MSPIFF45 AWARD WINNERS
THE 45th MINNEAPOLIS ST. PAUL INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES JURY & AUDIENCE AWARD WINNERS
– AND NEW CASH AWARDS SPONSORED BY THE RAGS FOUNDATION!
The 45thMinneapolis St. Paul International Film Festivalhas officially come to a close, marking the culmination of a record-breaking edition defined by unprecedented crowds, which broke our previous daily attendance record – twice!
MSPIFF45’s Juries convened as we welcomed a new sponsor for both the Audience Choice and Jury Awards for Feature Films: the RAGS Foundation, a philanthropic initiative established by Gunjan Kedia and Sridhar Tayur, providing a $2,500 cash prize awarded to the Directors of each of the four winning feature films.
MSPIFF45 JURY AWARD WINNERS –FEATURE FILMS
DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
This juried competition recognizes non-fiction filmmaking that exemplifies the very best in presentation, diversity, innovation, and powerful storytelling in the documentary form.
JURY:
Pam Colby – Filmmaker & Educator
Mark Wojahn – Filmmaker & Photographer
Joshua Zeman – Director of the MSPIFF44 Jury Award winner CHECKPOINT ZOO
Jury Award for Feature Documentary:
Directed by Biljana Tutorov & Petar Glomazic
Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, France | 2026
Special Jury Award for Feature Documentary
Directed by Sidney Fussell & Jennifer Holness
USA, Canada | 2026
EMERGING FILMMAKER COMPETITION
This juried competition recognizes the achievements of first- and second-time fiction feature directors. The award is given to a film and filmmaker that demonstrates excellence in creativity, storytelling, technique, and innovation in the dramatic form.
JURY:
Brian Few, Jr. – Cinematographer/Editor
Jane Minton – Producer & Filmmaking Consultant
MEric Howell – Writer/Director/Producer
Jury Award for Emerging Filmmaker
Directed by Suzannah Mirghani
Sudan, Germany, France, Palestine, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia | 2025
MSPIFF45 JURY AWARD WINNERS –SHORTS
DOCUMENTARY SHORTS COMPETITION
This juried competition recognizes national, international, and local short form documentary filmmaking that exemplifies the very best in presentation, diversity, innovation, and powerful storytelling.
JURY:
Melissa Butts – Filmmaker & Branded Content Producer
Tom Lemmer – Emmy-winning Producer/Writer
Reilly Tillman – Filmmaker & Deputy Director of FilmNorth
Special Jury Award for Documentary Short
Directed by Natalie Shirinian & Elizabeth Baudouin
USA, Ukraine | 2026
FICTION SHORTS COMPETITION
This juried competition recognizes national, international, and local short form fiction filmmaking that exemplifies the very best in presentation, diversity, innovation, and powerful storytelling.
JURY:
Taylor Bakken – Filmmaker
Mack Hastings – Filmmaker
Tahiel Jimenez Medina – Director of MSPIFF44 Jury Award winner LENGUA
ANIMATED SHORTS COMPETITION
This juried competition recognizes national, international, and local short animated filmmaking that exemplifies the very best in presentation, diversity, innovation, and powerful storytelling.
JURY:
Alicia Allen – Animator & Illustrator, Foreign Fauna
Emory Allen – Creative Director, Foreign Fauna
Jim Brunzell – Festival Director of Sound Unseen & Dark Star Pictures
Jury Award for Short Animation
Directed by Bo Qing Tang & Xiao Lan Zeng
China, USA | 2025
MSPIFF45 AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS WINNERS
Selected from ballots collected from audience members at each MSPIFF45 screening.
AUDIENCE CHOICE: Animated Short
Directed by Carter Amelia Davis
USA, MN Made | 2025