The Coronado Island Film Festival announced the 2025 Jury Award Winners, honoring outstanding achievements in filmmaking and screenwriting.
This year’s honorees represent a blend of creativity, originality and cinematic vision, from emerging student filmmakers to established storytellers.
“Celebrating the 2025 Jury Award winners is more than honoring individual achievements — it’s a testament to creativity, vision and the enduring power of story,” said Merridee Book, CEO and artistic director of the Coronado Island Film Festival. “Their stories reflect courage, imagination and the kind of cinematic voice we’re thrilled to champion.”
2025 Jury Award Winners – Film Categories
The Emerald Award
Film: “Wild Hope: Significant Otters and Building for Birds”
Winner: Sarah Arnoff
Prize: $3,000
Dr. George M. Sanger Student Award – Jury Grand Prize for Student Film
Film: “You & Me (& Chaz & Rodney)”
Winner: Lilly Lion
Prize: $1,500
Dr. George M. Sanger Student Award – Jury Prize Advanced Student
Film: “We’re Not the Same”
Winner: Claire Elyse de Vries
Prize: $750
Dr. George M. Sanger Student Award – Jury Prize High School Student
Film: “Where We Left Off”
Winner: Hunter Nickless
Prize: $750
The Dale St. Denis Female Filmmaker Award – Mary Pickford Award
Film: “Magic Hour”
Winner: Jacqueline Christy
Prize: $1,500
The Dale St. Denis Female Filmmaker Award – Fearless Female Filmmaker Award
Film: “Seems Like Love”
Winner: Yana Klimova-Yusupova
Prize: $1,000
The Dale St. Denis Female Filmmaker Award – Frances Marion Award
Film: “We’re Not the Same”
Winner: Claire Elyse de Vries
Prize: $1,000
The Bardin Animation Award – Jury Grand Prize
Film: “Forevergreen”
Winners: Nathan Engelhardt, Jeremy Spears
Prize: $3,000
The Bardin Animation Award – Jury Special Recognition
Film: “The Little Ancestor”
Winner: Alexa Tremblay-Francoeur
Prize: $2,000
Best Documentary Short Jury Award
Film: “Inside, The Valley Sings“
Winner: Nathan Fagan
Best Narrative Short Jury Award
Film: “A Guest in My Country”
Winner: John Gray
Best Narrative Feature Jury Award
Film: “Charliebird”
Winner: Libby Ewing
Best Documentary Feature Jury Award
Film: “Building on the Edge”
Winners: Mike Scalisi, Bruce Borowsky
Best International Short Jury Award
Film: “A Good Day Will Come“
Winner: Amir Zargara
Best International Feature Jury Award
Film: “Seems Like Love“
Winner: Yana Klimova-Yusupova
2025 Jury Award Winners – Screenwriting Categories
Screenwriting Award – Limited Series Jury Grand Prize
Winner: Kelly Blackard for “Crate Diggers”
Prize: $2,000
Limited Series Pilot – Top Finalist
Winner: Bixby Elliot for “Weeki Wachee”
Prize: $500
Feature Script – Jury Grand Prize
Winner: Michael Graf for “The Last Indian War”
Prize: $2,000
Feature Script – Top Finalist
Winner: Jamie Campbell for “Kirby in Limbo”
Prize: $500
