Ink Wash, All That’s Left of You, Seeds, and Come See Me in the Good Light are among the films earning major awards at the 68th San Francisco International Film Festival.
In the New Directors category, the festival’s Golden Gate Award went to Ink Wash, directed by Sarra Tsorakidis, a drama about “a heartbroken mural painter nearing 40 [who] retreats to a remote Romanian hotel, where the surrounding wilderness and solitude force her to confront her past, reassess her future, and rediscover her artistry.”
The jury wrote of Ink Wash, “Drenched in the beauty of nature and evoking questions around intimacy and solitude, the film lingers with you long after you’ve watched… Ink Wash represents a model winner of the New Directors Award. We can’t wait to see more from Tsorakidis.” Scroll for full details on all the winners.
All That’s Left of You, directed by Cherien Dabis, won two prizes including the Global Visions Awards. It tied with Souleymane’s Story for the Audience Award among narrative features.
“Director Cherien Dabis has accomplished quite a feat with her generation-spanning story of Palestinian life that explores the emotional ramifications of the occupation and its horrors upon a single family,” the Global Visions jury wrote. “Framed by the story of a Palestinian teenager at a West Bank protest who experiences violence that rocks his family and leads to his mother recounting the familial threads — all the way back to the 1948 Nakba and onward toward the present day — that brought her son to that fateful event.”
‘Querido Trópico (Beloved Tropic)’
Big Sur Películas
The Cine Latino Award went to Beloved Tropic directed by Ana Endara. The jury praised the writer-director for her “potently insightful touch” in a story that “reveals the pain of loss, tied to the complexities of motherhood and life transitions.”
Seeds, directed by Brittany Shyne, won the festival’s Kirby Walker Documentary Award in what the jury called a unanimous decision. “Brittany Shyne’s stunning directorial debut immerses audiences in the stories of Black farmers in the South,” jurors wrote, “rendered with reverence and deep intention in every frame.”
Seeds won the Grand Jury Prize for U.S. Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival in January. In addition to SFFILM, the film has screened at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival in Greece, the Hong Kong International Film Festival and the Cleveland International Film Festival.
‘Come See Me in the Good Light’
Apple TV+
Come See Me in the Good Light, directed by Ryan White, won the Audience Award for Feature Documentary. White’s film, about the love story of poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley, was recently acquired by Apple Original Films, with an expected release on the streaming platform in the fall.
The 68th edition of the San Francisco International Film Festival – the oldest film festival in the Americas – ran from April 17-27. It’s an Oscar-qualifying festival in multiple categories: Narrative Short, Documentary Short, and Animated Short.
“We send our deep appreciation to each and every filmmaker who shared their work with our audiences this year,” said Anne Lai, executive director of SFFILM. “The Bay Area continues to show up in theaters to be connected, entertained, and inspired. And nothing is more exciting to see than the warmth of communal experiences spilling out from theaters and into the neighborhoods who help to welcome all of our guests. It’s hard not to be bowled over by the beauty on display on the movie screen as well as throughout our gorgeous city. We congratulate our filmmakers and extend our heartfelt thanks to the audiences, staff, volunteers, donors, and partners who make the SFFILM Festival possible.”
Jessie Fairbanks, SFFILM’s director of programming, commented, “I‘m very proud of this year’s lineup and the incredible craft, artistry, and stories shared by the 2025 Festival filmmakers. We had an amazing group of dedicated jurors who watched films alongside festival audiences in San Francisco. Their selected winners for the GGA Awards embody the spirit and legacy of our Festival as well as the innovative style and form we seek as curators. It is an honor to introduce exceptionally talented filmmakers to audiences here in the Bay Area. We can’t wait to see where these films go next.”
SFFILM
The 2025 SFFILM Festival Golden Gate Award Juries included a diverse group of critics, journalists, filmmakers, and industry leaders. Festival jurors were David Canfield, Raven Jackson, and LeAndre Thomas (New Directors Competition); Angelica Jade Bastién, Jannat Gargi, and Kathleen Lingo (Global Visions Competition); Carlos Aguilar, Dawn Valadez, Chloë Walters-Wallace (Cine Latino Competition); Cayla Clements, Theresa Navarro, and Evan Neff (Kirby Walker Documentary Award Competition); Adamu Chan, Julian Brave NoiseCat, Merrill Sterritt (Mid-Length and Shorts); Polly Conway, Elyse Klaidman, and Keika Lee (Family Short Film Competition); and Joe Talbot, Sophia Wilson, and Penelope Dominguez Walton (Youth Works Short Film Competition).
