 30 days, he transformed his health with a plant-based diet—dropping his blood pressure by 50 points! Thanks to the support from his content creator daughter (@relauren) and a virtual community of millions cheering him on. This documentary examines Western medicine's preference for prescriptions over lifestyle changes and advocates for a more holistic healthcare approach. It highlights how encouragement, community, and empowerment can be more powerful than medication alone. Beyond health, the film celebrates cooking, family bonds, and the lasting legacy one man can leave on the world.

Directed by Lauren Bash

Lauren Bash (she/her) is a Los Angeles-based environmentalist, content creator, and filmmaker. A graduate of Dodge College of Film & Media Arts at Chapman University, she leverages her storytelling skills to educate and inspire action on the climate crisis. Lauren's work, which emphasizes climate action, community building, and sustainable living, has earned her recognition as a Harvard C-Change "Climate Creator to Watch" and features in publications like The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Grist.

The Border Within Us

A hitchhike along a new border in eastern Armenia becomes a journey within a human landscape. People try to show us the border and share stories of how it affects their lives. They sing about the soil on the other side and mourn what has been lost. This was once an area where people of different groups lived together, but wars and forced migrations have transformed a “we” into “us and them”. The border is very real and impossible to cross. But it is abstract and invisible in the landscape. Where is it? Is it inside us?

Directed by Knutte Wester

Educated at Academy of fine arts in Umeå and Johannesburg, graduating 2003. Has worked as contemporary artist and filmmaker since. His film A Bastard Child premiered at IDFA 2016 and his latest film You can’t show my face premiered at DOC NYC in 2021. He has exhibited in galleries and art institutions internationally and is represented at Moderna Museet, stockholm, The Nordic watercolor museum, Skärhamn, Eskilstuna Museum of Art and many other institutions.

Quad Life

A young father’s world flips upside down after a tragic accident. This is his story of reinvention as he navigates life as a creative and quadriplegic sound designer.

Directed by Joyce Tsang

Joyce Tsang is a 7-time Emmy-winning producer and filmmaker. She is a partner behind the creative endeavors at Only Today, a B Corp Certified production company. Through pushing the limits for more impactful storytelling, Joyce has opened up opportunities to work with the likes of John Malkovich, Ron Howard, and everyday heroes for projects ranging from Super Bowl opens to eye-opening documentaries. She has traveled to and filmed in over 25 countries and her work has been commissioned by Apple, CBS, Meta, and Showtime. Joyce was raised in southern California and now rooted in the Pacific Northwest.

M.O.W.

A day in the life of a volunteer for Meals on Wheels and the darkness and uncertainty that the community faces.

Directed by Tim Carr

Down The Line

Since the 1940s, New Jersey’s county political organizations have designed primary ballots to favor their endorsed candidates. Until 2024, 19 of 21 counties used grid systems that placed endorsed candidates in prime spots, known as the “county line,” which influenced the behavior of unsuspecting voters. In 2024, Senate candidate Andy Kim challenged this system in court and won a temporary injunction, leading to a more democratic “office block” layout. The film Down the Line investigates the problems associated with the county line design, exploring the system’s manipulative intent and results and its impact on New Jersey’s political landscape.

Directed by Vinit Parmar

I am a documentary filmmaker who fights for the underdog by telling their stories. I have covered the challenges of impoverished Indian villagers searching for renewable solutions to save their island, a Chinese migrant family reconnecting with three displaced children under the One-Child Policy, or children of war seeking refuge in Berlin and finding a home with a pseudo-mother at their German shelter. I left a career as a lawyer in New York State to teach filmmaking. My directorial works include "Down the Line," "Living River," "Quest for Light," "Beyond the Grid," "We Stay Here," "Twice a Refugee," and "More Than One Child." Additionally, I hold a tenured position as Associate Professor at Brooklyn College in New York City.

Lia: Body of Work

Lia: Body of Work is the second in a series documenting the struggles of a female body builder. The Lia series is the story of a female body builder, a woman with focus, determination, and the goal to participate in a pro tournament. My process is to embed myself with the subject in order to develop a trusted relationship and create a safe space where they are comfortable with me in their environment. For this project I began to photograph at the start of her training in June, 2022, spending many hours with her both in the gym and at other locations. Ultimately, I traveled with Lia and her husband to San Antonio for the competition, documenting her the entire time. The second film take places in 2024 when Lia makes decisions about ending her career and the reasons for that decision.

