Annual IFGA Awards

The 2024 IFGA Award Winners Have Been Announced!

Season 6 (2024)

We sincerely apologize for the delay in sharing these announcements. The sheer volume of outstanding entries this year made the judging process longer than anticipated. We are truly grateful for the incredible submissions and for the talented creators who shared their award-worthy work with us.

We would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the IFGA Members who dedicated their time and expertise to assist with the judging process. Your thoughtful evaluations were instrumental in making these selections.

We deeply admire the extraordinary effort behind every entry. Completing a project, whether as a screenwriter, director, producer, or crew member, is nothing short of a minor miracle. It takes immense passion, perseverance, and creativity to bring a vision from idea to reality. Each of you has achieved something remarkable, and we celebrate your dedication to the craft of independent filmmaking.

Thank you for being a part of this journey with the Independent Filmmakers Guild of America. We are honored to support and recognize your hard work and artistry.

Click on a Winner for an 8×10 Printable Certificates!

 AWARDS OF DISTINCTION
For outstanding service of an IFGA member

AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE
For outstanding work in the field

VANGUARD AWARDS
For outstanding work on a project

Season 5 (2023)

The IFGA Awards acknowledges award-winning independent creators and IFGA members for their accomplishments.

Click on the image below to open the award in a high-resolution format that can be saved and printed.

AWARDS OF DISTINCTION
For outstanding service of an IFGA member

Brent Gaskins
Trelanda Lowe
Shawn Ness
Joe Orlandi
Andrew Roberts
Andrew Trimble
Steve Wollett

AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE
For outstanding work in the field

Kyle Acosta (Direction, Feature Film)
Carlo Fusco (Direction, Feature Film)
Celina Igwe (Direction, Short Film)
Philip C. Sedgwick (Direction, Short Film)
Joseph Villapaz (Direction, Music Video)

Season 4 (2022)

 

Winner – Spirt of Cinema Grand Prize
All She Ever Said (Portugal), Elias Suarez

Winner – Best Feature Film
Pessoas, Directed by Arturo Dueñas Herrero

Winner – Best Documentary Feature Film
Dark Shadows and Beyond – The Jonathan Frid Story, Directed by Mary O’Leary

Winner – Best Short Film
Upside Down and Backwards, Directed by Taylor Johansson

Winner – Best First Time Filmmaker
The Good Skates, Directed by Chris Coffman

Winner – Best Faith Based Movie
Coming After Me, Directed by Armstrong Jaison

Honorable Mentions
A Short Ride to the Lower East Side, Directed by Steven M. Hirohama
GodChaserz The Documentary, Directed by Brinson Wright and Will Thomas
Send Proof, Directed by Elijah Stephens
Something Ain’t Right, Directed by Susan Ruth Downs and Alex Voss
SS Malolo – The Millionaires Cruise of 1929, Directed by Rick Helin

Season 3 (2021)

Winner – Spirt of Cinema Grand Prize
All She Ever Said (Portugal), Elias Suarez

Winner – Best Feature Film
Pessoas, Directed by Arturo Dueñas Herrero

Winner – Best Documentary Feature Film
Dark Shadows and Beyond – The Jonathan Frid Story, Directed by Mary O’Leary

Winner – Best Short Film
Upside Down and Backwards, Directed by Taylor Johansson

Winner – Best First Time Filmmaker
The Good Skates, Directed by Chris Coffman

Winner – Best Faith Based Movie
Coming After Me, Directed by Armstrong Jaison

Honorable Mentions
A Short Ride to the Lower East Side, Directed by Steven M. Hirohama
GodChaserz The Documentary, Directed by Brinson Wright and Will Thomas
Send Proof, Directed by Elijah Stephens
Something Ain’t Right, Directed by Susan Ruth Downs and Alex Voss
SS Malolo – The Millionaires Cruise of 1929, Directed by Rick Helin

Season 2 (2020)

WINNER – BEST FEATURE FILM
The Taste of Relation

WINNER – BEST DIRECTOR
Jeff Schubert, It’s Not Me, It’s You

WINNER – BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
Puso Ng Pinoy BBoy

WINNER – BEST SHORT FILM
Blood Bank

WINNER – BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM
Last Friday Night

WINNER – BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY
My Journey to the Everest

HONORABLE MENTION
Anagnorisis
Breakfast in Northport
NXT
Ten Points of Joy
The Eve

Season 1 (2019)

Spirit of Cinema Founders Award (Best in the Fest)
Depth of Pyaar

Best Feature Film
Used and Borrowed Time

Best Short Film
Irritable Heart

Best Documentary Film
Mom’s: More Than an Organic Market

Independent Spirit Award
Back in the NO

Audience Choice: Best Feature Film
The Amorette Hotel

Audience Choice: Best Short Film
Because I Want To

Audience Choice: Best Documentary Film
Lens Flares: Trauma in Journalism

Best Biographical Film
Forever Four

Best Comedy Film
The Show Can’t Go On

Best Experimental Film
The Gospel According to Mark

Best Horror Film
Insomniac Frightmare Killers

Best International Film
Mysteria and the Village Spell