Gold Awards: January 2026

Best Indie ShortKukuk: A Romani Soul Unbroken by Yonka Yancheva (Bulgaria)

Best Drama ShortMr. Benjamin’s Birthday by Crystle Viviana Dorsey (USA)

Best Documentary ShortInvisible String by Wes Salonen (USA)

Best Thriller ShortMelodies Of The Abyss by Sam Iwata aka Liu (Australia)

Best Student ShortNew Moon by Nic Zhang (China)

Best Women ShortKukuk: A Romani Soul Unbroken by Yonka Yancheva (Bulgaria)

Best Music VideoYou Are Special by Ilia Noyabrov (Ukraine)

Best Female Director: Yonka Yancheva for Kukuk: A Romani Soul Unbroken (Bulgaria)

Best Male Director: Fubao Fan for Ball (China)

Best First Time Male Director: Spartakus Santiago for Free on Bail (Brazil)

Best Actress: Anna Zaitseva for Dating A Suspicious Man (USA)

Best Cinematography: Byron Morse for A Murder Rings Hollow (USA)

Best Editing: T.H. Lee and Sam Iwata aka Liu for Melodies Of The Abyss (Australia)

Best Original Score: Kelly Joe Richardson for The Fall of the House of Usher (USA)

Best Original Story: Neha Srivastava for Mukti (India/USA)

Best Short ScriptExit Interview by Dion Aralihalli (USA)

SILVER AWARDS

BRONZE AWARDS

HONORABLE MENTIONS

SEMI-FINALISTS

PLATINUM AWARDS

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