LAFA Winners - March 2025

Best Picture

Matilda and the Brave Escape - Ash Reed, Ed Winters, Surge, Camilla Brandow

Best Narrative Feature

Paradise -Yun Jiang

Best Narrative Short

The Rowboat - Yutong Cao

Honorable Mention: Narrative Film

Grey Skies - Unni Rav

Best Indie Film

Echoes of Light and Dark - Martin Goeres

Honorable Mention: Indie Film

Falling Rocks - William Sash

Best Drama

The Last Wish - Semen Khanin, Ilya Noyabrev

Best Comedy

Inflight Inflatables - John Mac Menamie

Best AI Film

Kibomango - Stephane Benini

Best Sci-Fi

Echoes of Light and Dark - Martin Goeres

Best Experimental Film

Good Eggs - Caleb Weintraub

Best Inspirational Film

The Eventologist - Oscar Yema

Best Musical/Dance Film

Liftoff : the Cosmic Rhapsody - Susan Lim, Christina Teenz Tan

Best LGBTQ Film

Paradise -Yun Jiang

Best Documentary

Among Neighbors - Yoav Potash

Honorable Mention: Documentary

2550 - Ferenc Mandi

Best Animation

Matilda and the Brave Escape - Ash Reed, Ed Winters, Surge, Camilla Brandow

Honorable Mention: Animation

The Light in the Dark - Chiu YuFeng

Best Music Video

High School Sweetheart - Samuel Kaperski, Célia Pyamootoo

Honorable Mention: Music Video

I Can't - Eleanor Grace Hann, Empara Mi

Best Student Film

Blood Of Anger - Loïc Da Silva

Best Microfilm

Altadena Strong: The Eaton Fire - Jamie Araki

Best Director

Peeling Off - Yinghui Li

Best First Time Director (Feature)

The Eventologist - Oscar Yema

Best First Time Director (Short)

Mint Condition - So Man Tsoi

Best Young Filmmaker

Dream - Cassie Wang

Best Actor

Blood Of Anger - Simon Vandemaelen

Best Actress

Dear Sister - Abbey Gardner

Best Supporting Actor

Blood Of Anger - Jona Zeschke

Best Actor in an Indie Film

Gloss - Cruz St. James

Best Actress in an Indie Film

Echoes of Light and Dark - Isabella Vinet

Best Score

Africa: A Kung Fu Story - Arnold Cifax Jr

Best Song

Liftoff : the Cosmic Rhapsody - Adrian Peacock, Manu Martin, Stefano Civetta, Joi Barua, Ron J Danziger, Matthieu Eymard, Deepak Sharma

Best Sound Design

Echoes of Light and Dark - Martin Seyer

Best Original Story

Mint Condition - So Man Tsoi

Honorable Mention: Original Story

The Eventologist - Oscar Yema

Screenplay of the Month

Girl in a Glass Box - Raf Lindia, Blanche Baker

Best Feature Screenplay

Girl in a Glass Box - Raf Lindia, Blanche Baker

Honorable Mention: Feature Screenplay

Forkful - Joseph Izzo, Joseph Mangelli

Best Short Screenplay

The Resistance - Natalie Schwan

Best Drama Screenplay

Last Stand at Butte City - Natalie Schwan

Best Comedy Screenplay

Tom and the Sagittarius - Brian Karre

Best Western Screenplay

Three for Hire - Daniel R Burle

Best Thriller Screenplay

Gold Star - Milon Venus Parker

Best Action Screenplay

Three for Hire - Daniel R Burle

Best Sci-Fi Screenplay

The Quiet Fire - Christopher McGuinness

Best First Time Screenwriter (Feature)

Against the Wall - Mary Elizabeth Davis

Best First Time Screenwriter (Short)

The Solomon Project - Nancy Lydia Kimmel

Special Jury Award

Echoes of Regret - Alexandre Tissier

Watch Matilda and the Brave Escape

* Winners may order an official LAFA statuette

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