Question 1

2026 Award Winners

Accepted Answer

AUDIENCE AWARDS

Audience Award College Short Film – Dodgeball -Jesse Van Norman
Audience Award Focus On Florida Short Film -A Night In - Eduardo Olmos
Audience Award Documentary Short Film - Making The Top 50: Inside Tampa Bay’s Most Anticipated Dining List - Chris Fasick
Audience Award Int’l Narrative Short Film - Silent Memories- Gaetano Naccarato
Audience Award U.S. Narrative Short Film   - Parallel - Sabrina Robinson
Audience Award Focus On Florida Feature Film - When Pigs Fly - Stephania Torres
Audience Award Documentary Feature Film - The Murders Of Seminole Heights - Joseph Guerra
Audience Award Int’l Narrative Feature Film – Primavera - Damiano Michieletto
Audience Award U.S. Narrative Feature Film – Gaia - Wendell Etherly
Spotlight Award - California Schemin' - James McAvoy

GRAND JURY AWARDS

Grand Jury Award College Short Film - The Expiration Date - Joshua Ebrahimi
Grand Jury Award Focus On Florida Documentary Short Film - Florida Bear Tracks - Kt Bryden
Grand Jury Award Focus On Florida Narrative Short Film-Change For 100 - Oswmer Louis
Grand Jury Award Int’l Narrative Short Film - The Pearl Comb - Ali Cook
Grand Jury Award U.S. Narrative Short Film - The Drive - David Arrow
Grand Jury Award Focus On Florida Feature Film - The Murders Of Seminole Heights - Joseph Guerra
Grand Jury Award Documentary Feature Film - A Portrait Of A Postman -Joe Martin
Grand Jury Award Int’l Narrative Feature Film -
Primavera - Damiano Michieletto
Grand Jury Award U.S. Narrative Feature Film - Magic Hour - Jacqueline Christy

Question 2

2025 Award Winners

Accepted Answer

Audience Awards

Audience Award University Of Tampa Short Film  -  LIFT - Kaiden Hancock
Audience Award College Short Film –  POP THE TRUNK-Carl Cinquino
Audience Award Focus On Florida Short Film - TOGETHER FOREVER- Lauren Butterfield
Audience Award Documentary Short Film -  STRONGER THAN THE STORM-Justin Stanley
Audience Award U.S. Narrative Short Film - MEDICINE- William McKegg
Audience Award Focus On Florida Feature Film - HACKED- Shane Brady
Audience Award Documentary Feature Film - ANXIETY CLUB- Dir- Wendy Lobel
Audience Award Int’l Narrative Feature Film – HOME FREE – Avi Federgreen
Audience Award U.S. Narrative Feature Film - ALMOST POPULAR- Grace Santos

Grand Jury

President’s Spotlight Award - MISSISSIPPI SCHOLAR- Director Marcus Bleeker
 Emerging Filmmaker Award - SHANE BRADY- Hacked

Grand Jury Award College Short Film - WHERE THE HEART LIES- Brianna Chapman
Grand Jury Award Focus On Florida Short Film - SILENCE IS GOLDEN- Rory Smith
Grand Jury Award Documentary Short Film - STRONGER THAN THE STORM-Justin Stanley
Grand Jury Award U.S. Narrative Short Film -  ICE CREAM MAN- Robert Moniot
Grand Jury Award Focus On Florida Feature Film - OFF RIP- Jadon Cal
Grand Jury Award Documentary Feature Film -  SUBURBAN FURY- Dir Robinson Devor
Grand Jury Award Best Performance – Female -  JUDY GREER- Eric Larue
Grand Jury Award Best Performance -  Male -  IVAN MARTIN- To Kill a Wolf
Grand Jury Award Int’l Narrative Feature Film - BACK TO LIFE- Alfredo & Luis Carlos Hueck
Grand Jury Award U.S. Narrative Feature Film - TO KILL A WOLF- Dir Kelsey Taylor

High School

Grand Jury Award Best Screenplay - LEAVE A MESSAG - Mason Silva
Grand Jury Award Cinematography - NEARER MY GOD TO THEE - Noah Zayaan Sparkman
Grand Jury Award Best Performance - IMPRESSIONS - Dominic Salazar
Grand Jury Award Best Director - IMPRESSIONS  - Dominic Salazar
Grand Jury Award Best Picture - PURGATORY - Owen McCourt
Audience Award Best Picture - WHEN I WAS YOUNGER  -Alina Tewksbury

