The Best of the Fest
The 2025 Palm Springs International Shortfest has announced both its festival juried and audience award winners. The awards and cash prizes worth $30,000, including five Academy Award qualifying awards, were presented to winners as part of the event’s award brunch.
A Shortfest With a Long List of Honors
With hundreds of shorts from over 60+ countries, the festival celebrates the art of short filmmaking. The festival took place from June 24 to June 30, with winners being chosen from the 311 short films that were a part of the official selection. The Oscar qualifying awards include the Best of The Festival, Best Live Action Short Over 15 Min., Best Live Action Short 15 Min. and Under, Best Animated Short, and Best Documentary Short. Other categories of awards included the Special Jury, Student, Audience, and the Local Jury.
Big Winners Through Short Films
Best of the Festival
Retirement Plan, Directed by John Kelly
Best Animated Short
Budō (Sweden), Directed by Amanda Aagard and Alexander Toma
Best Documentary Short
Shanti Rides Shotgun (USA), Directed by Charles Frank
Best Live-Action Short Over 15 Minutes
Susana (Mexico/USA), Directed by Amandine Thomas and Gerardo Coello Escalante
Best Live-Action Short 15 Minutes and Under
Medusa (USA), Directed by Sarah Meyohas
Best Student Animated Short
Dragfox (United Kingdom), Directed by Lisa Ott
Best Student International Short
Cura Sana (Spain), Directed by Lucía G. Romero
Best Student U.S. Short
Nervous Energy (USA), Directed by Eve Liu, and Breastmilk (USA/Nigeria) Directed by Ifeyinwa Arinze
Best Student Documentary Short
You Can’t See It from Here (USA/Colombia), Directed by Enrique Pedráza-Botero
Vimeo Staff Pick Award
You Know You Wanna Stay (USA), Directed by Alex Heller
Best International Short
Beyond Silence (The Netherlands), Directed by Marnie Blok and Kuchar (The Itch) (India), Directed by Vaidaangi Sharma
Best U.S. Short
Szypliszki (USA), Directed by Jordan Axelrod
Best Comedy Short
How Was Your Weekend (USA), Directed by Cam Banfield and Your Own Flavor (USA), Directed by Alisha Ketry
Best LGBTQ+ Short
Chico (France/Belgium), Directed by Théo Abadie, and Hold Me Close (USA), Directed by Aurora Brachman and LaTajh Simmons-Weaver
Best Midnight Short
Mango (United Kingdom/France), Directed by Joan Iyiola
Desert Views Local Jury Award
Big Bass (USA), Directed by Drew Dickler
Young Cineastes Award
Énouement (USA), Directed by Angel Lu
Kids’ Choice Award
Wednesdays with Gramps (USA), directed by Chris Copeland and Justin Copeland
Retirement Plan (2024) Official John Kelly Trailer
Source: Dead Talk Live
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Source: Dead Talk Live
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Author
Kendra Dennis is a Pennsylvania-based creative and content writer. While her passion lies within the creative realm, Kendra enjoys any time she gets to write. Kendra graduated from American Public University System in June of 2025 with a BA in English. She enjoys writing stories that open up to a larger world where readers can get lost. You can find her daydreaming about her newest stories or reorganizing one of her many bookshelves.