Kansas City FilmFest International Announces 2025 Winners

Kansas City’s largest and longest held competition & curated film festival

KANSAS CITY, MO, MO, UNITED STATES, April 2, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- For twenty-nine years, Kansas City FilmFest International has brought audiences, films and filmmakers together to celebrate the power of storytelling through the cinematic arts.

“We are excited to announce this year’s winners,” said Veronica Loncar Elliott, Kansas City FilmFest International Executive Director. “We’re equally excited to announce 17 screenings sold out, the most sell outs in the history of the festival.”

Here is the list of winners.

Best Heartland High School Student Short
BLEACH BOY
Directed by John Young and Asyiah Montes

Best Heartland College Student Short
ROOM 10
Directed by Kaleb Fobair and Sophie Ivens

Best Heartland Narrative Short
DON’T HANG UP
Directed by Diamond Batiste

Best Narrative Short
SALLY GET THE POTATOES
Directed by Danicah Waldo

Fred G. Andrews Emerging Filmmaker Award
FROM ME TO YOU
Directed by Vy Nguyen

Rick Cowan Award for Best Cinematic Heartland Film Locations
Two films tied for this award
LIMBO
Directed by Joshua Guillaume
PARABLE
Directed by Ritchey Cable

Best Heartland Documentary Short
MIKE AND BILLY’S AMERICAN PIE
Directed by, Erin P.S. Zimmerman

Best Documentary Short
EDEL RODRIQUEZ: FREEDOM IS A VERB
Directed by Mecky Creus and Adrienne Hall

Best Heartland Documentary Feature
THE EMPATHIZER
Directed by Fred Le and Bret Hamilton

Best Documentary Feature
REBEL WITH A CLAUSE
Directed by Brandt Johnson

Best Feature Screenplay
OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE
Written by Ivy Vale, Rick Reil

Best Heartland Narrative Feature
THE MILITIA
Directed by Dylan King Welter

Best World Cinema Narrative Feature
WHERE THERE IS LOVE THERE IS NO DARKNESS
Directed by Stevan Lee Mraovitch

Best Actor in a Narrative Feature Film
Natalie Polo in MY LITTLE MOON, directed by Ali Atshani

Best Narrative Feature
MISSISSIPPI SCHOLAR
Directed by Marcus Bleecker

We also thank our partners and sponsors:
- MIssouri Film Office
- KC Film
- AMC Theatres Ward Parkway 14
- Java Monster Coffee + Energy
- Missouri Stories
- Ward Parkway Shopping Center
- Missouri Arts Council
- Zahner
- Fallon Media
- Meat Rushmore
- Holladay Distillery
- By George PR
- 360 Vodka
- Paddock
- Moxie Talent Agency
- B.E. Tek
- Hampton Inn & Suites
- Martin City Brewing Company
- IFCKC
- UMKC Department of Media, Art and Design
- Women in Film + Media KC

About Kansas City FilmFest International
Kansas City FilmFest International is an annual, juried film festival featuring more than 100 local, regional, national and international films, held in April each year, and proudly presented by the Kansas City Filmmakers Jubilee. Throughout its history, the FilmFest has brought in more than 350 top filmmakers from around the world to share their work and insights. The Kansas City Filmmakers Jubilee unites Kansas City area educational, cultural and film organizations to celebrate the power of storytelling as a shared cultural experience through independent filmmaking and the cinematic arts. KC Filmmakers Jubilee also works to enhance opportunities for filmmakers to develop their craft and art, and to increase the public’s awareness and support of local filmmaking as a cultural and economic asset. www.kcfilmfest.org www.Facebook.com/KCFilmFest; @KCFilmFest #KCFilmFest

Cindi Rogers
By George PR
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