Question 3

2024 Awards Winners

Accepted Answer

Grand Jury Best Narrative Feature: LaRay
Grand Jury Best Documentary Feature: Common Ground
Grand Jury Best Narrative Short: Blue Boy
Grand Jury Best Documentary Short: A Cow in the Sky
Grand Jury Best College Short Film:  Cover
Grand Jury Best Performance Female:  Fiona Glascott - A Martini Shot
Grand Jury Focus on Florida Short: Screaming into the Wind
Grand Jury Focus on Florida Feature: One Second at a Time: Battling the Monster of Addiction

​
Audience Award Narrative Feature:  A Great Divide
Audience Award Documentary Feature:  Prototype: The Legacy of Rondé Barber
Audience Award Focus on Florida Feature:  Children of the Pines
Audience Award Focus on Florida Short:  Cletus
Audience Award Documentary Focus on Florida Short:   
Audience Award Documentary Short:  Endless Mile
Audience Award Narrative Short:  Panacea
Audience Award College Short: Daisy
Audience Award University of Tampa Short: Orange
President Spotlight Award: Chelsea & Cathy Cromar
Emerging Filmmaker: Christa Boarini

Question 4

2023 Awards Winners

Accepted Answer

Grand Jury Best Narrative Feature: Shaky Shivers
Grand Jury Best Documentary Feature: 26.2 to Life
Grand Jury Best Narrative Short: My Dear Aunt Sally
Grand Jury Best Documentary Short: Below Surface
Grand Jury Best College Short Film: Toy Phone
Grand Jury Best Performance Female: Jess Gabor - Gringa
Grand Jury Best Performance Male: Isaiah Lehtinan - I like movies
Grand Jury Florida Production: Have you seen Ratman?
Grand Jury Focus on Florida: 115 Grains
Grand Jury Int'l Narrative Feature: I like movies
Grand Jury Emerging Filmmaker: Law Chen
​
Audience Award Best Narrative Feature:  Gringa
Audience Award Best Documentary Feature: Helen Believe
Audience Award Best Focus on Florida Feature:  La Gaceta
Audience Award Best Documentary Focus on Florida Short:   Chasing Justice
Audience Award Best Documentary Short: Below Surface
Audience Award Best Narrative Short: Gloss
Audience Award College Short: Forgive Me, Father
Audience Award University of Tampa Short: When We Met

Question 5

2022 Award Winners

Accepted Answer

Grand Jury Best Narrative Feature: The Disappearance of Toby Blackwood
Grand Jury Best Documentary Feature: Nowhere Man and A Whiskey Girl 
Grand Jury Best Narrative Short: You're Now Beyond Hope, Arizona
Grand Jury Best Documentary Short: Rearranging Skin: A Love Letter to the World
Grand Jury Best College Short Film: Heavy 
Grand Jury Best Performance: Cameron Roberts- Relative
Grand Jury Florida Production: Lioness
​
Audience Award Best Narrative Feature:  Mysterious Circumstance 
Audience Award Best Documentary Feature: One Pint at a Time (Florida)
Audience Award Best Documentary Short:   Experience the Adirondracks
Audience Award Best Narrative Short Film: Midnight Screams*
Audience Award Best Animated: Lobstah Love

Question 6

2021 Award Winners

Accepted Answer

Grand Jury Best Narrative Feature: Teddy, Out of Tune by Daniel Freeman
 
Grand Jury Best Documentary Feature: When it Breaks by Todd Tue
 
Grand Jury Best Narrative Short: Sheer Qoorma by Faraz Arif Ansari
 
Grand Jury Best Documentary Short: Those Men That Came Before by Kevin O'Brien

Question 7

2019 Award Winners

Accepted Answer

Grand Jury Best Narrative Feature: The Drummer and The Keeper by Nick Kelly 
Grand Jury Best Documentary Feature: The Biggest Little Farm by John Chester
Grand Jury Best Narrative Short: Latched by Justin Harding
Grand Jury Best Documentary Short: My Paintbrush Bites by Joel Pincosy & Joe Egender
Grand Jury Best College Short Film: The Stranger by Katherine Oostman
Grand Jury Best Performance: Tess Thompson & Lily James - Little Woods
​
Audience Award Best Narrative Feature:  Cold Brook by William Fichtner
Audience Award Best Jewish Film Festival Film:  A Fortunate Man by Bill-e August
Audience Award Best Documentary Feature: Parallel Love: Story of a Band Called Luxury by Matt Hinton
Audience Award Best Documentary Short: My Paintbrush Bites by Joel Pincosy & Joe Egender
Audience Award Best Narrative Short Film: Trigger by Chance Chathalansy
Audience Award Best Florida Production:  Save Our Cottages by Lynn Marvin Dingfelder
Audience Award Best College Short Film: Doll It Up by Yalan Hu
Audience Award Best University of Tampa Short: The Story of Nano by Michael Cobuzio
Executive Director's Award Most Buzzworthy Film: Stockholm by Robert Budreau

