Couch Film Festival
FALL 2026 EDITION
Best of the Festival (Judges' Favourites)
Best Film of the Festival: The Crossover Episode dir José Maria Galván (Canada)
1st Runner Up: Snapshot dir Gabriela Nicole Soriano Sevilla, Julia Adriana Treviño Galván (Mexico, Puerto Rico, USA)
2nd Runner Up: Bite dir Hayley McAuley (Canada)
3rd Runner Up: Sideskaters dir Gav Sarafian (Canada)
Honourable Mentions:
Pink Cuffs dir Denzel Watson (Canada)
Access Granted dir Jannah Yasser Aly (Canada)
Trip of a Lifetime dir Monica (Yulan) Sheng (China, USA)
Skater Haters dir Justice Nelson (USA)
Category Award Nominees
1:00-5:00 Minutes
Winners in RED, Nominees in BLACK
Nominees for Best Animation [Group 1]
Beef With The King dir Mike Xie (China, USA)
Life Gallery dir Tata Wu (China, USA)
ShowStopper dir Amit Naftali, Smitha Hamsala (USA)
Well Wishes dir Anna Wilkinson, Lilly Hammond (USA)
Nominees for Best Animation [Group 2]
Feathered Guilt dir Madison “MJ” Helmick (USA)
Smoke Free dir Ricardo Avila (Brazil, USA)
Home Sweet Home dir Emma Pesa, Kayla Richardson, Ashen Blumberg (USA)
Starchild dir Annie Johnson (USA)
Nominees for Best Animation [Group 3]
Octo Love dir Sam Courson (USA)
Struggle Bug dir Maya Murman (USA)
Urayuli dir Alissa Powell (USA)
It's Only Work dir Mal Dunn (Canada)
Nominees for Best Animation [Group 4]
Kinderspiracy dir Sinyoung Lee, Tiffany Seong (South Korea, USA)
The Last Roll dir Trevor Galenski (USA)
Slim Remy's dir Michelle Gaudet (Canada)
Sandsailors dir Rachel Boraz (USA)
A Myna's Guide to Hawker Happiness dir Ivy Tan (USA)
Nominees for Best Animation [Group 5]
Land of No Man dir Olivia Lin, Muling Tzai (USA)
Pookems IV dir Veronica Drescher, Gabrielle Ann Thomas (USA)
Till Death Does His Part dir Nathan Fox (USA)
Babbit & Boyd dir Arthur Gobin-Yu (Canada)
The Mirage of Dreams dir Yirong Liu (China)
Nominees for Best Animation [Group 6]
Broad Bruno dir Kerry Sun, Jane Jiang (China, USA)
Paci-Flyer dir Michelle Sun (USA)
Home Sweet Home dir Evfrosiniya Oskolkova, Samantha Arribas (USA)
Between Seasons dir Minseo Kwon (South Korea, USA)
Fulfilled dir Elineth Aguilera Cámara (Canada)
Nominees for Best Comedy
Dinner Date Odds dir Larry Rosen (USA)
Crash Testing for Dummi dir Lanielazer Arts (USA)
Bubble Gum dir Maria Maya (USA)
Space Dad dir Bryce Mackie, Tom Mackie (USA)
Dog Day Mid-Afternoon dir Rob McLean (Canada)
Nominees for Best Documentary
Art with Purpose dir Charlotte Mathias (USA)
Hello, in an Equally Interesting, Romantic, and Intelligent Way dir Marta Piekarz (USA)
The Dreamer dir Jamillah Van der Hulst (Japan, Netherlands)
Blackboard dir Danielle Park (South Korea)
Nominees for Best Drama
Dernier Regard dir Margot Kappes (France)
I'm Fine dir Erin Blewett (Canada)
Thousand Mile Stare dir Tama-Style (Japan)
And Here Is Our Story dir Mauricio Momo Meneses (USA)
Day Thirty dir Finn Roberts (Canada)
The Cross dir Katricia Coco Kariuki (USA)
Nominees for Best Experimental Canada
Cooties dir Max Kershaw (Canada)
Fella Goes For It! dir Andrew Marin Anghelescu (Canada)
Let Me Inside You dir Dominick "Bootz" Avila (Canada)
Auteur Voyeur dir Yulia Petrauskas (Canada)
Nominees for Best Experimental International
Whose There? dir John Lane (Ireland)
Stoned dir Trix StarT (UK)
School Uniform 2 dir Danielle Park (South Korea)
Snack dir Danielle Park (South Korea)
Nominees for Best Experimental USA
Left in the Glow dir Solange Brunet Bustamante (USA)