Winners of the 68th Annual SFFILM Golden Gate Awards Competition and other categories are as follows:
New Directors Award
Ink Wash
Director: Sarra Tsorakidis, Producers: Nikos Moustakas, Katrine Dolmer (Romania/Greece/Denmark 2024, 90)
A heartbroken mural painter nearing 40 retreats to a remote Romanian hotel, where the surrounding wilderness and solitude force her to confront her past, reassess her future, and rediscover her artistry.
In a statement, the jury said: “The jury awards Sarra Tsorakidis’s stark, assured, and unshakable debut feature, a character study examining a Romanian artist’s days working in a new hotel under construction, coming off of a difficult breakup while exploring new connections. The gorgeous yet lonely setting fits seamlessly with the story, which was brought to life by the brilliant star Ilinca Harnut and an excellent supporting cast. Drenched in the beauty of nature and evoking questions around intimacy and solitude, the film lingers with you long after you’ve watched. Tsorakidis’s exacting compositions reflect the work of its subject, gradually granting us profound access into her interior life—her journey is familiar and quiet, but realized on screen with consistently thorny, nuanced emotional depth. An auspicious introduction to a bold new filmmaker, Ink Wash represents a model winner of the New Directors Award. We can’t wait to see more from Tsorakidis.”
Global Visions Award
All That’s Left of You
Director: Cherien Dabis, Producers: Thanassis Karathanos, Cherien Dabis, Martin Hampel, Karim Amer (Germany, Cyprus, Palestine, Jordan, Greece, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 2025, 145)
An epic drama spanning three generations in the life of a Palestinian family, this dynamic film centers the story in the personal while also depicting the dehumanizing political situation surrounding its characters.
In a statement, the jury said: “Director Cherien Dabis has accomplished quite a feat with her generation-spanning story of Palestinian life that explores the emotional ramifications of the occupation and its horrors upon a single family. Framed by the story of a Palestinian teenager at a West Bank protest who experiences violence that rocks his family and leads to his mother recounting the familial threads — all the way back to the 1948 Nakba and onward toward the present day — that brought her son to that fateful event. Dabis has not only written and directed the film she is amongst its wonderful cast playing the mother whose evocative emotion provides the film its structure. Epic in length, historical dimensions, and emotion, All That’s Left of You is a triumph demonstrating the connective powers of the medium itself. It is brimming with historical detail and minute lived-in moments that imbue the film with emotional complexity. This is embodied by a tremendous cast anchored by a raw-nerved, soulful performance from Saleh Bakri. The film doesn’t argue for Palestinian humanity, it already believes in it; which engenders audiences to think deeply and act more precisely when it comes to the watershed political and humanitarian crisis of our time.”
Cine Latino Award
Beloved Tropic
Director: Ana Endara, Producer: Isabella Gálvez (Panama/Colombia 2024, 108) US Premiere
A Colombian immigrant woman in Panama cares for a matriarch suffering from dementia in a powerful story about love, motherhood, and aging.
The jury stated: “With a potently insightful touch, writer-director Ana Endara reveals the pain of loss, tied to the complexities of motherhood and life transitions. Two distinct perspectives converge for a nuanced and affecting portrait of an unexpected friendship. Endara’s delicate direction of her two lead actresses creates moments of tenderness and mutual appreciation that always feel organically brought to life. Furthermore, the artist’s portrayal on the Panamanian social strata by focusing on two immigrants with unique experiences broadens our understanding of a country with a particular history and place in Latin America.”
The jury also acknowledged “the extraordinary work of actress Paulina García in both Beloved Tropic and Horizon, whose emotional precision and dramatic range become crucial in both complex narratives.”
Kirby Walker Documentary Award
Seeds
Director: Brittany Shyne, Producers: Danielle Varga, Sabrina Schmidt Gordon, Brittany Shyne (USA 2024, 125) SFFILM Supported (Documentary Film Fund)
This visually stunning portrait reflects on identity, legacy, and the cyclical nature of life as it explores a Black family’s century-old farm, capturing its beauty as well as the family’s struggles.
