Los Angeles International Short Film Festival
A boy growing up on a Zimbabwean rubbish dump convinces a reclusive boxing coach to train him, discovering strength, mentorship, and a place to belong.
February 2026’s Award of Excellence winners—“Edgar: Enhanced Data Gathering Analysis Robot” and “Five Things to Love”—highlight two distinct storytelling approaches, from reflective science fiction to an intimate journey through addiction and recovery.
February 2026’s Short Script Competition winners—“Unverified,” “Monterey,” “The Fortieth Death,” and “12 Minutes”—present four thought-provoking stories examining digital influence, nostalgia, moral fate, and the quiet loss of authority.
Independent Shorts Awards is proud to announce the award winners for February 2026. This month’s selections were chosen from a
A poetic visual meditation on identity, landscape, and emotional presence. Set against vast natural environments, the film explores the quiet strength and inner world of a young Tibetan girl. Directed by Hua Zeng (USA)
Featuring Ojibwe painter John Potter, A Handful of Dirt is an exploration of our primordial connection to the natural world.
Clive, an elite special forces operator, returns to garrison life after a harrowing deployment, only to find himself trapped in
Made in is a short film focused on exposing the atrocities faced by the world due to the profit motive
Natalie, raised in a fractured family, is quiet and withdrawn. When she meets Linder, a fashion executive who recognizes her
As It Should Be centres on Megan, who returns to Hong Kong for what feels like the most daunting family
Two men revisit the night of their violent deaths over a cordial glass of whiskey. Directed by Trever Riney (USA)
Tahira Scott has built her life on momentum, running a thriving business, jet-setting to new destinations, and chasing every adventure
Andrew returns home to make amends with his father. Tormented by the lack of communication between them, and his desire
A janitor working the night shift in an empty gym slowly unraveling. Directed by Obssa Ahmed (Canada)
When Vera gets invited to a dinner party with old friends after the pandemic, she thinks she is the only
Directed by Joy E. Joseph (USA)
Sanja, Darko, and their 7-year-old daughter Mara live in perfect family bliss—until a sudden heart defect shatters their world. As
Rodrigo, a divorced father struggling with anxiety, faces the final interview for a high-stakes corporate position. On the very day