LAFA Winners - June 2025

Best Picture

Sweet Störy - Sarah Justine Kerruish, Matt Maude

Best Narrative Film

Bygones - Angel McCoughtry

Best Indie Feature

Bela Belara's A Vampire - Juaquin Sebastian Rosales

Best Indie Short

Anakin - The Quiet One - Alexandre Tissier

Best Drama

One More Like - Karoly Palfai

Best AI Film

Monster Jr. - Tim Schauer

Best Thriller

Bela Belara's A Vampire - Juaquin Sebastian Rosales

Best Inspirational Film

Unlocking The Potential - Amel Tresnjic

Best Musical/Dance Film

Caesar The Musical - Mike Petrone

Best LGBTQ Film

Sugar Beach - Zoe Manzotti, Noely Mendoza

Best Mystery Film

Alexander - Ladon Whitmire

Best Commercial

Invite Onlly - Brennan Williams (Will Coloan), Shayna Alise Smith

Best Documentary Feature

Sweet Störy - Sarah Justine Kerruish, Matt Maude

Best Documentary Short

My Pastor's Family - Junho Seo

Best Animation

Un-Brella - Kaixi Cathy Yang

Best Music Video

EMBERS - August Falcon

Best Student Film

Spark - Rylie Prentice

Best Director (Feature)

One More Like - Karoly Palfai

Best Director (Short)

Bygones - Angel McCoughtry

Best First Time Director

The Prop Master's Dream - April Liu

Best Actor

One More Like - József S. Kovács

Best Actress

Tokyo Strange Tale - Risa Shigematsu

Best Young Actress

Captive - Rachel Jiang

Best Score

Tokyo Strange Tale - Maria Kawane

Best Song

Timeless: Animated Visions - Ron Josef Danziger, Christina Teenz Tan, Manu Martin

Best Visual Effects

The Last President - Bin He

Best Trailer

Alexander - Ladon Whitmire

Best Original Story

Cry Damn It Cry - Shawn Tang

Screenplay of the Month

Hiding Places - Samuel Wilson

Best Feature Screenplay

Viv + Eddie - Andi Watson

Best Short Screenplay

Ghost in the Glass - Chuck Griffith

Best Drama Screenplay

Hiding Places - Samuel Wilson

Best Comedy Screenplay

Boys - Taylor Bartczak

Best Thriller Screenplay

Sweet Violence - Samuel Wilson

Best Action Screenplay

Midnight In Carson City - Dan Burle, Sr.

Best Sci-Fi Screenplay

The Dreamcatcher - Noah Robert Radant

Best Western Screenplay

Midnight In Carson City - Dan Burle, Sr.

Best First Time Screenwriter (Feature)

Flamethrower - Linda Raftery

Best Television Script

Trophies - Phillip Cook

Special Jury Award

NADO - Daniele Farina

* Winners may order an official LAFA statuette

* Winners may order a review - FilmFreeway Gold members get $50 off