In a statement, the jury said: “For its poetic pace and patient, ever-present lens, Seeds is our unanimous selection for the inaugural Kirby Walker Documentary Award. Brittany Shyne’s stunning directorial debut immerses audiences in the stories of Black farmers in the South, rendered with reverence and deep intention in every frame. An essential film by an exciting new talent, Seeds is an unforgettable portrait of the power of generational love and healing in the face of systemic inequities.”
Mid-Length Film Award
Two People Exchanging Saliva
Natalie Musteata, Alexandre Singh (France/USA 2024, 36)
In a repressive society where kissing means death and currency is measured in slaps, an unhappy woman’s growing bond with a salesgirl sparks desire, jealousy, and dangerous consequences.
In a statement, the jury said: “Two People Exchanging Saliva is a wonderfully creative and sneakily clever film about power, jealousy, and forbidden love told amidst an imaginatively dystopic economy of pain. Beautifully acted, artfully shot, deftly produced, and sure-handed in its writing, directors Natalie Musteata and Alexandre Singh have made a film I will be telling cinephiles to find and watch for some time.”
Narrative Short Film Award
Stomach Bug
Matty Crawford (UK 2024, 15)
While struggling to maintain a connection with his absent daughter, a lonely empty-nester allows his inner turmoil and grief to grow into something gruesome.
In a statement, the jury said: “The Narrative Short category was quite competitive this year with nineteen films, but we all felt drawn to the same standout work of Stomach Bug. Matty Crawford’s film so viscerally depicts the ‘too real’ horror of aging as an immigrant single parent contending with an escalating and overwhelming level of loneliness and discomfort. Crawford accomplishes the near impossible balancing act of depicting repulsive body horror side by side with emotionally vulnerable exchanges in such a succinct film. The intentionality of how and when to employ language is exemplary.”
Documentary Short Film Award
The Hemingway
Patrick Sean O’Brien, Evan Mathis (USA 2024, 10)
Filmmaker Patrick Sean O’Brien brings forth a dose of levity, magical realism, and the undeniable truths of his experience living with ALS.
In a statement, the jury said: “All three jurors agreed instantly about awarding Best Documentary Short to the wildly creative The Hemingway. Patrick Sean O’Brien, the film’s writer, main participant and co-director, very generously walks the audience through his colorful internal life, as well as his gratitude for producing the titular Hemingway. After seeing the amount of focus and labor that Patrick has to put into writing just the opening sentence of the film, we were blown away by the range of emotions and scale of world that Patrick and Evan were able to build and squeeze into an eight minute short. This is truly a one of a kind work.”
Animated Short Film Award
My Brother, My Brother
Saad Dnewar, Abdelrahman Dnewar (Egypt/France/Germany 2025, 15) North American Premiere
This mesmerizing synthesis of live action and animation tells the story of twin brothers Omar and Wesam, beginning with their time in the womb.
In a statement, the jury said: “For its beautifully crafted and imaginatively rendered exploration of memory and family dynamics, seen through the mirrored eyes of identical twins, the jury honors My Brother, My Brother as the Best Animated Short. Its hybrid style and deeply nuanced storytelling set it apart in a remarkably rich field of animated works.”
Bay Area Short Film Award
A Brighter Summer Day for the Lady Avengers
Birdy Wei-Ting Hung (Taiwan/USA 2024, 12)
A girl’s senses are aroused amidst the sweltering heat of a Taipei summer when she enters a cinema with a bag of crushed watermelon juice.
In a statement, the jury said: “The jury awards the Bay Area Shorts Award to Birdy Wei-Ting Hung for her film A Brighter Summer Day for the Lady Avengers. With a fiercely exquisite hand, Hung interlaces the rich tapestry of Taiwanese history with haunting meditations on gender and state violence. Created during Hung’s time at San Francisco State University, this poignant work of art pulses with the spirit of resistance and dreams that define the Bay Area ethos.”
Family Short Film Award
The Girl with the Occupied Eyes
André Carrilho (Portugal, 2024, 8) California Premiere
With her eyes constantly glued to her screen, a little girl misses vibrant landscapes, splashy group of circus animals, a mysterious UFO, and all else that passes before her.