Question 8

2018 Award Winners

Accepted Answer

Grand Jury Best US Narrative Feature: Class Rank by Eric Stoltz
Grand Jury Best International Feature: Killing Jesus by Laura Mora
Grand Jury Best Documentary Feature: No Man’s Land by David Byars
Grand Jury Best Florida Production:  Between Waves by Joe Herbert
Grand Jury Best Short Film: The Tables by Annie Pace
Grand Jury Best College Short Film: Plush Assassin by Anca Mihai
Grand Jury Best Performance U.S. Narrative: Olivia Holt from Class Rank
Grand Jury Best Performance International Narrative: Rossy de Palma from Madame
Grand Jury Best Animated Short: Arnie Johnstone and the Vulva Tree by Jesse Swenson 
Grand Jury Special Mention Animated Short: Plush Assassin, by Anca Mihai
​Audience Award Best US Feature:  Quest by Santiago Rizzo
Audience Award Best International Feature:  BORG vs McENROE by Janus Metz
Audience Award Best Documentary Feature: Pick of the Litter by Don Hardy and Dana Nachman
Audience Award Best Short Film: The Tables by Annie Pace
Audience Award Best Florida Production:  St. Pete Unfiltered by Caroline Smith
Audience Award Best College Short Film: Pickle by Grant Moore
Audience Award Best University of Tampa Short: Devin by Haley Ricciari
Executive Director's Award Most Buzzworthy Film: Best F(r)iends by Greg Sestero

Question 9

2017 Award Winners

Accepted Answer

Grand Jury Best US Narrative Feature: Future 38 by Jamie Greenberg
Grand Jury Best International Feature: Frantz by Francois Ozon
Grand Jury Best Documentary Feature: Finding Oscar by Ryan Suffern
Grand Jury Best Florida Production:  Turtle Tale by Luc Campeau
Grand Jury Best Short Film: Undertaking by Kevin James O'Neill
Grand Jury Best College Short Film: For the Record by Justin Burt
Grand Jury Best Performance U.S. Narrative: Demetri Martin (Dean)
Grand Jury Best Performance International Narrative: Paula Beer (Frantz)
Grand Jury Special Mention for Best Short: Broken Pines by Anne Pace
​
Audience Award Best US Feature: Carrie Pilby by Susan Johnson 
Audience Award Best International Feature:  Handsome Devil by John Butler
Audience Award Best Documentary Feature: Score by Matt Schrader
Audience Award Best Short Film: Daryl and His Friends by Evan Smith
Audience Award Best Florida Production:  The Lost Digit by Garrett Brown
Audience Award Best College Short Film: Stutter by Ivo Huahua
Audience Award Best University of Tampa Short: The Nether World by Creed Smith

Question 10

2016 Award Winners

Accepted Answer

Grand Jury Best US Narrative Feature: Truth About Lies by Phil Allocco
Grand Jury Best International Feature: The Debt by Barney Elliot
Grand Jury Best Documentary Feature: The Forbidden Shore by Ron Chapman
Grand Jury Best Florida Production:  Dooder in the Lighthouse by Lisa Long
Grand Jury Best Short Film: Come Away With Me by Ellen Gerstein
Grand Jury Best College Short Film: Hush by Whitney Clinkscales
Grand Jury Best Male Performance: Joel Kelly Dauten (Remember Me)
Grand Jury Best Female Performance: Christy Carlson Romano (Bear With Us)
​
Audience Award Best US Feature:  Bear With Us by William Stribling
Audience Award Best International Feature:  Love & Friendship by Whit Stillman
Audience Award Best Documentary Feature: Craving Cuba by Zuzy Martin Lynch 
Audience Award Best Short Film: Lionheart by Fro Rojas
Audience Award Best Florida Production:  Waiting on Mary by Corey Horton
Audience Award Best College Short Film: Dixie by Armaan Upeleker

