11th Annual Festigious 2025 - The Nominees

For eleven years, Festigious has dedicated itself to honoring the fierce, independent spirit of creators who push the boundaries of visual storytelling. Narrowing down the immense caliber of international entries this season was a profound challenge, but the official nominees for 2025 reflect a breathtaking mastery across wildly diverse genres -from haunting thrillers to deeply moving documentaries.

Leading the competitive field this year with 5 nominations each are two extraordinary, highly distinct visions: Jean-Claude Leblanc’s gripping sci-fi horror Saint-Sacrifice, led by a powerhouse performance from Luc Picard, and ELM, an exquisitely crafted experimental narrative written and directed by Kay Qiao and starring Olivia Hytha, which captures the deeply moving bond between a lone doll and a fearful scarecrow.

Right behind them, a phenomenal trio of films holds 4 nominations apiece. The urgent and illuminating environmental documentary Common Ground, created by Josh Tickell and Rebecca Tickell, brings a star-studded ensemble of voices to the vanguard of change, featuring appearances and narration by Laura Dern, Jason Momoa, Rosario Dawson, Ian Somerhalder, and Woody Harrelson.

Joining them is the brilliant dark comedy DENUEVO, a sharp look at digital immortality and family ties written and directed by Doug Cox and Rich North.

Rounding out this top tier is Surreptitious, a passionate, high-stakes LGBT drama-thriller penned by Grace Drury, directed by Sophia Guarnaschelli, and driven by an enrapturing chemistry between a boom operator and an A-list star.

To every single filmmaker, cast member, and crew member who contributed to this year’s phenomenal lineup - your dedication elevates the medium. We are immensely proud to present the official nominees for the 11th Annual Festigious Awards.