Journey to the End of the Hall dir Benjamin Pascoe (USA)
Weed & Beer dir Jake Crossman (USA)
Perfect dir Charlotte Mathias (USA)
Drug Force Casablanca dir Larry Hussey (USA)
Nominees for Best Music Video
The Best and Worst of Time dir Shihyun Wang (China)
Little Hand Man dir Lindsey Morrison Grant (USA)
Auteur Voyeur dir Yulia Petrauskas (Canada)
Nominees for Best Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
The Other End dir Ace Shu (USA)
The Black Sheep dir Hutch Vicaire (Canada)
Backhanding Clown dir Alan Watkins (USA)
The Grief That Does Not Speak dir Jillian Vitko (USA)
Nominees for Best Original Story
Worth Keeping dir Paul J. Mailath (Australia)
The Passion Flower dir Cristian Benaglio (Italy)
Pride and Joy dir Gigi Burgdorf (UK)
Need a Little Christmas dir Brendan Paek-Mendoza (Canada)
Nominees for Best Romance
Parked by The Tropical Tree dir Matthew Thomas Bigham (USA)
Healing (Music) dir Theoni Bekiari (USA)
Cooties dir Max Kershaw (Canada)
Nominees for Best Student Film
It's All Greek To Me dir Yuliya Spark, Luis Giachetto (Canada)
Blood Drive dir Catherine Joo (USA)
Breaking Rings dir Joshiro Miura (Japan, USA)
Crackin’ Chicken dir Junya Mohri (Japan, USA)
Livin’ The Dream dir Carly Welsh (USA)
Nominees for Best Actor
Mike Vezza - Dinner Date Odds (USA)
Jan Bross - Bubble Gum (USA)
Matthew Mirliani - The Other End (USA)
Nominees for Best Actress
Stephanie Bergeron - Mary (Canada)
Hwain Cho - Jisu Han (UK)
Azul Argañaras - She's There (France)
Nominees for Best Cast
Louder than Later dir Matt Jenkins (USA)
A Brother's Love dir Braden Kinahan (Canada)
The Cross dir Katricia Coco Kariuki (USA)
Nominees for Best Cinematography
Jon Fraser - Jisu Han (UK)
Juan Bedoya - She's There (Spain)
Sonya Grazia - I'm Fine (Canada)
Nominees for Best Writer
Manuela Cometti - She's There (Spain)
Erin Blewett - I'm Fine (Canada)
Finn Roberts - Day Thirty (Canada)
Nominees for Best Director
Shemeka Wright - Legacy (USA)
Maria Maya - Bubble Gum (USA)
Charlotte Mathias - Art with Purpose (USA)
5:01-20:00 Minutes
Nominees for Best Action
The Ballad Of Ace dir Jedric Villar (USA)
We Are All Monsters dir James Newman (USA)
Hot 2 Go dir Tenzin Choedon Tsering, Jade Schneider, Ligong Wang, Ronan Sinclair, Isabelle Shi, Sirui Song, Ziqian Liu, Jin Wen (Wendy) Liu, Trisha Reyes, Ilaria Spinelli, Ozan Yatkin (Canada)
Nominees for Best Animation
Drawn Together dir Jessica Pan, Maya Sliwinski (Canada)
Super Turbo Jet Boats - Fountain Of Youth dir Daniel Stuelpnagel (USA)
Hot 2 Go dir Tenzin Choedon Tsering, Jade Schneider, Ligong Wang, Ronan Sinclair, Isabelle Shi, Sirui Song, Ziqian Liu, Jin Wen (Wendy) Liu, Trisha Reyes, Ilaria Spinelli, Ozan Yatkin (Canada)
Nominees for Best Comedy
The Nonsense Generator dir Nikolai Олегович Demin (Russia)
Tama Tama dir Ingrid Zoe Wong, Ashley Choi (Canada)
The Bulgarian Heels dir Federico Gionco (Italy)
The Rooty Hill Musical Society Presents dir Wayne Tunks (Australia)
No Judgement Day dir Ian Johnston (Canada)
Nominees for Best Documentary
Mushers - Born To Run dir Sandrine Chiarena (France)
Buffalo dir Matt Allan Harris (Canada)
Last Call dir Antoine Greco (Canada)
Nominees for Best Drama International
Present Company Excluded dir Ash Arnold (UK)
Outskirts dir Sagar Raj (India)
No Wind to Hold dir Mickael Abbate, Chris Conti (France)
For Us dir Fangzheng Zhou (China)
Look at Me dir Miguel G. Bernal (Spain)
Nominees for Best Drama North America
Cold Dinner dir Sam Vance (Canada)