Directed by Susan Weiss

Susan Weiss is a photographer and filmmaker whose work begins with looking closely-at people, objects, rituals, and the things we desire. Working across photography, film, and artist books, I am drawn to stories that reveal themselves slowly. My projects explore identity, beauty, obsession, resilience, labor, and our complicated relationships with one another and the natural world.

Program 2024

The Quiet Machinery of War
Director Kate McLane

Gold of the Plateau
Director Miriam Follin

My Biggest Teacher
Director Arianna Martinez

Rooted in Cuba
Director Alexandra Rodriguez

Birdfeeder
Director Daniel Feighery

This is IRA RICHER
Director Rick Knief

Madagascar: A Chance For Change
Director Elias Stevens

Co.Ink
Director Paul Ouellette

Splendido!
Director Sophie Mager

Guiding Light
Director India Anne Mitchell

Roots and Wings Ep 3: Parisa Parnian
Directors Lisa Yadao, Michelle

Moto Borgatoro
Director roberto serrini

Mountain Ballad
Director Xuru(Emma) Yang

Island Zero
Directors Ryan Broussard, Joshua Sisolak

A Nature Odyssey
Director Jacek Szymanski

Program 2023

pî-kiwîk
Director Keisha Erwin

Katz on the Internet
Directors Tim Hedberg, Matthew Wood

VISION
Director Alec Palumbo

Luisa
Director Aukai El Casallas

The Fish Doctor (a doc about the fish doc)
Directors Riley Patterson, Adam Levin

Pop's Flies
Director Clay Hervey

Woman, Life, Freedom | Iran’s Revolution Amidst the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Director Auctus Productions

Don't Get Any IDeas
Director Olivia Andrade

L'Eternel Féminin
Director Laine Immell

School of Fish
Directors Colin Arisman, Oliver Sutro

Interception: Jayne Kennedy • American Sportscaster
Director Safiya Songhai

Kelly Street Garden
Director Matthew Kohn

Spectator Sport
Director Arden Grier

VALEVICTORIOUS
Director Jerome Riel

Scrawn
Director Samuel Harrison Crow

Anxious Athlete
Director Nandita Anand

Waiting for Buffalo
Directors Grace Beutter, Grace Beutter, Aidan O'Malley

The Snoubar Skatepark and Other Small Things
Directors Nazlee Radboy, Hala Al Shami, Dalia El Husseini

Lita the baby raven
Director Vance Crofoot

You Are Not Alone
Director Giulia Mucciarelli

Who Was Lee Edwards?
Director Yasmeen Purvis

Program 2022

Call Me Anytime, I'm Not Leaving the House
Director Sanjna Selva

Cinema Guate
Director David Lombroso

Sunday at the Cottage
Director Bobby T Lewis

Chalk Back
Director Kylie Procita

Walking Toward Peace: Travis Johnston's Story
Directors Davis Holliday, Clark Stefanic

Mama Cheetah
Director Janicel Diaz

Mad Martha
Director Jesse Leaman

Bullets in Paradise
Director Violet Dempsey

The PRATT in the HAT
Director Susan Hillary

Saving Glaciers
Director Ciril Jazbec

Angyil
Director Fanny Texier

Yo Gleans
Director Blake Horn

Merlin
Director Min Soo Park

Rocco Giambrone: Chasing Greatness
Directors Mark Chang, Alice Yuen

DOPO YUMEmories
Director Jordan Galland

It’s OK to not be OK
Director Andrew White

iMind
Directors Dirk Zekveld, Tavwana Chirwa, Clement Banda

Nostalgia
Director Oliver Lin

Underdogs
Director Jamie Yuan

She Survived
Director Judi Polanco

Program 2021

Armoury In Lights
Director a 502 Picture

Three Seconds Later
Directors Justin Sweidel, Christopher Shepherd

The Beyond
Director Daniel Maurer

Only F**ks Pat Me On The Head
Directors Steph Miller, Paul Wolffram

The Passing of the Moment: An Athlete's Journey
Director Luke de la Nougerede

Bar Sepia
Director Montgomery Mauro

Sunrise Vibration
Director Shingo Ota

ANGEL
Directors Francesca Berardi , Alfredo Chiarappa

Bringing Up Kenzie
Director Jason Spagnuoli

Life on Air
Director Louis Leblique

Wish You Were Here | Close to Home
Director Allen Clements

Delivery
Directors Bryan Gerard Duffy, Emmet Sheerin

WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH
Director Binyamin Haneman

Before 2021

In constrution.

(Return to Projects)

Jan 01 ’46