The 28th SCAD Savannah Film Festival has announced the winners with Frankenstein winning the Audience Award, and No Other Choice winning the International Audience Award.
Actor Oscar Issac was in attendance at the festival for the sold-out screening of Frankenstein, where he was presented with the Icon Award.
Rental Family was the Audience Award runner-up, with Brendan Fraser, director Hikari, and composer Alex Somers in attendance. Brendan Fraser was honored with the Outstanding Achievement in Cinema Award at the screening.
Director Park Chan-wook was in attendance for the screening of No Other Choice, where he received the Auteur Award.
This year, the SCAD Savannah Film Festival honored Dakota Fanning (Outstanding Achievement in Television Award), Spike Lee (Legend of Cinema Award), Sydney Sweeney (Spotlight Award), Brendan Fraser (Outstanding Achievement in Cinema Award), Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (Discovery Award), Craig Brewer (Spotlight Director), Miles Teller (Distinguished Performance Award), Rose Byrne (Luminary Award), Cassandra Kulukundis (Outstanding Achievement in Casting Award), Park Chan-wook ( Auteur Award), Mark Hamill (Lifetime Achievement Award), Benny Safdie (Maverick Award), Zoey Deutch (Breakthrough Performance Award), Miles Caton (Rising Star Award), Rian Johnson (Outstanding Achievement in Directing Award), Oscar Isaac (Icon Award), Dylan O’Brien (Lumiere Award), Will Arnett (Luminary Award), Jon M. Chu (Vanguard Director Award), Regina Hall (Gold Derby Spotlight Award), Amanda Seyfried (Vanguard Award), Joel Edgerton (Vanguard Award), Kristen Stewart (Rising Star Director Award), and Tessa Thompson (Distinguished Performance Award).
Professional Competition
Best Professional Short — Rise, dir. Jessica J. Rowlands
Best Narrative Feature — Charliebird, dir. Libby Ewing
Best Documentary Feature — Yanuni, Richard Ladkani
Best Director — Richard Ladkani, Yanuni
Best Cinematography — The Singers, dir. Sam Davis
Jury Award for Social Impact — All the Empty Rooms, dir. Joshua Seftel
Jury Award for Ensemble Acting — Beyond Silence (cast members Henrianne Jansen, Sigrid ten Napel, and Tamar van den Dop)
Katie Spikes Legacy Award Scholarship
Katie Spikes was a senior story editor for CBS 60 Minutes and a beloved friend of the SCAD Savannah Film Festival for many years. After her passing in 2023 the Katie Spikes Legacy Scholarship was created to honor excellence in filmmaking by a SCAD student.
Award Winner—DRAG ME TO CHURCH, dir. Isabella Sullivan (B.F.A., Film/Cinema/Video Studies, 2025)
Student and Animated Shorts
Best Professional Animation—Murmuration, dir. Janneke Swinkels and Tim Frijsinger
Jury Award for Environmental Impact—Snow Bear, dir. Aaron Blaise
Best Student Animation—Dragfox, dir. Lisa Ott
Best Student Short—Breastmilk, dir. Ifeyinwa Arinze
Global Shorts Forum
Best Global Short—The Return, dir. Jeremy S. Levine
Best Global Short: “For the Love of Sport”—Hoops, Hopes, & Dreams, dir. Glenn Kaino
Best Global Short: “Portraits of Perseverance”—The Return, dir. Jeremy S. Levine
Best Global Short: “A Place in This World”—Largo, dir. Salvatore Scarpa and Max Burgoyne
Jury Award – Savannah Spotlight—Art with Every Breath, dir. Caroline Josey Karoki
Jury Award – Humanitarian Spirit Award—Inside the Valley Sings, dir. Nathan Fagan
Jury Award – Excellence in Acting—Bonnie Hellman, Susana, dir. Gerardo Coello Escalante
Shorts Spotlight
Best Shorts Spotlight—Two People Exchanging Saliva, dir. Alexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata
Best Shorts Spotlight: “Dearest Daughter”—Miriam dir. Josie Andrews
Best Shorts Spotlight: “Reality Askew in Black & White”—Two People Exchanging Saliva, dir. Alexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata
Best Shorts Spotlight: “Sweetness in the Bitter”—The Second Time Around, dir. Jack Howard
Best After Dark Short: “The Horror Within”—The Pearl Comb, dir. Ali Cook
Special Jury Award for Excellence in Animation—Playing God, dir. Matteo Burani
Special Jury Award for Excellence in Acting—Pearl Scarlett Gold, Miriam dir. Josie Andrews
Human Spirit Jury Award—Inside, The Valley Sings, dir. Nathan Fagan
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