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PRESS

For Immediate Release

OSCAR QUALIFYING LA SHORTS CROWNS DAOOD ALABDULAA’S “WALUD” BEST OF FEST

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People & Things, Como si la tierra se las hubiera tragado and Classroom 4 also take top awards 

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LOS ANGELES, July 29, 2025.  The 29th LA Shorts International Film Festival announced its winners at last night’s award ceremony in Echo Park.  The festival is accredited by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences OSCAR®, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts BAFTA and the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television (ACCT) presenters of the Canadian Screen Awards and The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of Spain (Goya Awards).  Categories that Oscar Qualify are Best in Fest, Best International Film, Best Documentary and Best Animation Film.

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Daood Alabdulaa was awarded Best in Fest for German-Syrian co-production WALUD and the Polish drama PEOPLE & THINGS directed by Damian Kosowski, won Best International Film.  .Classroom 4 directed by Eden Wurmfeld – winner of Best Documentary at Aspen Shortsfest won Best Documentary and Como si la tierra se las hubiera tragado, directed by Natalia León, an animated short that won the jury award at the Sundance Film Festival won Best Animation Film.

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The full winners list:

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Best of Fest

Walud by Daood Alabdulaa

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Best International

People & Things by Damian Kosowski 

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Best Drama

A King's Curtain by Grant M Johnson 

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Best Comedy

The Lot by Raffaele Vesco

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Best Animation

Como si la tierra se las hubiera tragado by Natalia León

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Best Experimental

Memoir by Aiden Keltner 

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Best Documentary

Classroom 4 by Eden Wurmfeld 

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Best Sci-Fi

Dream Machine by Dan Egan 

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Best Horror

Mermaid by Ginger Gonzaga

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Best Music Video

Dominant by Nik Kleverov

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Best Web Series

Samson's Hammer by Vahan Bedelian 

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Best Vertical

Undercover Prison King by ReelShort

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Best A.I.

Torment by Sijia Zheng 

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Best High School Film

Why Can't We Just Be Ghosts? by Patrick Jang 

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Best Actor

Caley Versfelt in Believe 

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Immaculate Heart Community Filmmaker Award

Walud by Daood Alabdulaa

Como si la tierra se las hubiera tragado by Natalia León

Classroom 4 by Eden Wurmfeld

The Window on Death Row by Linda Freund

Seeds from Kivu by Néstor López, Carlos Valle

A City That Cares by Aaron Hosé

On Healing Land, Birds Perch by Julian Cautherley

Exodus by Bob Miller

Fenice by Sterling Hampton

 

The Immaculate Heart Community awards $5,000 in cash prizes.

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About the LA Shorts International Film Festival

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LA Shorts International Film Festival ranks among the most prestigious and largest international short film festivals in the world.

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The festival is accredited by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences OSCAR®, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts BAFTA, and the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television ACCT Canadian Screen Awards and The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of Spain GOYA AWARDS. 66 LA Shorts filmmakers have earned Academy Award® nominations, with 17 taking home the Oscar.

 

Now in its 29th year, LA Shorts is the longest-running short film festival in Los Angeles. The festival screens over 400 films and attracts 10,000 attendees each year, including Hollywood industry professionals and emerging undiscovered independent filmmakers.

 

For more information visit www.LAshortsFest.com​

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For press inquiries, please contact Deborah Gilels at deborah@lamediaconsultants.net.

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Academy Motion Picture Arts & Sciences

Officially recognized by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, some of these films may go on to receive Oscar nominations. 
 

British Academy of Film and Television Arts

Official qualifying event for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts BAFTA short film awards. Award-winners at the festival are eligible to win BAFTA's

 

Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television

ACCT presenters of the Canadian Screen Awards – eligible international film festivals

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The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of Spain

Official qualifying festival for the Goya Awards, Spanish short films selected for the festival are able to to submit for the 36 edition of the prestigious Awards.

 

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