2026 Festival Award Winners
BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE: BROKEN ENGLISH
BEST NARRATIVE SHORT: EM & SELMA GO GRIFFEN HUNTING
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: THE REED SISTERS: AN AMERICAN STORY
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT: SPIRIT OF THE DRIFTLESS
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: CANINE ROYALE
BEST ANIMATED SHORT: IVAR
BEST MIDWEST ROOTS: THE VOICE IN THE VESSEL
BEST FAMILY FRIENDLY: THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF EVERET WILDER
BEST STUDENT SHORT: GOODVIL
2025 Festival Award Winners
BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE: DESIGNED BY PREETI
BEST NARRATIVE SHORT: ROOM TAKEN
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT: ZASTAVA BROTHERS
BEST ANIMATED SHORT: TRUTH DETECTOR: REGIFTED
BEST MIDWEST ROOTS: GRAVE EXPECTATIONS
BEST FAMILY FRIENDLY: SAINT NICK OF BETHLEHEM
BEST STUDENT SHORT: JILLY & JUNO
2024 Festival Award Winners
BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE: TO DIE ALONE
BEST NARRATIVE SHORT: CALF
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: WHERE IS HEAVEN?
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT: PEOPLE & WOLVES
BEST ANIMATED SHORT: TRUTH DETECTOR
BEST MIDWEST ROOTS: SHANNON IS STRANGE
BEST STUDENT SHORT: PHASE III
BEST FAMILY FRIENDLY: WIDER THAN THE SKY
2023 Festival Award Winners
Best Narrative Feature: I BRING JOY
Best Narrative Short: PINTS
Best Documentary Feature: SAVAGE WATERS
Best Documentary Short: THE LUMINARIANS: MAKING THE LUMINARY LOPPET
Best Midwest Roots: DA UNION
Best Midwest Roots: LOVE DON’T BULLY
Best Family Friendly: CREATURES PART 1
Best Student Short: THE HOUSE ON THE MOON
2022 Festival Award Winners
Rough Best Narrative Short, Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson, Ireland
Greyland Best Documentary Feature, Alexandra Sicotte-Lévesque, Canada
Chaos and Quiet Best Documentary Short, Fiachra O Longain and Sean Coyle, United Kingdom
Second Degree Bern: A Bern Notice Story Best Animated Feature, Aaron M. Brigman, USA
Chopping Block Best Midwest Roots, Tim Schwagel, USA
Ruthless Best Family Friendly, Matthew McGuigan, Ireland
Best Foot Forward Best Student Short, Seán Hart, Ireland
2021 Festival Award Winners
Body of Water Best Narrative Feature, Lucy Brydon, United Kingdom
Brother and Sister Best Narrative Short, Coralie Lavergne, France
Last of Us: The Last Fishermen of the Lake Best Documentary Short, Andrea Marcovicchio, Italy
On / Off Best Animated Short, Nicolas P. Villarreal, Argentina
Scotch Tension Best Midwest Roots, Grant Brown and Samuel Kasper, USA
Inbox Best Student Short, USA
2020 Festival Award Winners
Repossession Best Narrative Feature, Goh Ming Siu, Singapore
The Boy Who Wanted To Fly Best Narrative Short, Jorge Muriel, Spain
The Last Day On Duty Best Documentary Feature, Jon Cortegoso Otaduy, Spain
The Vasectomy Doctor Best Documentary Short, Paul Webster, Ireland
Hot Diggity Best Animated Short, Danielle Pedersen, USA
Father's Girl Best Midwest Roots, Luke Ailabouni, USA
A Home for Curiosities, Best family Friendly, Ben Tobin, USA
Shots Best Student Short, Lukas Medin, USA
2019 Festival Award Winners
All Eyes on You Best Narrative Feature, Felix Maxim Eller, Germany
The Graveyard Shift Best Narrative Short, Michael Price, USA
Decoding the Driftless Best Documentary Feature, Jonas Stenstrom, USA
SPiN Best Midwest Roots, Jon Paul Wheeler, USA
Overnight Best Student Short, Thomas Mendolia, USA