In a statement, the jury said: “The Girl with the Occupied Eyes captivates with its appealing character designs, stunning visuals, and a beautifully matched musical score that enhances the film’s universal message. Its use of expressive colors and engaging animation resonates warmly with audiences of all ages.”
Youth Works Short Film Award
Coop
Mujtaba Alhejji (Saudi Arabia 2024, 12 min) North American Premiere
After accidentally popping a soccer ball, young Adam sparks a creative solution at the market to get enough money to buy a new ball and win over his teammates.
In a statement, the jury said: “We selected a film that we thought had incredible performances from child actors, offers complete character arcs for multiple characters in little time, an understanding of all film components, and transported us to a part of the world we do not know but felt connected to. We chose Coop as the winner.”
Audience Award: Narrative Feature
All That’s Left of You
Director: Cherien Dabis, Producers: Thanassis Karathanos, Cherien Dabis, Martin Hampel, Karim Amer (Germany, Cyprus, Palestine, Jordan, Greece, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 2025, 145)
An epic drama spanning three generations in the life of a Palestinian family, this dynamic film centers the story in the personal while also depicting the dehumanizing political situation surrounding its characters.
Audience Award: Narrative Feature
Souleymane’s Story
Director: Boris Lojkine, Producer: Bruno Nahon (France 2024, 92)
Boris Lojkine’s moody and propulsive film plays like a thriller, steadily laying out the obstacles confronting undocumented immigrant Souleymane as he desperately tries to make the right choices.
Audience Award: Documentary Feature
Come See Me in the Good Light
Director: Ryan White, Producers: Jessica Hargrave, Ryan White, Tig Notaro, Stef Willen (USA 2025, 104)
Spoken word icon and poet laureate Andrea Gibson navigates her final tour amid a devastating cancer diagnosis. She and her partner Megan Falley bring a vibrant accessibility to the cycles of treatment with grace, poignancy, and bawdy humor.
SPECIAL JURY RECOGNITION AND HONORABLE MENTIONS
Global Visions
Cactus Pears
Director: Rohan Parashuram Kanawade, Producers: Neeraj Churi, Mohamed Khaki, Kaushik Ray, Naren Chandavarkar, Sidharth Meer, Hareesh Reddypalli, Rohan Parashuram Kanawade, Jim Sarbh, Rajesh Parwatkar, Deepthi Pendurty, Parag Pradhan (India/UK/Canada 2025, 112)
A tender tale of queer love and friendship that blossoms amidst one man’s grief over the death of his father and the strict social mores of a rugged western Indian town.
In a statement, the jury said: “Cactus Pears is a profoundly tender film about a thirty-year old living in Mumbai returning to his rural hometown in Western India for the funeral rituals occurring in the wake of his father’s death. Director-writer Rohan Kanawade utilizes this premise as a portal into deep love, queer longing, and connection as the lead character navigates his extended family’s questioning about his unmarried stature, the genuine care of his mother, and the gentle beginnings of a relationship with a local farmer. It is a film that lovingly portrays complex connections and cultural ideas — about death, sexuality, familial loyalty — in a minor key. The film charmed each jury member with its carefully embodied performances and meditative pacing that we wanted to highlight it for the festival with a special mention.”
Kirby Walker Documentary Honorable Mention
How to Build a Library
Directors: Chris King, Maia Lekow, Producers: Chris King, Maia Lekow (Kenya/Germany 2025, 101)
Two determined women in Nairobi take on the daunting task of decolonizing a former whites-only library, navigating bureaucracy, fundraising, and colonial legacies to transform it into a vibrant cultural hub for modern Kenya.
In a statement, the jury said: “We honorably recognize How to Build a Library for its powerful and instructive exploration of the unfinished work of decolonization in Kenya. Directors Maia Lekow and Christopher King document the courage and resilience of Shiro and Angela as they reclaim a colonial institution for their community. With evocative storytelling, deft archival use, and remarkable access, How to Build a Library reminds us that meaningful change is possible through collective action.”
Youth Works Short Film Honorable Mention
Why Can’t We Just Be Ghosts?
Patrick Jang (USA 2025, 9 min) World Premiere
After a teen ghost confesses his depression to his human best friend, the two search for a path toward acceptance and happiness in this thought-provoking satire.
In a statement, the jury said: “Our honorable mention is Why Can’t We Just Be Ghosts?, we felt a connection to the topic and it balanced a lighthearted style and serious commentary.”