Question 11

2015 Award Winners

Accepted Answer

Grand Jury Best US Narrative Feature: Wildlike by Frank Hall Green
Grand Jury Best International Feature: The Break In by Marcus Ovnell
Grand Jury Best Documentary Feature: Call Me Lucky by Bobcat Golthwait
Grand Jury Best Florida Production:  Dutch Book by James Repack
Grand Jury Best Short Film: Odessa by Grace Santos
Grand Jury Best College Short Film: Legend of the Flying Tomato by Aurry Tan, Michael Yates, Sharon Huang
Grand Jury Best Female Performance: Ella Purnell (Wildlike)
Grand Jury Best Male Performance: Phillip Thomas (When the Ocean Meets the Sky)
​
​
Audience Award Best US Feature:  The Challenger by Kent Moran
Audience Award Best International Feature:  Ben's At Home by Mars Horodyski
Audience Award Best Documentary Feature: The Poet of Havana by Ron Chapman
Audience Award Best Short Film: Skyship Chronicles by Christian Cashmir
Audience Award Best Florida Production:  American Hostage by Mounir Chakor
Audience Award Best College Short Film: Florida State's First Seminole by Ryan Watson
Audience Award Best University of Tampa Short:Treasure Man by Christian  Fernandez

Question 12

2014 Award Winners

Accepted Answer

Grand Jury
Special Jury for Acting – Frederikke Dahl Hansen, “Copenhagen”
Special Jury for Filmmaking – Michael Wechsley, “The Red Robin”
Screenwriting – SJ Thompson, “A Long Way From Paris”
Narrative Feature - “Copenhagen”, Directed by Mark Raso
World Showcase - “Melaza”, Directed by Carlos Lechuga
Documentary - “The Longest Game”, Directed by Camille Thoman
New Visions Presented by Indie Pix - “Sand Castles”, Directed by Clenet Verdi-Rose
Short Film - “God’s Got His Head in the Clouds”, Directed by Gianluca Sodaro
College Showcase - “The Bright Side”, Directed by Sarah Wilson Thacker
​
Audience Choice
Short Film - “CHUB”, Directed by Sam Albis
Documentary - “Ride with Larry”, Directed by Ricardo Villarreal and Andrew Rubin
High School Showcase - “Pendemonium”, Directed by Wesley Hayes
College Showcase - “Tobacco Burn”, Directed by Justin Liberman
Best Florida Production - “….And a Bag of Chips”, Directed by Sabyn Mayfield
Narrative Feature - “Boys of Abu Ghraib”, Directed by Luke Moran

Question 13

2013 Award Winners

Accepted Answer

Grand Jury Award Winners:
Young Filmmaker- Dangerous Daze, Byron Leon
Special Jury Award for Filmmaking- Against the Grain, Elias Mael
Special Jury Award for Acting- Gina Rodriguez, Filly Brown
Narrative Short- Unburden, Andrew Young
Documentary- GLOW: The Story of the Glorious Ladies of Wrestling, Brett Whitcomb
Narrative- Filly Brown, Youssef Delara & Michael Olmos
​
Audience Award Winners:
Young Filmmaker- John Kirk, Not to Scale
College Showcase- William J. Stribling, Beyond Belief
Narrative Short- Ante Novakovic, The Fix
Best Florida Production- Karl Wilson, Breaking Up with Rosie
Documentary- Patrick Burke, Poster Boy’s or The Art of Mobile Recording
Narrative- Lawrence Feeney, Pharmboy

Question 14

2012 Award Winners

Accepted Answer

Digital Domain Institute Award for Screenwriting Competition: “Heart of a Family” BY Sharon Duncan
Digital Domain Institute Award for Audience Best Short Documentary: Dialogue from the Steppes
Digital Domain Institute Award for Audience Best Documentary: Teresa Sareo – Alive Again
Digital Domain Institute Award for Audience Best Narrative: Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best
Digital Domain Institute Award for Audience Best Short Narrative: Underground
Florida Governor’s Office Film in Florida Award for Best Florida Prod.: Subprime
Digital Domain Institute Award for Special Mention Male: Michael Weston in “Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best”
Digital Domain Institute Award for Special Mention Female: Danielle Harris
Digital Domain Institute Award for Grand Jury Short Narrative: Wolf Call
Digital Domain Institute Award for Grand Jury Short Documentary: Dilli
Digital Domain Institute Award for Grand Jury Best Documentary: The Loving Story
Digital Domain Institute Award for Grand Jury Animated Short: Live Outside the Box
Digital Domain Institute Award for Grand Jury Narrative: Downtown Express
Digital Domain Institute Grand Jury Award for Young Filmmaker: According to Plan

