FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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2026 LA SHORTS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES WINNERS FOR ITS MILESTONE 30th EDITION

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OSCAR® Qualifying Best of Fest “I Will Be Alright” (Luxembourg) by Cyrus Neshvad, Best International “Mine for a Moment” (United Kingdom) by Kristian Lever, Best Documentary “Free Joan Little” by Yoruba Richen, Best Animation The Flesh Dress (France) by Joachim Hérissé

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LOS ANGELES, CA — The 30th LA Shorts International Film Festival has officially announced its annual award winners, celebrating exceptional independent filmmaking from the United States and around the globe.

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As an Academy Award®-accredited and BAFTA-qualifying event, LA Shorts stands among the leading short-film competitions worldwide. This year’s milestone lineup featured 502 short films presented across 69 curated programs, showcasing bold, innovative, and formally adventurous work from both emerging and established directors.

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"It’s with profound gratitude to everyone who helped us reach our milestone 30th Anniversary," said LA Shorts founder and festival director Robert Arentz. "Thank you to the filmmakers for trusting us with your powerful and unforgettable stories, and to our amazing attendees for showing up, engaging, and celebrating the art of short film."​

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OFFICIAL 2026 LA SHORTS AWARD WINNERS

• Best of Fest (Oscar® Qualifying): I Will Be Alright | Dir. Cyrus Neshvad (Luxembourg, 18 mins)

• Best International (Oscar® Qualifying): Mine for a Moment | Dir. Kristian Lever (United Kingdom, 16 mins)

• Best Drama: The Platform | Dir. Mark Harris (USA, 10 mins)

• Best Comedy: Sandiwara | Dir. Sean Baker (Malaysia, 10 mins)

• Best Documentary (Oscar® Qualifying): Free Joan Little | Dir. Yoruba Richen (USA, 38 mins)

• Best Animation (Oscar® Qualifying): The Flesh Dress | Dir. Joachim Hérissé (France, 15 mins)

• Best Horror: You're IN | Dir. Olivia Wong (USA, 13 mins)

• Best Sci-Fi: Tenancy | Dir. Tony Arriola (USA, 24 mins)

• Best Series: Bladez | Dir. Dustin Muenchow (USA, 18 mins)

• Best Experimental: The Stories We Tell Ourselves | Dir. Kasandra Baruch (USA, 20 mins)

• Best Branded Content: Is This Real? | Dir. Lawrence Sher (USA, 14 mins)

• Best A.I.: Psychle | Dir. Geno Andrews (USA, 13 mins)

• Best Music Video: Gary | Dir. Tim Cofield (USA, 6 mins)

• Best High School Film: Vivify | Dir. Aidan Rutman (USA, 12 mins)

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INDIVIDUAL & SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARDS

• Best Actress: Grecia Tovled for Dreamscape

• Best Actor: Sal Landi for Ghosts of '45

• Screenplay Competition Winner: The Meet-Up | Written by Enrique R. Carrasco

Immaculate Heart Community Social Impact Award

• Free Joan Little | Dir. Yoruba Richen (USA, 38 mins)

• That Night | Dir. Hoda Sobhani (Iran, 11 mins)

• Fabric | Dir. Anabelle Marshall (United Kingdom, 24 mins)

• Decima | Dir. John Colón (Puerto Rico, 19 mins)

• Becoming Buffalo | Dir. Montana Cypress (USA, 26 mins)

2026 FESTIVAL JURY

The 2026 LA Shorts Awards Jury was comprised of distinguished industry professionals:

• Stephanie Wenborn — Marketing at Eon Productions Ltd, London (Spectre, Skyfall, The Sound of 007: Live from the Royal Albert Hall)

• Mike Farah — Three-time Emmy-winning Producer (Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, @fter Midnight, Between Two Ferns, Billy on the Street, American Vandal)

• Keya Khayatian — Partner at United Talent Agency (UTA)

• John C. Richards — Writer, Producer, Director at Campfire Films, Inc.

• Debbie Vandermeulen — Founder of Fusion Features

About LA Shorts International Film Festival

LA Shorts International Film Festival is one of the most prestigious and largest international short film festivals in the world. Accredited by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, BAFTA, and the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, and Spain's GOYA Awards. LA Shorts continues to discover and showcase the world's best original short filmmaking.

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