Winners
Festival award winners by year
| BEST FEATURE FILM | WINNER: 93 TIL | Alterik Miller |
| BEST SHORT FILM | WINNER: THE SIGHT UNSEEN | Shawn Antoine II |
| BEST SHORT FILM | WINNER: NO LABELS| Sharna McCullough Jenkins, Alterik Miller |
| (HM) Honorable Mention BEHIND A LIE | Juliet Ibrahim | |
| BEST DIRECTOR | WINNER: THE PRESIDENT MUST DIE: TIME ZERO| Damon Jamal |
| BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY | WINNER: TAKE IT TO THE GRAVE | Jamal Hodge |
| BEST ACTOR | WINNER: JARED KEMP – THE SIGHT UNSEEN | “MELVIN TAPLEY” | Shawn Antoine II |
| BEST ACTRESS | WINNER: ELIZABETH RODRIGUEZ – PRESIDENT MUST DIE: Time Zero – “MADDIE ORTIZ” |Damon Jamal |
| (HM) Honorable Mention – ANNE JOSEPH – THEY LIED TO US| “GLORIA” |Jason Labuda | |
| BEST DOCUMENTARY | WINNER: CAN WE KICK IT? | Akbar Majeed |
| (HM) Honorable Mention THE REBUTTAL: ELIZABETH MEADERS COLLECTION |Nataki Fidella Alexander | |
| BEST DOCUMENTARY-SHORT | WINNER: UNHEARD VOICES: A Mother’s Quest for Freedom |Christopher Paul Horne |
| BEST INTERNATIONAL | WINNER: MURALMENTE: INSTRUCTIONS FOR INTERPRETING GRAFFITI – THE KISS OF THE INVISIBLES |Iván DarÃo Alba |
| (HM) Honorable Mention – THE BORDER CZAR | Raymond T. Williams • Costa Rica | |
| BEST MUSIC VIDEO | WINNER: FREE ON BAIL | Spartakus Santiago • Brazil |
| BEST ANIMATION/AI | WINNER: SPRAY CAN STORIES | Emmitt H Thrower |
| BEST NEW SOCIAL MEDIA | WINNER: CORPORATE CATFISH | Aliyah Jones |
| (HM) Honorable Mention 1.19.22 DOCUMENTARY | Marxelle. Becton. | |
| AUDIENCE AWARD | WINNER: 2 STORY HOME | Stephanie Annette |
| RADICAL HISTORY MAKERS | WINNER: SEEDS FOR LIBERATION| Matthew Solomon |
| HARLEM CREATIVE AWARD | WINNER: TRUE SEE |Jamal Joseph, Mike DeCaro |
| POWER OF “SHE” | WINNER: SILENT ECHOES: THE INVISIBLE WOMEN | Destiny Joy, Joe Hill |
| YOUNG PEOPLE’S VISIONARY AWARD | WINNER: FOOTPRINTS OF THE FORGOTTEN 14|Earl Wallace, Casey Scott |
| LIFETIME COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC MEDIA | WINNER: LAVERNE CODY GITTENS |
| BEST FEATURE FILM | WINNER: THAT CREEP FROM THE BAR LAST NIGHT | Michael J. Coppola |
| BEST SHORT FILM | WINNER: LOVE IS BLIND | Parneille Walker |
| (HM) Honorable Mention – CHEST CANDY | Robert X. Golphin | |
| (HM) Honorable Mention – BLOOD TAX | Rory Clarke | |
| BEST DIRECTOR | WINNER: CATHERINE GUND | PAINT ME A ROAD OUT OF HERE |
| BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY | WINNER: HARLEM FOOTSTEPS | Sandra R. Nixon |
| (HM) Honorable Mention – SOCRATES | Ken Sagoes | |
| BEST ACTOR | WINNER: REGGIE WATKINS – PERDIDO (FEATURETTE) “AMIR RASHAD” | Muhammad Bilal |
| BEST ACTRESS | WINNER: KAKRA NUNOO BROWN – BEHIND THE JOY “NAOMI” | Jamal Smart |
| BEST DOCUMENTARY | WINNER: ARCHITECT OF CHANGE | Keith Young |
| (HM) Honorable Mention – MY NATIVE AMERICAN | Jim Warne | |
| BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT | WINNER: ON OUR BLOCK | Astrid Useche, Chloe Barlow |
| (HM) Honorable Mention –THESE EYES |James Top | |
| BEST INTERNATIONAL | WINNER: MURALMENTE |Iván Darío Alba • Bogotá , Columbia |
| (HM) Honorable Mention – THE CAT | Peyam Shadniya • Iran | |
| BEST MUSIC VIDEO | WINNER: JOHNNY STORM| Katie LeCluyse • Tarji J. Irby |
| BEST EXP- NEW SOCIAL MEDIA | WINNER: DA FLY TRAP Prince Smith |
| BEST EDITOR | WINNER: ELEGANCE IN EVERY SIP | Adonis Williams • Ashleigh Alexandria |
| BEST ANIMATION | WINNER: STONED FOR CHRISTMAS | Morgan Young |
| (HM) Honorable Mention: GODS OF THE UNIVERSE: RISE OF THE STAR CHILD | Cathy-Mae SitaRam | |
| AUDIENCE AWARD | T.O.N.Y – TOP OF NEW YORK | Michael Steven-Paul (MIKEY J) |
| OPENING NIGHT AUDIENCE AWARD | HARLEM FOOTSTEPS | Sandra R. Nixon |
| RADICAL HISTORY MAKERS | WINNER: MAKING WAVES: THE RISE OF ASIAN AMERICA | Jon Osaki • Josh Chuck |
