2025 PCFF Award Winners

And just like that, year 8 of Prison City Film Festival has come to a close and we are finding ourselves beyond grateful for the incredible and talented filmmakers who trusted us with their art!

To everyone who was able to be with us this week: THANK YOU! Keep loving & making great films!

And so, without any further ado we are pleased to announce all the award winners:

2025 Award Winners

The C.O Award — For Best in Category
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US Narrative Feature: The Ego Death of Queen Cecilia
Documentary Feature: Bloody and Bruised :The Untold Story of the Backroom
Documentary Short: Dolors
International Narrative Feature: Afterwards
US Narrative Short: The Sessions
International Narrative Short: POLANCO
US Narrative Super Short: Audition
Music Video: Where Angels Fear to Tread
Trailer: Abilene
The Sergeants Award — For Best Production
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    -Documentary Short
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Cinematography: Living UNDONE
Editing: Living UNDONE
Music: Dolors
Sound: Gardener of the Galaxy
Writing: Gardener of the Galaxy

    -Documentary Feature

Cinematography: INHERITANCE
Editing: Bloody and Bruised:The Untold Story of the Breakroom
Music: Bloody and Bruised:The Untold Story of the Breakroom
Sound: Shattered in Real Life
Writing: INHERITANCE

    -Narrative Feature
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Cinematography: Abilene
Editing: Sorry We’re Dead
Music: Parable
Sound: Abilene
Writing: The Performance
Costume: Killin’ Jim Kelly
Make-up: I Voted
Visual FX: Tamale Season

    -Narrative Short

Cinematography: Little Bubbles
Editing: Ms Rossi 2:Ms Rossi Takes the Cake
Music: The Sessions
Sound: Little Bubbles
Writing: Losing Lalo
Costume Design: Wildcat
Make-Up: The Time Capsule
Visual FX: Wildcat

The Captains Award — For Best Director
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Narrative Feature: Stephen Wallis: Afterwards
Narrative Short: Pat Battistini: Ms Rossi 2:Ms Rossi Takes the Cake
Documentary Feature: Matt Moyer, Amy Toensing : INHERITANCE
Documentary Short: Marta Arjona, Maite Blasco: Dolors

The Major Award — For Best Performance
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Narrative Feature Best Actor: Nick Mancuso- the Performance
Narrative Feature Best Actress: Carla Kidd – I Voted
Narrative Features Best Supporting Actor: Jason London – Afterwards
Narrative Feature Best Supporting Actress: Wyomi Reed – Parable
Narrative Short Best Actor: Johnny Rey Diaz – Losing Lalo
Narrative Short Best Actress: Marilyn Bass – Come out Wherever You Are
Narrative Short Best Supporting Actor: Bobby J. Brown – The Sessions
Narrative Short Best Supporting Actress: Alyssia Rivera – Losing Lalo

The Desk Boss Award — For Best in Genre
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Drama: The Performance
Suspense/Thriller: I Voted
Comedy: The Time Capsule

The Next-Gen Award — For Best Student Film
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Varsity(Pre-College): Guiding Light
College (Undergrad): The Intrusive Thoughts of an Introverted Teen
College (Graduate): Implications of the Bootstrap Paradox on Spatiotemporal Continuity
Best Student Performance: Vincent Acevedo – Sunny Afternoon
Best Student Director: Shaler Keenum: Implications of the Bootstrap Paradox on Spatiotemporal Continuity
Best Overall Student Submission: Sunny Afternoon

The Outside Picket Award — For Most Original: Little Bubbles
The Ad-Seg Award — For Most Intense: I Voted
The Flash Award — For Best Fight Scene/Stunt Choreography: I Voted
The Wardens Vanguard Award — For Best Overall Submission: Parable
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