Crude Life dir Patrick Sutherland (Canada)
Brothers dir Kuziwa Bwititi (Canada)
The Light Sisters dir Cassandra Sirois, Téa Helena Carini (Canada)
Archangel dir Sam Platizky (USA)
Nominees for Best Experimental
Exit Mind dir Evan Poliseno (Canada)
Repent, He Said dir Nick Maizlin (Canada)
Malice dir Anya Narendra (Canada)
The Warrior dir Lolo Martín (Spain)
Diary dir Danielle Park (South Korea)
Nominees for Best Horror
Glitchy Mina dir Deon Michael Donovan (USA)
Sleep Tight dir Annelies Maltha, Tim Klooster (Netherlands)
Unthankful dir Jesse Womack (USA)
The Second Circle dir Jamie Alvey (USA)
Satoru dir Andrew Short, Veronica Orciari (UK)
Nominees for Best Mystery/Suspense/Thriller Canada
You Have My Word dir Brian Nolin (Canada)
Evocation dir Ryan Alexander Stella (Canada)
In Sages Honour dir Nicolas Elensky (Canada)
Skimming off the Top dir Corey M. Slager (Canada)
First Taste dir Lar Collicott (Canada)
Nominees for Best Mystery/Suspense/Thriller International
Final Girl Complex dir DT Kofoed (USA)
Knotted Tears dir Juan Isaac Riba (Panama, United States)
Double Payday dir Taro Donatella (Germany)
A Fool's Tycoon dir Jordan Peace (Australia)
Nominees for Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Supernatural North America
Into Reality dir Matt Gorman (USA)
The TIM dir Nathaniel Jensen (USA)
The Giant of Wrathwood dir Troy Schaffer, Zion Schaffer (USA)
Radiant Echoes dir Xuchen Bai (Canada)
Nominees for Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Supernatural International
The Quiet After dir Marta Kleczek (UK)
Sight // The Love Project dir Jamie Kassler (Japan)
Game On // The Love Project dir Jamie Kassler (Japan)
Elixir dir Sultan Saleh Alzahrani (Saudi Arabia)
Nominees for Best Student Film
Maria dir Andrew Emanuele Meister (USA)
We Are Live dir Cole Selby (USA)
Room 206 dir Phinehas Iaboni (Canada)
Horseplay dir Nate Bodenham (Canada)
Nominees for Best Actor
Camilo "Joe Breeze" Palomino - Sonósfera (Colombia)
Koldin Dawsin Collie - Room 206 (Canada)
Dan Gregory - Archangel (USA)
Braeden Middleton - A Fool's Tycoon (Australia)
Nominees for Best Actress
Rose Alessi - Employee of the Year (Canada)
Pauline Meeus - Changing Status (France)
Christina Pinnavaria - Em For Murder (Canada)
Sarah Lambie - Satoru (UK)
Nominees for Best Cast
Sight // The Love Project dir Jamie Kassler (Japan)
He Keeps Laughing At Me dir Rahul Gujral (Canada)
The Light Sisters dir Cassandra Sirois, Téa Helena Carini (Canada)
The Montenegro Affair dir Fernanda Ávalos, César Camán, Alonso Montoya (Canada)
Nominees for Best Cinematography
Enoch Schaffer - The Giant of Wrathwood (USA)
Nicolas Villarreal - Room 206 (Canada)
Julio Carmenes - Satoru (UK)
Chris Shor - A Fool's Tycoon (Australia)
Nominees for Best Writer
Tim Teets - Interview With The Dead (USA)
Rylan Cain - For When It's Quiet (Canada)
Marie Agnely - Changing Status (France)
Troy Schaffer, Zion Schaffer - The Giant of Wrathwood (USA)
Nominees for Best Director
Jamie Kassler - Sight // The Love Project (Japan)
Tariq Khan - Em For Murder (Canada)
Larry Neale - The Neighbour (UAE)
Sam Platizky - Archangel (USA)
20:01 - 45:00 Minutes
Nominees for Best Comedy
Back Down Memory Strip dir Hugo Mathias, Adrien Bouquier (France)
Marta Vs. The Bugs dir Michael Paul Poirier (Canada)
Safari Disco Club dir Ricky Derby (USA)
Nominees for Best Drama
Boundary Condition dir Shawn Chung (South Korea)
The Abstract dir Andrew Spinks (UK)
