WINNER: HONORABLE MENTION – BEST SHORT FILM

• BLOOD TAX
• Director: Rory Clarke
• NEW YORK PREMIERE
• USA, 2025, 20 min
• Category: Romance • Drama • War

A war and romance drama of sacrifice and a battle for recognition. “Harlem Hellfighter Henry Johnson fights valiantly in World War I, saving lives in a brutal ambush—only to face his greatest fight for recognition at home.

Harlem Hellfighter Henry Johnson enlists to fight in World War I, leaving behind his pregnant young wife, only to face racism from his countrymen. Under French command, he proves his valor in a brutal ambush, earning the nickname Black Death. But when he returns home, his heroism is exploited, and he’s left to battle injuries and a nation that refuses to honor him. Blood Tax is the powerful story of the fight to reclaim a hero’s legacy.