WINNERS Think Different Film Contest 2026, San Jose, Silicon Valley

2026 May 8

WINNERS Think Different Film Contest 2026, San Jose, Silicon Valley

Potato Family

By Lori Hamilton

BEST ANIMATION OF THE YEAR, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: Animated Short film)

I Swear

By Richard VanOverbroeck

BEST INTERNATIONAL MUSIC VIDEO & BEST ARTHOUSE SONG OF THE YEAR

Maxwell

By Derek Martin

BEST INDIE NARRATIVE SHORT 2026, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST SCREENPLAY, BEST CAST & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA (Category: Narrative Short Film)

Walking With God

By Lois M. Banks

BEST INDIE PICTURE 2026 & BEST INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR (Category: Feature Script)

MagicLand

By Jaymz Bee

BEST ORIGINAL FILM, BEST VISIONARY FILMMAKER (Category: Narrative Feature), BEST SCREENPLAY & BEST SOUNDTRACK

The Revenge Club

By Marla Eaton

BEST INTERNATIONAL SCREENWRITER (Category: Short Script) & BEST PSYCHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CHARACTERS

Stalker Hair Twirl

By Faye Fayerman

BEST INDIE EXPERIMENTAL FILM, BEST STORYTELLING & BEST ORIGINAL CINEMATOGRAPHY

Virulence

By Christopher Pennington

BEST GLOBAL SCREENPLAY 2026, BEST ARTHOUSE SCREENWRITER & BEST ORIGINAL WRITING STYLE

Sheldon Mashugana & The Fakakta Alien

By Dean Morgan

BEST INTERNATIONAL COMEDY 2026, BEST ARTHOUSE ACTOR & BEST ORIGINAL COMEDIAN

Freedoms Under Assault

By Jacob Comforty & Robert Arnove 

BEST SOCIAL DOCUMENTARY FEATURE 2026, BEST EDITOR, BEST INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR, BEST PRODUCER & BEST CAMERA OPERATOR (Category: Documentary Feature)

Monument to Love

By Jacob Comforty

BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR

Staycation

By Russell Emanuel

BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE 2026, BEST INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR, BEST ARTHOUSE SCREENPLAY (Category: Narrative Feature), BEST CAST, BEST CASTING DIRECTOR & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER

Un posto sicuro

By Luca Tartaglia, produced By Monica Bartolucci

BEST EUROPEAN HORROR 2026

Master Heist – A True Christmas Fiction

By Kai Fischer

BEST INTERNATIONAL SCREENWRITER 2026 & BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT

Out of control

By Bellopropello

BEST VISIONARY INDIE DIRECTOR 2026 (Category: Experimental Animation) & BEST ORIGINAL STORYTELLING

American Money

By Timothy A McGhee

BEST ORIGINAL FEATURE SCRIPT 2026 & BEST INTERNATIONAL WRITER 2026

Your Father, who sees in secret

By Danilo Del Tufo

BEST GLOBAL MOVIEMAKER 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA

Alta California

By Lynn Elliott

BEST HISTORICAL FEATURE SCRIPT 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL WRITING STYLE

And We Were Left Darkling

By Lynn Elliott

BEST AMERICAN SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR

The Mongrel

By Lynn Elliott

BEST PILOT TV & ORIGINAL TELEVISION SCRIPT 2026

Hot Afternoons Have Been in Montana

By Ken Kimmelman

BEST INSPIRATIONAL PROJECT & BEST ART FILM 2026

The Dead Ringer

By Suzanne Lutas

BEST INTERNATIONAL SCREENPLAY 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL STORY

Pretty Little Lucy

By David Williamson

BEST VISIONARY WRITER & BEST FEATURE SCRIPT 2026

The New Immigrant- Hong Kongers

By Vivian Tsang

BEST INTERNATIONAL YOUNG DIRECTOR 2026, BEST ARTHOUSE CAMERA OPEAROR, BEST STORYTELLING, BEST INDIE DOCUMENTARY & BEST ORIGINAL EDITING

Planetary Rebellion

By Fabrizio Fuochi

BEST EUROPEAN INDIE MUSIC VIDEO 2026 & BEST FILMMAKER OF THE YEAR (Category: Music Video)

Cherished Viciousness

By Daniel Arreola

BEST INDIE SCRIPT 2026 & BEST ARTHOUSE WRITING STYLE (Category: Feature Script)

Wisdom’s Teeth

By Daniel Arreola

BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT SCRIPT OF THE YEAR

Ashes of Freedom

By Daniel Arreola

BEST HUMAN RIGHTS FEATURE SCRIPT 2026 & BEST INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL SCRIPT

I Waited for You

By Jennifer Glee

BEST EXPERIMENTAL DIRECTOR, BEST ORIGINAL CINEMATOGRAPHER & BEST INDIE SCREENWRITER (Category: Indie Experimental Film)

The Harmony Saga & Movement I – Disciple: Episode I of The Harmony Saga

By Timothy Brad Reinhold

BEST INDIE WRITER 2026, BEST SCRIPT & BEST ANIMATION

The Aesthetics of Failure

By Lena Mattsson

BEST INTERNATIONAL VIDEOPOETRY 2026, BEST ARTHOUSE MOVIMAKER & BEST EDITING

Not Without Gloves

By Lena Mattsson

BEST STORYTELLING (Category: Experimental), BEST EUROPEAN INDIE PRODUCER 2026 & BEST POETIC SHORT FILM

The Rorschach Test

By Lena Mattsson

BEST EXPERIMENTAL ARTHOUSE FILMMAKER 2026 & BEST VISIONARY CINEMATOGRAPHER

The Family Name

By Monte Albers de Leon

BEST WEB/TV SERIES 2026 & BEST VISIONARY SCREENWRITER 2026

The Duchess

By C. Arnold Curry

BEST ARTHOUSE DIRECTOR (Category: Drama), BEST EDTING, BEST ACTING & BEST CASTING DIRECTOR (Category: International Drama)

Connor and Sonia

By Carla Di Bonito

BEST ORIGINAL INDIE DRAMA SCRIPT OF THE YEAR