AWARD WINNERS

The Chesapeake Film Festival is proud to celebrate the outstanding films and talented filmmakers recognized with awards during our 19th Season, October 8–10, 2026.

These exceptional works exemplify the creativity, vision, and independent spirit that define our festival and reflect the power of film to entertain, educate, empower, and inspire.

This year’s award-winning films represent compelling storytelling, fresh perspectives, and meaningful explorations of the people, communities, and issues that shape our world. We congratulate each filmmaker for their excellence in their field and thank all the filmmakers whose remarkable work made this year’s festival such a memorable celebration of independent cinema.

We invite you to discover our 2026 Award-Winning Films and join us in recognizing the artists whose stories continue to move us, challenge us, and broaden our understanding of the world.

Congratulations to our 2026 award winners!

Stories. Voices. Action.

After an excellent weekend, the Chesapeake Film Festival is proud to announce its 2025 Award Winners in 11 film categories.

Congratulations to all of our winners for their extraordinary vision, artistry, and storytelling. Thank you to every filmmaker who submitted to the 2025 Chesapeake Film Festival. Your film made the 2025 Chesapeake Film Festival a one-of-a-kind experience! From Friday, Oct 10 to Sunday, Oct 12, audiences were enthralled with riveting programming and informative and exciting Q &As. Thank you for supporting our festival with your artistry, creativity, and drive to share your stories. Congratulations WINNERS!

2024 Chesapeake Film Festival 17th Annual AWARDS Include:

• Women of Impact Award
  Leslie Shampaine
  Call Me Dancer
• Best Environmental Feature
  The Diary of an Elephant Orphan
  Directed by Hermien Roelvert-Van Gils
• Jury Prize
  Jamie Wyeth and the Unflinching Eye
  Directed by Glenn Holsten
• Best International Feature
  Imaginarius
  Directed by Juan Ignacio Bello
• Best Documentary Short
  Dear Josephine
  Directed by Amber Monet
• Best Narrative Short
  Superman Doesn’t Steal
  Directed by Tamika Lamison
  (tied with)
  Spotlight on Maryland “The Last Epic Ride”
  Directed by Rick Kain
• Student Filmmakers & Award Showcase Recipients
  – Sponsored by Harley Gates and Choptank Electric TrustMissing Figure
  Directed by Jeremiah BattleFor the Love of the Game
  Directed by Ollie KillipDance Party
  Directed by Lucy Saper

  Things I Wish I’d Said
  Directed by Riley Frutiger

  Monarchs in Motion
  Directed by Mason Mirabile

  Beauty
  Directed by Carly Dernetz

  Amathus
  Directed by Lydia Mastrangelo

  Portrait Day
  Directed by Romina Melissa Nunez

  Mary Through the Glass
  Directed by Wyatt Cooper Carson

2023 Chesapeake Film Festival 16th Annual AWARDS Include:

• Women of Impact Award Judith Dwan Hallet
  The Life and Legend of Jane Goodall
• Student Filmmakers & Award Scholarships Showcase Recipients

  A River Called Home
  Directed by Jess Wiegandt
  Documentary
  Winner of Student Film Award 2023

  Shifting Tides
  Directed by James Mertz
  Documentary
  Winner of Student Film Award 2023

  A Letter with my Sword
  Directed by Emma Barany
  Animation/Virtual

  An Elliptic Expedition
  Directed by Kristian Panashe Chitate
  Animation

  A Reason for Hope
  Directed by Mason Mirabile
  Documentary

  Bug Box
  Directed by Kat Navarro
  Animation

  East of the River
  Directed by Amin El Siwi and Phil Bouknight
  Documentary

  Lorraine
  Directed by Jeremiah Battle
  Documentary

  Mary
  Directed by Wyatt Carson
  Animation

  Something Fishy
  Directed by Christina Woo
  Animation

  The Lunatics
  Directed by Jim Doran
  Animation

  Trashman
  Directed by Lawrence Green
  Documentary/Virtual

2022 Chesapeake Film Festival 15th Annual AWARDS Include:

 

• Best Environmental Short
  Into the Dark
  Directed by Michael O. Snyder
• Best Environmental Feature
  Trashy: A Zero Waste Film
  Directed by Heather Gustafson
• Best Documentary Short
  The Long Shore
  Directed by Tyler Ford
• Best Documentary Feature
  Resisterhood
  Directed by Chery Jacobs Crim
• ((tied with))
• Best Documentary Feature
  The Other Boys of Summer
  Directed by Lauren Meyer
• Best Narrative Short
  Noisy
  Directed by Cedric Hill
• Best Narrative Feature
  Nowhere
  Directed by David and Franscisco Salazar
• Best Animated Film
  Yellowstone 88 – Song of Fire
  Directed by Jerry van de Beek and Betsy De Fries
• Best Student Short
  Stop Pebble Mine
  Directed by Mason Mirabile
• Best Director
  Harold Jackson, III
  Last Night
• Jury’s Prize
  The Automat
  Directed by Lisa Hurwi

