Stolen Reins
A weathered cowboy safeguards the horses his late wife left behind as a haunting presence lures desperate thieves onto his
Author: Independent Shorts Awards
Los Angeles International Short Film Festival
Shorts
Twelve-year-old Wang Qiaoqiao confronts an unfair school dress code that allows boys to wear shorts but forces all girls into
Guardian’s Lament
“Guardian’s Lament” is a 3D animated short film about a dilapidated Robot who resides within a magical forest. Content in
Filigree Siege
Curator Yijie plotted with Zhou Duan to swap Lao Mo’s ancestral filigree bracelet for fraud. An underpaid employee stole the
Everything’s All Right
Delilah, a talented young dancer, decides to terminate her pregnancy. During intensive rehearsals for an important dance competition with her
Esperança
“Esperança” follows a 12-year-old Black girl who dreams of becoming a professional football player in Brazil’s outskirts. Facing exclusion on
Efflorescence
On the night she’s set to meet her vegan boyfriend’s friends, LaLa finds herself transforming into a carnivorous human plant
Baby Teeth
A chance encounter at a bar between a couple in their 30s and a couple in their 20s leads to
Asf1xia
At sunrise, a special forces team launches a high-risk assault on a heavily guarded fortress to rescue a prisoner. As
American Historical Drama “Boatlift 9/11” Named Best Short of June–July at Independent Shorts Awards
A tugboat captain and her daughter risk their lives to evacuate survivors from Lower Manhattan, joining the civilian armada behind the largest maritime rescue operation in history.
Other Standout Winners of June-July 2026 at Independent Shorts Awards
Three distinctive films—from a fast-paced Czech action thriller and a rain-soaked German-American mystery to a sharply observed Irish dark comedy—stand out among the June–July 2026 Awards of Excellence at Independent Shorts Awards.
Walter Koenig and Sofia Helin Receive Platinum Acting Awards at Independent Shorts Awards
“Star Trek” legend Walter Koenig and “The Bridge” star Sofia Helin bring historical trauma into intimate focus through commanding performances in “Mr. Fleischmann” and “Boatlift 9/11.”
Short Script Competition of June-July 2026
Four award-winning screenplays confront fear, oppression, violence, and social stigma through intimate stories of vulnerability, resistance, and moral courage.
June-July 2026 Award Winners
Independent Shorts Awards International Film Festival is proud to announce the award winners for June-July 2026. This month’s selections were