VIFF 2025 AWARD WINNERS

BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE

“5683”

Directed by Brittany Benedict 

BEST ROMANTIC SHORT

“The Paradise Road”

Directed by Lisa Marie Tedesco

BEST FANTASY SHORT

“Teacup”

Directed by Katie Killourhy

BEST COMEDY SHORT

“Multi-level Massacre”

Directed by Ashes Homon-Rahall

BEST HORROR SHORT

“Underbelly”

Directed by Taylor Martin 

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

“Miss Fury and the Lost Legacy of Tarpé Mills”

Directed by Chelsea Stone 

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT

“More Than Half”

Directed by Ashley Czerniewski

BEST WNY SHORT

“Jane & The Brain”

Directed by Hope Muehlbauer

BEST EXPERIMENTAL SHORT

“Mourning Glory”

Directed by Livi DarConte

BEST ANIMATED STUDENT SHORT

“Birds of a Feather”

Directed by Katie Cobos

BEST STUDENT DOCUMENTARY SHORT

“Pages of Protest”

Directed by Devon Jezek, Leila Marcillo-Gomez & Lauren Piccone

BEST STUDENT SHORT

“Colourblind”

Directed by Kaitlin Manalili

BEST WNY STUDENT SHORT

“Torn”

Directed by Molly Lonigan

BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT

“The Peace of Cemeteries”

Directed by Raquel Troyano

BEST DRAMATIC SHORT 

“Crimson”

Directed by Sarah Falkiner

BEST EXPERIMENTAL WNY SHORT

“There Was”

Directed by Amanda Besl

EMPOWERMENT AWARD

“My Little Renaissance Girl”

Directed by Amy Heller Zimmerman & Bethany Berg

BREAKING STIGMA AWARD
“Still”

Directed by Rakefet Abergel

BEST MICRO SHORT

“Cupcake”

Directed by Amanda Woomer

BEST SCI-FI FILM

“A Matter of Poultry”

Directed by Nandini Bapat

BEST FIRST FILM

“Reverie”

Directed by Gabrielle Nunzio

SOCIAL IMPACT AWARD

“Passageways”

Directed by Geneviève Tremblay & Milla Cummings

VALKYRIE SPIRIT AWARD

“Know Her Name”

Directed by Zainab Muse