2021 Chesapeake Film Festival 14th Annual AWARDS Include:

• Best Animated Film
  Dumpling Dash
  Directed by Lisa Cui
• Best Comedy
  The Yawndemic
  Directed by Jean Pierre
• Best Documentary Feature
  Sky So Blue
  Directed by Michael J. Finnegan, David L. Trapasso Jr.
• Best Drama
  Mickey Hardaway
  Directed by Marcellus Cox
• Best Cinematography
  Chicago: America’s Hidden War
  Directed by Daylight Supreme
• Best Emerging Filmmaker
  James Sampsel
  If I Tell Them
• Best Environmental Feature
  Laws of the Lizard
  Directed by Neil Losin, Nathan Dappen
• Best Environmental Short
  Hidden Wild
  Directed by Neil Losin, Nathan Dappen
• Best International Film
  The Wound
  Directed by Sahar Nourmonavar
• Best Made In Maryland Film
  Our Story: Lifetime Wells
  Directed by Rob Simmons
• Best Performance
  Actor: Theo Adams IV
  Tyndall Typewriters
• Best Short Film
  Pooch Sitter
  Directed by Monda Raquel Webb
• Best Sound Editing
  Heroes’ Honeymoon
  Directed by Rich West
• Best Screenplay
  Harold Jackson, III
  Liam White
• Best Editing
  The Heat is On
  Directed by Kelley Ashford and Irene Magafan
• Best Director
  The Tower Road Bus
  Directed by Michael Streissguth
• Best Thriller
  Sleep Tight
  Directed by Michael Seabolt
• Jury’s Prize
  RUMBLE: The Indians who Rocked the World
  Directed by Catherine Bainbridge, Alfonso Maiorana

2020 Chesapeake Film Festival 13th Annual AWARDS Include:

• Best Animated Film
  Les Animaux Domestiques
  Willow
• Best Comedy
  A Piece of Cake
• Best Director
  Stephan Schwartz
  About Us
• Best Documentary Feature
  You Don’t Know Nothin’ Bout Groove City
• Best Drama
  Unarmed Man
• Best Editing
  Fort Bliss
• Best Emerging Filmmaker
  Mason Mirabile; Micaa Thomas
  Never Too Small; Our House is On Fire
• Best Environmental Feature
  Unbreathable: The Fight for Healthy Air
• Best Environmental Short
  Seeds of Hope
• Best International Film
  Imaginarius
• Best Made in Maryland Film
  Squeegee
• Best Performance
  Aaron Williamson; Greg Yelich
  Police Officer by Danny Gavigan
  Unarmed Man
• Best Short Film
  Wake Up
• Best Sound Editing
  Balloon Man
• Jury’s Prize
  Emanuel

2019 Chesapeake Film Festival 12th Annual AWARDS Include:

• Best Environmental Feature
  Sharkwater Extinction
• Best Environmental Short
  Nassawango Legacy
• Best Documentary Feature
  The Pollinators
• Best Short Film
  Appy Days
• Best Biographical Feature Film
  The Spy Behind Home Plate
• Best Animated Film
  Late Afternoon
• Best Emerging Filmmaker
  Joshua Ziggy Popkin
  Bishop
• Best Emerging Performance
  Herman J. Johansen
  The Land
• Best Emerging Director
  Light from Light
  Paul Harrill
• Best Editing
  Sea of Shadows
• Best Sound Editing
  The Bonobo Connection
• Jury’s Prize
  The Cold Blue

2018 Chesapeake Film Festival 11th Annual AWARDS Include:

• Best Environmental Feature
  Saving Sea Turtles: Preventing Extinction
• Best Environmental Short Animation
  The Elephant’s Song
  Lynne Tomlinson
• Best Environmental Short
  Current Revolution
• Best Documentary Feature
  Moving Stories
• Best Narrative Short
  Othello-San
• Best Sound Design
  The Elephant’s Song
• Best Narrative Feature
  I, Matter
  Llysa Rie & Shayne Pax
• Best Animated Short
  Shadow
  Lei Lei
• Best Emerging Filmmaker
  Shayla Racquel
  Riverment
• Best Editing
  In the Executioner’s Shadow: A Story of Justice, Injustice and the Death Penalty
• Best Actress
  Llysa Rie
  I, Matter
• Best Actor
  Timothy Troy
  Hold My Horse
• Best Director
  Llysa Rie & Shayne Pax
  I, Matter