RED BANK, NJ — The 11th annual Indie Street Film Festival (ISFF) celebrated its Awards & Closing Ceremony on Sunday after a week full of films, panels, and more.
Hosted by Basie Center Cinema House, the annual festival brought over 50 short films and 12 of the year's most exciting independent feature films to screens throughout Red Bank.
The festival ran for a full seven days between Aug. 17 and Aug. 23.
"We once again programmed almost 70 films this year, almost all of them NJ premieres, coming from around the world, from Poland to the Dominican Republic," said Allyson Morgan, Artistic
Director of Indie Street.
"We continue to champion films from women and non-binary creators, as well as first-time filmmakers and filmmakers of color," Morgan continued. "We're proud of the diverse slate of films that screened at Indie Street 2026, and commit to continuing programming and uplifting these stories."
The winning films were selected by a jury consisting of industry professionals, including Cayla Clements (POV), Tiana Harris (Tribeca Festival), Nicole London (Firelight Media), Alex Megaro
(Award-winning filmmaker), Garrett Bess (Two River Pictures), and Maureen Towey (Alum filmmaker).
Details on the winning films are as follows:
Narrative Short Prize
PALE SUN, written by Adrian Moyse Dullin and directed by Adrian Moyse Dullin and Jawahine Zentar, took home this year's Narrative Short Prize.
On a summer beach along the southern coast of France, the film follows a 12-year-old's struggles with shame and fear over his father's body, marked by cancer.
Through exchanged glances and quiet moments between a father and his son, a tender story of connection and belonging unfolds.
"Thanks to the jury members for giving us your Best Narrative Short Award, and thanks to the festival for selecting our film and giving us the opportunity to have your audience live through Abel's story," Co-Director Jawahine Zentar said.
Narrative Feature
IF I GO WILL THEY MISS ME, written and directed by Walter Thompson-Hernández, was the festival's Narrative Feature winner.
In this feature-length expansion of Thompson-Hernández's
award-winning 2022 Sundance short, twelve-year-old Lil Ant transforms his working-class neighborhood beneath the LAX flight path into a living mythology, where family members become gods, and the sky is crowded with endless departures.
As he grapples with his complicated relationship with his god-like yet conflicted father, Lil Ant finds support in the community around him, gradually learning to reconcile the myths he creates with the realities of the world he inhabits.
"I'm so honored to receive this award. The Indie Street Film Festival is one of my favourite festivals," Filmmaker Walter Thompson-Hernández said. "I wish I could be there in person! Thank you for believing in this story."
Special Jury Award
The jury recognized GNAWER OF ROCKS, written by Neil Christopher and Louise Flaherty, and directed by Louise Flaherty, with the Special Jury Award.
The animated short follows two young women as they unknowingly follow colored stones into the lair of the Mangittatuarjuk, the Gnawer of Rocks.
Trapped inside, the young women and their village must employ the teachings of the elders to try to defeat the monster.
Animated Short
BEAST OF THE SEINE, written and directed by Jon Portman, took home the award for Animated Short.
When a sinister threat terrorizes the children of a quaint Parisian village, an unlikely canine hero emerges to protect them, until a shocking revelation changes the town forever.
Documentary Short
ANIMAL EYE, directed by Carlo Nasisse, won for Documentary Short.
The film explores how scientists and philosophers understand non-human animal vision, confronting the limits of science, filmmaking and philosophy.
Through ultraviolet, polarized, high-speed, and infrared imagery alongside 16mm film, it offers a kaleidoscopic journey into visual worlds beyond our own, provoking viewers to reconsider how we see and relate to the non-human world.
Documentary Feature
IN LOVE, IN MEMORY by directors Shalon Buskirk and Drew Swedberg was the Documentary Feature winner.
After losing her firstborn son to gun violence, a mother gathers cherished memories and erased histories to connect his death to her city's haunting legacy of racism.
Refusing the carceral frameworks of true crime, this impressionistic counter-narrative refracts quiet scenes of artistic intervention, community storytelling and tender remembrance through a prism of passing time.
Special Jury Prize in Documentary
For the Special Jury Prize in Documentary, BEAUTIFUL AND TORTURED, directed by Georganne Marie Valera, was honored.
The first-time filmmaker takes risks in the form, using personal interviews, hand-drawn animation, and diary entries to explore the vulnerable and deep experiences of teenage girlhood, depression, and self-harm.
Best Feature Film
DOWNBEAT, written and directed by Danny Madden, was awarded by the audience for Best Feature Film.
The film follows a troubled drummer, Mauro, played by Daniel Rashid, as he flees to the south and crashes with his sister in Boston.
He takes his passion for drumming to the streets in an attempt to make money and stay in Isa's good graces, but his reckless choices threaten both his newfound stability and his closest relationships.
The award included a prize of five hours of DaVinci Resolve HDR Color correction (with a value of $1,750) from Indie Street's sponsor, Two River Pictures.
"We'd like to give an Honorable Mention to Addie Weyrich from DOWNBEAT for Breakout Performance. We're keeping our eye out for this one!" said Garrett Bess, one of the Narrative Jury judges.
"Weyrich's performance as ISA is a bright spot in an already shining film," Bess continued. "Her earnest and raw performance deserves its own moment and mention."
Audience Award for Best Short Film
DIMINISHING RETURNS, directed by Colin Whitman, took home the Audience Award for Best Short Film.
With $80 due and time running out, Whitman follows Ernesto as he searches the streets and dumpsters of Los Angeles for recyclables, working tirelessly to afford his daughter's chemotherapy treatment back home in the Philippines.
The award included a prize of a half-day of offline editing in Adobe Premiere (with a value of $1,000), also from Indie Street's sponsor Two River Pictures.
Best New Jersey Film Award
HEAVENS TO BETSY, written and directed by Dave Niziolek and Brendan M Walsh, was the festival's Best New Jersey Film Award.
A hopeless, self-destructive woman recruits a reserved end-of-life care worker to join her on a chaotic, last-minute bucket-list adventure.
As an unexpected bond forms between them, he realises that she may be the first person to truly understand him and must convince her to discover the possibility of a life worth living.
Honorable Mentions
The Indie Street Festival awarded an honorable mention to the short film A DERAILMENT, directed by Nathan Truesdell, and, in the feature documentary category, to ONE ANOTHER, directed by Amber Love.
Community Impact Award
The ceremony closed with the festival tradition of awarding a Community Impact Award. This year's recipient is Kate Triggiano, the Deputy Mayor of Red Bank, and a long-time Indie Street supporter and advocate for the arts.
"Congratulations to the 2026 winners of the 11th annual Indie Street Film Festival (ISFF)," festival officials said.
To learn more about the Indie Street Film Festival, you can visit their website.
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