Best of Fest

Saint-Sacrifice - Jean-Claude Leblanc

ELM - Kay Qiao

Real Heroes Don't Die - Roman Mitichyan, Michael Pashan

DENUEVO - Doug Cox, Rich North

You, Me & Her - Selina Ringel, Dan Levy Dagerman

Common Ground - Josh Tickell, Rebecca Tickell

Best Narrative Feature

You, Me & Her - Selina Ringel, Dan Levy Dagerman

WordLotto - Thomas Lopilato, Johnny Baca

BUBBLER - Nicholas Giombi

Backstage - Kevin Austra

Russian Dance - Tanya Weinstein

Die in Seoul - Choi Hancho

Best Narrative Short

Go West - Gabriel Boyer

Say My Name - Mel Baker, Rhoyce Nova

My Method - Kaze Uzumaki

Saint-Sacrifice - Jean-Claude Leblanc

ELM - Kay Qiao

DENUEVO - Doug Cox, Rich North

Best Indie Film

Wine In Time - Joshua Stevenson, Jack Linsdell

Let Me - Francesco Dattilo

Grave Decision - Aaron Shabansky

Any Rose Blooming For Me - Lige Wuri

Frequency Over Time - Cari Sudmeier

Straight to the Moon ! - Nathan San Filippo

Best Web/TV Series

The Applicants - María Yolanda Brown Melián

Post 2019 - Katrina Lena

Story of Godia - Mouayed Zabtia

Townsend - Michael Houston King

Three More - Jana Mosquera, Saulón Guerrero

The Gliwensbourg Chronicles - Emilie Tommasi

Best Documentary Feature

PEP-Scotland - Renford Reese

In Search of the Tallest: A Redwoods Adventure - Steve A Hall

Common Ground - Josh Tickell, Rebecca Tickell

God’s Plan - William Preising

Darwin Plateau: Death Valley Adventure 4 - Steve Hall

The Katinas - Michael Everett

Best Documentary Short

An Incomplete Family Portrait - Yangho Song

Roaming History: Little Rock Nine - Michael Rios, James Fierro

The Curse Effect - Gregg Jaden

Possible - Sergey Pavlov

STUD10 - Ivan Kristopher B Ilagan

The Missing Weeks - Ali Diab

Best Animation

FROSTBYTE - Hannah Papa, Victor Uzcategui

Mirage - Hanson Ma, Jeffrey Su, Michael Wang

Speedman - Joe Bowers

Checkpoint - Deanna Kennedy

To My Buddy - Myung-ju Kim

◆★PILIPALA●▲ - Yinan Liang

Best Music Video

LITTLE BIG - It Happens - Alina Pasok, Iliya Prusikin

Fade - Vugar Tahirov

The Signal And The Noise - Jim Hannah

Strawberry Sensation - Samantha Marie Saglibene, Michela Maria

Metamorfosi - Milana Zilnik, Arty Sandler

Blue Dream - Jaime Torres

Best Student Film

Cabbing Covid - Lau Cheuk Nam

FROSTBYTE - Hannah Papa, Victor Uzcategui

Surreptitious - Grace Drury, Sophia Guarnaschelli

ErrorDrop - Wesley James Trisnadi

Incorrigible - Kaixin Pang

Dark Blue - Mitong Wang

Best Director

The Unicorn that Never Lies - Chandler Riggs, Xavier Jimenez

Say My Name - Rhoyce Nova

ELM - Kay Qiao

A Series of Mishaps - Teresa Dawn Taylor

The Gliwensbourg Chronicles - Emilie Tommasi

Dark Blue - Mitong Wang

Best First Time Director

Enter the Green Abyss - John Andrew Quartaro

Genre Inc. - Ela Gavrila

Loki and Me - Craig Andrew Wyhoon

Whippy - James Rooke

Sunset Blues - Eunseol Kim

Frequency Over Time - Cari Sudmeier

Best Actor

Cabbing Covid - Cheung Ka Lun

Townsend - Matt Borlenghi

My Method - Kaze Uzumaki

Saint-Sacrifice - Luc Picard

Amentalio - Will Martella

Go West - Jérémy Zocca

Best Actress

The Unicorn that Never Lies - Mia Cole

Genre Inc. - Ela Gavrila

My Method - Marta Shkop

Sunset Blues - Eunseol Kim

Amentalio - Fernanda Vilela

Surreptitious - Nola Patrick

Best Editing

The Katinas - Dustin Veneman, Robert Kirbyson, Michael Everett

Flatulence: The Origin - Yintao Gong, Xingyu "Harry" Chen

Upstream - Yintao Gong

Surreptitious - Grace Drury

DENUEVO - Doug Cox, Stu Barnes

Common Ground - Anthony Ellison, Ryan A. Nichols

Best Score

UNRIPE - Mariano Saulino

The Artist - Mykyta Puchkov

A Red Rose For My Love - Jasper Ku

Saint-Sacrifice - Alain Savoie

ELM - Ali Helnwein

FROSTBYTE - Joshua Lee Flowers, Pierce Martin

Best Original Story

ELM - Kay Qiao

Townsend - Michael Houston King

Post 2019 - Katrina Lena

WordLotto - Thomas Lopilato

You, Me & Her - Selina Ringel

DENUEVO - Doug Cox, Rich North

Best Feature Screenplay

P-town - Eric Faulkner

Sherwood Knights - Michael Sollars, Geoffrey Sollars, Eric Sollars

Cop Comic - Jim Perry, Dee Ann Kinkade

Phantom Frequency - Scott Gordon Richards

Single Girl's Guide to Narcissists - Diane Thomassin, Michael Miceli

The Labyrinth - Nicholas J Szegedi

Best Short Screenplay

Home For Aged Time Travelers - Scott Nelson

Tomorrow Never Comes - Allison Caldwell

Long Way Home - Terry Luke Podnar

The Implosion in My Mind - Tim Tobias

The Loss of Innocence - Donatella Corrado

A Hand to Hold - Eliza Power

Best First Time Screenwriter (Feature)

The Spoon - Bryan Hamilton Chadwick

The Rainbow Fish - Remesh Ramachandran

Baltimore Gray - David Frame

Fast Cash - Cary Lee Singleton

The Positive Kid: A True Story - Robert Finoccoli

School of Murder - Luke Davies

Best First Time Screenwriter (Short)

In Sign of my Love - Emanuele La Placa

The Elderly Influencer - Eric Faulkner

Loki and Me - Craig Andrew Wyhoon

Phoebe and Elaine - Sherman Heejoo Kim

Together Again - Steven D Blissit

Yolk - Rosalind-Renèe Lindsey

Best Television Script

Two Harbors - Brian Lange Stemmler

BILLYBALL - Charles Petrilla

School of Men - Anna Isabel Campos Lamers

Burke and Hare - The West Port Murders - Stephen Hall

Vintrospection - Lisa Nagy Isaacson

Locked Up: The FISH - Ronald D. Smith

Special Jury Award - Film

Love Shack - Felix Williamson

Don't Die Hard - Tigran Sargsyan

Saint-Sacrifice - Jean-Claude Leblanc

The Gliwensbourg Chronicles - Emilie Tommasi

Surreptitious - Grace Drury, Sophia Guarnaschelli

Common Ground - Josh Tickell, Rebecca Tickell

Special Jury Award - Screenplay

Cult Fan - Gina Lee Ronhovde

The Jellyfish Syndrome - Dan Burle, Sr.

P-town - Eric Faulkner

Sherwood Knights - Michael Sollars, Geoffrey Sollars, Eric Sollars

Lady Wonder - William Proctor Jr., Vinnie Perrone

The Seamstresses Curse - Julie Collard

A massive congratulations to all of our incredible 2025 nominees! Your artistry, courage, and dedication keep independent cinema alive and essential, and we are deeply honored to celebrate your work.

Think your project has what it takes to stand out on the global festival circuit? The journey toward the the next edition of Festigious is officially underway.

Submissions for our next season are now open submit your film and take your place in the spotlight: https://filmfreeway.com/festigious