The 31st Slamdance Film Festival announced the winners of their Sparky Awards, with Gamma Rays directed by Henry Bernadet winning the Narrative Feature Grand Jury prize and American Theater directed by Nicholas Clark and Dylan Frederick won the Documentary Feature Grand Jury Prize.
The 2025 Slamdance Unstoppable Feature Grand Jury Prize was awarded to Racewalkers directed by Phil Moniz and Kevin Claydon, with an Honorable Mention given to Disposable Humanity directed by Cameron S. Mitchell.
The 6XTY Jury Prize was awarded to Vermin Beings directed by Kat Messings; and the Breakouts Feature Grand Jury Prize was awarded to Silent Trees directed by Agnieszka Zwiefka.
The George Starks Spirit of Slamdance Award, voted on by filmmakers and given to the filmmaker who best embodies the spirit of the Festival, went to Ben Kjar, subject of the United States project Standout: The Ben Kjar Story. The festival’s Outstanding Acting Award, which is curated by the Slamdance team, went to Lissa Carandang-Sweeney for Alice-Heart.
The 2025 Audience Awards, voted on by Slamdance attendees went to narrative feature Under The Burning Sun directed by Yun Xie, documentary feature Coroner To The Stars directed by Ben Hethcoat and Keita Ideno, and Unstoppable feature Disposable Humanity irected by Cameron S. Mitchell.
“Our first year in Los Angeles hasn’t just been a new chapter—it’s been a breakthrough,” said Taylor Miller, Slamdance Director. “These award-winning films don’t just stake a claim; they redefine what cinema can be. These filmmakers have cemented their place in the future of cinema, proving that Slamdance isn’t just moving—it’s evolving. And we’re just getting started.”
The AGBO Fellowship was awarded to Margot Budzyna. A friendship is threatened by an unexpected culprit: baseball practice in her narrative short Deuce.
Now in its second year, the Summer Chastant Episodic Award honoring her storytelling legacy was awarded to Becca Schall and Jessica Taylor for Victorian Ladies.
A full list of winners of Slamdance Film Festival 2025 is below:
2025 Slamdance Film Festival Winners
GRAND JURY AWARDS – FEATURES
Narrative Feature Grand Jury Prize: Gamma Rays (Henry Bernadet, Canada)
Honorable Mention: Alice-Heart (Mike Macera, United States)
Documentary Feature Grand Jury Prize: American Theater (Nicholas Clark and Dylan Frederick, United States)
Honorable Mention: Twin Fences (Yana Osman, Russia/Ukraine)
Breakouts Feature Grand Jury Prize: Silent Trees (Agnieszka Zwiefka, Poland)
Honorable Mention: In The Mouth (Cory Santilli, United States)
Episodes Grand Jury Prize: Serjan Bratan (Alisher Utev, Kazakhstan)
Honorable Mention: I Need Your Love (Walker Kalan, United States)
GRAND JURY AWARDS – UNSTOPPABLE
Unstoppable Grand Jury Prize: Racewalkers (Phil Moniz and Kevin Claydon, Canada)
Honorable Mention: Disposable Humanity (Cameron S. Mitchell, Austria/Germany)
JURY AWARDS – 6XTY
6XTY Jury Award: Vermin Beings (Kat Messing, United States)
Honorable Mention: Red Light, Green Light (Corey Grispo, United States)
JURY AWARDS – SHORTS
Narrative Short Grand Jury Prize: Bita Joon (Sara Boutorabi, United States)
Honorable Mention: Contours (Aisha Amin, United States)
Documentary Short Grand Jury Prize: Hooked (Glen Fulthrope, UK)
Honorable Mention: Only if the Baby Cries (Shadab Farooq, India)
Experimental Shorts Grand Jury Prize: Your Mailbox is Full (Allie Viti, United States)
Honorable Mention: One Rehearses, The Other Doesn’t (Jessica Hankey, United States)
Animated Shorts Grand Jury Prize: A Night at the Rest Area (Saki Muramoto, Japan )
Honorable Mention: Never Fall in Love (Lucy Sao Wa Iao and Angela En-Yu Lao, China/Macao)
FESTIVAL WIDE AWARDS:
The AGBO Fellowship, presented by Joe and Anthony Russo, Award Winner: Margot Budzyna director of Deuce (United States)
Summer Chastant Episodic Award: Becca Schall and Jessica Taylor directors of Victorian Ladies (United States)
Slamdance Acting Award: Lissa Carandang-Sweeney for Alice-Heart (United States)
George Starks Spirit of Slamdance Award Winner: Ben Kjar of Standout: The Ben Kjar Story (United States)
AUDIENCE
Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature: Under the Burning Sun (Yun Xie, United States)
Audience Award for Documentary Feature: Coroner To The Stars (Ben Hethcoat and Keita Ideno, United States/Portugal)
Audience Award for Unstoppable: Disposable Humanity (Cameron S. Mitchell, Austria/Germany)