Marta Vs. The Bugs dir Michael Paul Poirier (Canada)
From a Small Town's Postman dir Jasper Morrisey (UK)
SANIKIZHAMAI - The Funeral Day dir Balaji Kaliyamoorthy (India)
Nominees for Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Supernatural
The Abstract dir Andrew Spinks (UK)
The Watch dir Shem Doupé (USA)
Blue Matter dir Ralf Muller (Canada)
Nominees for Best Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Boundary Condition dir Shawn Chung (South Korea)
The Abstract dir Andrew Spinks (UK)
Blue Matter dir Ralf Muller (Canada)
The Survivor dir Dack Virnig (USA)
Nominees for Best Actor
Dustin Funk - Holmgang (Canada)
Georges D'Audignon - Back Down Memory Strip (France)
Andrew Kopp-Smith - The Anything Hour (Canada)
Nominees for Best Actress
Elizabeth Chamberlain - Holmgang (Canada)
Laura Naranjo Calderón - Marta Vs. The Bugs (Canada)
Katie Uhlmann - Blue Matter (Canada)
Nominees for Best Cast
Boundary Condition dir Shawn Chung (South Korea)
The Abstract dir Andrew Spinks (UK)
The Watch dir Shem Doupé (USA)
Nominees for Best Cinematography
Shawn Chung - Boundary Condition (South Korea)
Mackenzie Donohue - The Anything Hour (Canada)
David A. Fuentes - Reoccurrence (USA)
Nominees for Best Writer
Hugo Mathias, Jean Chaffard-Luçon - Back Down Memory Strip (France)
Alyssa Johnson - The Anything Hour (Canada)
Ralf Muller - Blue Matter (Canada)
Nominees for Best Director
Dr. Robert Mossi Alexander - The Fire Within: The Rise of Royal Ramey and FFRP (USA)
Jasper Morrisey - From a Small Town's Postman (UK)
Yeter Çiçek - Exhibition (Türkiye)
45:01-120:00 Minutes
Nominees for Best Feature Film
Don't Call Us, We'll Kill You dir Gene Lane Hamm (USA)
Haunted Arkansas: Mount Sequoyah dir Gavin Webb (USA)
Snow Over Kigali - An African Christmas Tale dir Kerim Esen (Argentina, Germany, Paraguay, Rwanda)
Ellie Crush - Ashes to Grace Mini-Series dir Alan Espasandin (USA)
Reflection Paradox dir Nickolas Alu, Levi Parkas (USA)
Nominees for Best Actor
Paul Santoli - We Want the Virus (USA)
Cody Schultz - We Want the Virus (USA)
Shupei Tang - Midnight Sun (France)
Nominees for Best Actress
Hannah Ryen - It Falls to Me (USA)
Grace Sun - Midnight Sun (France)
Corazon Herbsthofer - Snow Over Kigali - An African Christmas Tale (Argentina, Germany, Paraguay, Rwanda)
Nominees for Best Cast
MakiHaha dir Aerrol Ampeloquio (USA)
Pony dir Bobby Hammel (USA)
It Falls to Me dir Alvin Sloan (USA)
Nominees for Best Cinematography
Anghel Paras - MakiHaha (USA)
Alvin Sloan - It Falls to Me (USA)
Esteban Corti - Snow Over Kigali - An African Christmas Tale (Argentina, Germany, Paraguay, Rwanda)
Nominees for Best Writer
Paul Santoli, Daniel Gualajara - We Want the Virus (USA)
Gavin Webb - Haunted Arkansas: Mount Sequoyah (USA)
Gene Lane Hamm - Don't Call Us, We'll Kill You (USA)
Nominees for Best Director
Michael Greenwood - The Sandpipers (USA)
Ping-hai Wu - Tears of the Lost Army in Golden Triangle (Taiwan)
Gavin Webb - Haunted Arkansas: Mount Sequoyah (USA)
15-Second Story
Winners in RED, Nominees in BLACK
Nominees for Best 15-Second Story
Sharing The Dream dir Gary Apple (USA)
Foot On Accelerator dir Thapelo Moima
I'm Ready To Start Now dir Stefan Gordon (UK)
Life Is Very Short dir Vittorio Caratozzolo (Italy)
Wise Hands Dance dir Vittorio Caratozzolo (Italy)
As Above, So Below dir Kevin Lucero Less (USA)
|
| ||||
|
|
|
| ||||||||
|
|
|
| ||||||||
|
|
|
| ||||||||
|
|
| ||||||
|
|
|
| ||||||||
|
|
|
| ||||||||
|
| ||||