Question 15

2011 Award Winners

Accepted Answer

Audience Short: War of Our Children
Audience Documentary: Voices From Mariel
Audience Narrative: Leave
Best Florida Production: Square Grouper, Godfathers of Ganja
Special Mention Male Performance: Obba Babatunde (Fallen Faithful)
Special Mention Female Performance: Annie Bu Maure, (Los Dioses Rotos)
Grand Jury Short: Missile Crisis
Grand Jury Documentary: Hot Coffee
Grand Jury Narrative: Leave
Grand Jury Young Filmmaker: Civil Indigent

Question 16

2010 Award Winners

Accepted Answer

Best Feature: Friends with Benefits
Best Florida production: Endure
Audience prize (short): Seven to Ten Business Days (best short)
Audience prize (documentary): Full Signal
Audience prize (feature): Hope for a Thorn
Special merit awards: Prime of Your Life, The Calling
Special Mention, Male and Female (Merit awards for acting): Ryan Donowho (Prime of Your Life), Margaret Laney (Friends with Benefits)
Young Filmmaker Prize: Kelley Katzenmeyer, To Be Remembered
Grand Jury Best Short: Piece of Paper Honorable mention Jury Prize: Bilal’s Stand

Question 17

2009 Award Winners

Accepted Answer

Young Filmmaker Grand Jury: Zona Rossa
Audience Best Short: Gisela’s Closet
Best Local Production: Ghost of Ybor – Charlie Wall 
Special Mention Cinema Award: Clear Lake, WI
Special Mention Cinema Award: Misconceptions
Special Mention Grand Jury: Amal
Grand Jury: Kassim the Dream
Audience Best Documentary: Truth in 24
Audience Best Narrative: What Doesn’t Kill You
Special Mention: Laura Harrington in Drool
Special Mention: Mark Ruffalo in What Doesn’t Kill You

Question 18

2008 Award Winners

Accepted Answer

Male Rising Star Award: Shane West
Female Rising Star Award: Brittany Snow
Young Filmmaker Grand Jury: Oneric
Audience Best Short: Oneric
Best Local Production: Gunn Highway
Special Mention Cinema Award: The Flock
Special Mention Grand Jury: Big Rig
Grand Jury: American Fork
Audience Best Documentary: Tocar y Luchar “To Play and To Fight
Audience Best Narrative: The Fly Boys
Special Mention: Arielle Kebbel  “Day Dreamer”
Special Mention: Shane West  “What We Do Is Secret”

Question 19

2007 Award Winners

Accepted Answer

Grand Jury Award: “Say I Do”
Special Grand Jury Mention: “Maroa”
Audience Award, Best Documentary: “Motherland Afghanistan”
Audience Award, Best Narrative Feature: “Immaculate Misconception”
Young Filmmaker Award: “Never Bet the Devil Your Head”
Jury Award, Best Short: “Collision”
Special Mention Award: Johnny Miller, “Toy Attack”
Special Mention Actress: Yorlis Dominguez , “Maroa”
Special Mention Actor: Ben Koldyke , “Say I Do”
Special Mention Cinematography: Armando Salazar, “Que Tan Lejos”

AWARD WINNERS

2026 Award Winners

2025 Award Winners

2024 Awards Winners

2023 Awards Winners

2022 Award Winners

2021 Award Winners

2019 Award Winners

2018 Award Winners

2017 Award Winners

2016 Award Winners

2015 Award Winners

2014 Award Winners

2013 Award Winners

2012 Award Winners

2011 Award Winners

2010 Award Winners

2009 Award Winners

2008 Award Winners

2007 Award Winners

Tampa Film Institute, Inc.
Gasparilla International Film Festival
Mailing Address:
701 S. Howard Ave. 106-432
Tampa, FL 33606

AWARD WINNERS

2026 Award Winners

2025 Award Winners

2024 Awards Winners

2023 Awards Winners

2022 Award Winners

2021 Award Winners

2019 Award Winners

2018 Award Winners

2017 Award Winners

2016 Award Winners

2015 Award Winners

2014 Award Winners

2013 Award Winners

2012 Award Winners

2011 Award Winners

2010 Award Winners

2009 Award Winners

2008 Award Winners

2007 Award Winners

Tampa Film Institute, Inc. Gasparilla International Film Festival Mailing Address: 701 S. Howard Ave. 106-432 Tampa, FL 33606

Tampa Film Institute, Inc.
Gasparilla International Film Festival
Mailing Address:
701 S. Howard Ave. 106-432
Tampa, FL 33606