2025 Sundance Film Festival Winners
U.S. DRAMATIC COMPETITION
U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic
Atropia
Hailey Gates ’12 (BFA, Drama), director/writer/executive producer
Directing Award: U.S. Dramatic
Ricky
Rashad Frett ’21 (MFA, Kanbar Institute, Graduate Film), director/co-writer/producer
US DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Archival Storytelling
Selena y Los Dinos
Isabel Castro ’12 (BFA, Photography and Imaging), director
SHORTS PROGRAM AWARDS
Short Film Jury Award: International Fiction
Grandma Nai Who Played Favorites
Chheangkea ’24 (MFA, Kanbar Institute, Graduate Film), director/writer
All Filmmakers on Award-Winning Films
Atropia (U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic)
Hailey Gates ’12 (BFA, Drama), director/writer/executive producer
Mark W. Bennett ’97 (BFA, Kanbar Institute, Film & TV), casting
Mia Vinciguerra ’16 (BFA, Kanbar Institute, Film & TV), dialogue editor
Ricky (Directing Award: U.S. Dramatic)
Rashad Frett ’21 (MFA, Kanbar Institute, Graduate Film), director/co-writer/producer
Lin Que Ayoung ’20 (MFA, Kanbar Institute, Graduate Film), co-writer
Karen Chilton ’19 (MFA, Goldberg Department of Dramatic Writing), Bernetta
Sam Motamedi ’23 (MFA, Kanbar Institute, Graduate Film), director of photography
Daryl Eisenberg ’06 (BFA, Drama), casting
Lauren Owen ’17 (MFA, Kanbar Institute, Graduate Film), production supervisor
Cary Joji Fukunaga (Kanbar Institute, Graduate Film), producer
Plainclothes (US Dramatic Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast)
Bernard Telsey ’82 (BFA, Drama), casting
Sorry, Baby (Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: US Dramatic)
Michael B. Clark ’02 (BFA, Goldberg Department of Dramatic Writing), executive producer
Mia Cioffi Henry ’16 (MFA, Kanbar Institute, Graduate Film), cinematographer
Grace Perkins ’22 (BFA, Kanbar Institute, Film & TV), director's assistant
Selena y Los Dinos (U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Archival Storytelling)
Isabel Castro ’12 (BFA, Photography and Imaging), director
Lorena Duran '20 (MFA, Kanbar Institute, Graduate Film), cinematographer
Life After (U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award)
Jot Sahi ’18 (BFA, Kanbar Institute, Film & TV), associate producer
The Perfect Neighbor (Directing Award: US Documentary)
Sam Pollard Faculty, executive producer
Danielle Massie ’16 (BFA, Kanbar Institute, Film & TV), associate producer
Seeds (U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary)/(The Sundance Institute | Amazon MGM Studios Producers Award for Nonfiction)
Natacha Ikoli (Adjunct Faculty Graduate Film), Colorist
Daniel Timmons (Adjunct Faculty, Graduate Film), Sound Designer
East of Wall (Audience Award: NEXT)
Ellie Zarr ’19 (BFA, Kanbar Institute, Film & TV), additional editor/assistant editor
We Were The Scenery (Short Film Jury Award: Nonfiction)
Jess X. Snow ’23 (MFA, Kanbar Institute, Graduate Film), producer
Haina Zhou ’22 (BFA, Kanbar Institute, Film & TV), sound design and mix
Grandma Nai Who Played Favorites (Short Film Jury Award: International Fiction)
Chheangkea Ieng ’24 (MFA, Kanbar Institute, Graduate Film), director, writer
Karen Madar ’24 (MFA, Kanbar Institute, Graduate Film), producer
The Wedding Banquet (The Sundance Institute | Amazon MGM Studios Producers Award for Fiction)
Anita Gou ’13 (BFA, Kanbar Institute, Film & TV), producer
Kent Sanderson ’06 (BFA, Kanbar Institute, Film & TV), executive producer
Charlotte Royer '09 (BFA, Kanbar Institute, Film & TV), production designer
*We apologize for any omissions! Please send edits or additions to tsoa.alumni@nyu.edu.
