The 23rd Annual New Hampshire Announces 2025 Award Recipients

Portsmouth, NH  – The New Hampshire Film Festival (NHFF) closed four inspiring days of screenings, conversations, and community with the announcement of its 2025 award winners, celebrating outstanding achievements across features, shorts, and New Hampshire related films. As an Academy Award®-qualifying festival for short films, NHFF continues to be a pivotal platform for emerging and established filmmakers alike.

A dynamic program of premieres, panels, morning coffee chats, technology demos, and special events animated downtown Portsmouth, with thousands of attendees joining filmmakers, students, and industry professionals for an unforgettable experience.

Jury Awards (Academy®-qualifying categories noted)
Grand Jury – Narrative: After This Death (dir. Lucio Castro)
Grand Jury – Documentary: The Spies Among Us (dirs. Jamie Silverman, Gabriel Silverman)
Live Action Shorts Jury Award (Academy-Qualifying): Extremist (dir. Sasha Molochnikov)
Animation Shorts Jury Award (Academy-Qualifying): Radix (dir. Anne Breymann)
Shorts Jury – Documentary (Academy-Qualifying): Oh Whale (dir. Winslow Crane-Murdoch)

Best Screenplay: Harry-Man (written by Elliot Latner)

Festival Awards
Best Narrative Feature: In Transit (dir. Jaclyn Bethany)
Best Documentary Feature: Creede U.S.A. (dir. Kahane Cooperman)
Best Student Film: Lost Track (dir. “Luna” Sam McKee)
Best Short – Comedy: Cherry-Colored Funk (dir. Chelsie Pennello)
Best Short – Drama: Barlebas (dir. Malu Janssen)

Audience Choice Awards
Audience Choice – Narrative: Honeyjoon (dir. Lilian T. Mehrel)
Audience Choice – Documentary (tie): Last Call in the North (dir. Stan Bush) & Unless Something Goes Terribly Wrong (dirs. Kaitlyn Schwalje, Alex Wolf Lewis)

New Hampshire Awards
Best New Hampshire Short – Narrative: The Traveler (dir. Matthew Scheffler)
Best New Hampshire Short – Documentary: First Light (dir. Kris Roller, Alex Broadstock)
Best New Hampshire Feature – Narrative: The Travel Companion (dir. Kris Roller, Alex Broadstock)
Best New Hampshire Feature – Documentary: Supernatural (dir. Ventura Dural)
Best New Hampshire Performance: Arabella Olivia Clark (Deuce, dir. Margot Budzyna)
New Hampshire Filmmaker of the Year: Brad Courtemanche (Trumpet Gumbo, Brad Courtemanche)
New Hampshire Short Film of the Year: Last Days on Lake Trinity (dir. Charlotte Cooley)

Van McLeod Award: Presented to Dayton Duncan for significant contributions to film and television by a New Hampshire native/resident.

The festival received Academy Award® qualifying status in 2021 for its Live Action Shorts Jury Award and Animation Shorts Jury Award, and now, with the addition of the Documentary Shorts Jury Award, it expands its recognition to three categories. Short films that receive these prestigious festival awards will now qualify to enter the Short Films competition for the concurrent Oscar® season. Recipients will be eligible for Academy Awards® consideration without the standard theatrical run, provided they comply with the Academy’s rules.

The festival’s mission is to inspire audiences with thought-provoking cinematic stories, provide a platform for emerging artists to advance their craft, and connect filmmakers with the community and industry leaders. Featuring a curated selection of independent films, panels, and networking opportunities, NHFF is a draw for filmmakers and cinephiles alike.  In 2024, the festival moved its operations to The Music Hall, a nonprofit organization bringing year-round performing arts and film programming to New Hampshire. The Music Hall’s beautifully restored main venue has served as a festival screening location since 2004, featuring state-of-the-art technology and a seating capacity of nearly 900. The Music Hall Lounge, 3S Artspace, The Press Room, and the historic Moffatt-Ladd House further enhance the festival’s unique screening experience, showcasing diverse venues steeped in history and creativity.

Festival sponsors include Key Auto Group, BankProv, and TownSquare Media, the official New Hampshire Film Festival media sponsor.

For more information, visit www.nhfilmfestival.com