Winners of California Indies

26th Edition/March 2026

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Best Narrative Feature

The Unopened Letter

Director: Batdelger Byambasuren

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Best Narrative Short

Loganberry Lane "A Conversation is Had"

Director: Cathy Cahlin Ryan

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Best Documentary Feature

Nothing to See Here: Watts

Director: Michael Soenen

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Best Documentary Short

HUNTING THE STONE: Suiseki in the West

Director: Kristin Zethren

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Best Director

Kevin V Tudor

TinMan

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Best Cinematographer

Aakash Subramaniam

Our Weird Selves

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Best Editor

Drik van Sloten

Haunted Harmony

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Best Composer

Doug James Berwick

Twilight of the Undead

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Best Actor

Ron Chaney

Devil's Den

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Best Actress

Anquinizia Hall

Our Weird Selves

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Best Animation

Bloodsword

Director: Jeremiah Cortez

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Best Horror

Twilight of the Undead

Director: Leonardo Daccarett

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Best Science Fiction

INTO NOWHERE

Director: Iurii Karasev

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Best Student Film

Herminia

Diana Shield

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Best Comedy

Toothshop Fiasco

Director: David Harari

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Best Web-Series-Pilot

VANISHING ACT

Director: Ali Roberts

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Best Independent Film

La bibliothèque de Babel

Director: Olivier van Malderghem

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Best LGBTQ

The Closet

Director: Olivia Jean Hamilton

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Best First Time Filmmaker

Sanctuary

Director: Coralie Bastiaens

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Best Female Filmmaker

Cathy Brown

Raksha Girls

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Best Script (Unproduced

GARBO'S CUBAN LOVER

ODALYS NANIN