| HARLEM CREATIVE AWARD | WINNER: A LETTER FOR YOU | James Gillard |
| POWER OF “SHE” | WINNER: SAREES ACROSS AMERICA | Jyoti Singh, Gauri Singh, Rob Alan Underhill |
| SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE | VOZA RIVERS | Harlem, NY |
| COMMUNITY ACTIVIST AWARD | SHANNY HERRERA | Harlem, NY |
| BEST FEATURE FILM | WINNER: GUARDIANS OF THE FLAME | Daniel Wolff |
| BEST SHORT FILM | WINNER: THE GOOD MAN |Andrew AJ Jackson |
| (HM) Honorable Mention – THE LAST HOUSE ON THE BLOCK | Jason Labuda | |
| BEST DIRECTOR | WINNER: PEPPER & MICKEY | Miranda Rose Fayne, Arielle Duran, Cornelia Silsbee |
| BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY | WINNER: ALONE | Jamal Hodge |
| BEST ACTRESS | WINNER: MOOD |“KASIA L. TREPAGNIER” Directed by Anthony R |
| BEST ACTOR | WINNER: PAPI |“JOHN ANTHONY TORRES” Directed by Ashley L. Canfield |
| BEST DOCUMENTARY | WINNER: DRIVING THE GREEN BOOK |Mike De Caro, Alvin Hall, Saro Varjabedian |
| (HM) Honorable Mention – WE ARE DISTANCE RUNNERS: UNTOLD STORY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN ATHLETES | Anthony Renard Reed | |
| BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT | WINNER: THE HOODTROPHY BINO STORY: BREAKING THE GENERATIONAL CURSE | Sam “Gebar” Gebremiche |
| (HM) Honorable Mention – KINGDOME | Shawn Antoine II | |
| BEST INTERNATIONAL | WINNER: EMPATHY IN AFRICA | Dan McDougall • SOUTH AFRICA |
| (HM) Honorable Mention – WITHOUT FREEDOM NOT ART | Pauline Amos • UNITED KINGDOM | THE ELLIPSIS FIGURE | Saeed Heshmati • IRAN | |
| BEST URBAN UNDERGROUND | WINNER: RAPSTAB |Christopher Godwin Williams |
| BEST ANIMATION | WINNER: IF(FY) | Lesego Vorster, Ross Lelliott, Osiokeh Ikharo |
| BEST VR- 360 FILM | WINNER: REIMAGINED VOLUME III: YOUNG THANG | Melissa Joyner |
| THE AUDIENCE AWARD | WINNER: T.O.N.Y – TOP OF NEW YORK| Michael Steven-Paul (MIKEY J) |
| (HM) INTERCEPTION: JAYNE KENNEDY- AMERICAN SPORTSCASTER | Safiya Songhai |
| BEST FEATURE FILM | WINNER: MELANIN Darren Brown |
| BEST SHORT FILM | WINNER: WONDERS Huriyyah Muhammad |
| HM) Honorable Mention – KID CHOCOLATE • Brandon “Rick” Alexander | |
| BEST DIRECTOR | WINNER: JAMAL HODGE – IN THY WINGS |
| (HM) Honorable Mention: Carleton King • MANIFEST -THE INTERVIEW | |
| BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY | WINNER: REIMAGINING SAFETY • Matthew Solomon |
| (HM) Honorable Mention – TASTE • Bobby Huntley | |
| BEST ACTRESS | WINNER: IN THY WINGS Kisha Barr |
| BEST ACTOR | WINNER: JOE EATS A TIGER Camden Randell |
| (HM) Honorable Mention – JANGA Johnny Zito | |
| BEST DOCUMENTARY | WINNER: THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD Ian Philips |
| (HM) Honorable Mention – 1.5 MILLION Gregory Hernandez | |
| BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT | WINNER: ROSENWALD: TOWARD A MORE PERFECT UNION Charles Poe |
| (HM) Honorable Mention – THE LEGACY LOST & FOUND: SEGREGATION IN RECREATION Dr. Tammy L. Holmes | |
| BEST INTERNATIONAL | WINNER: I´VE GOT iT UNDER MY SKIN Sebastian Andrei • SWITZERLAND |
| (HM) Honorable Mention – ABOVE WHAT COST Azeriah P.B Payne, Lucian Sylvester • UNITED KINGDOM | |
| BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT | WINNER: Yar (Friend) Fran Menchon • CANADA |
| MICRO SHORTS | WINNER: NALUBALE Nickson Kamau • UGANDA |
| BEST URBAN UNDERGROUND | WINNER: SLIGHTLY NEW Nigel O Gabbidon, Devin S. Jones |
| (HM) Honorable Mention – SUPPLY & DEMAND Glenn A McBride Jr | |
| BEST MUSIC VIDEO | WINNER: MARCK ANGEL- JUSTICE R.E.D., Marck Angel |
| HONORABLE MENTION: BORN TO BE SOMEONE P.J. Bracco | |
| BEST ONLINE CONTENT CREATOR | WINNER: BISHOP & CHAINEY Rashiid Hewitt |
| THE AUDIENCE AWARD | WINNER: I’M A VIRGO Boots Riley • AMAZON ADVANCE SCREENING |
| BEST FEATURE FILM
|
APRIL AGAIN
Directed by Tryel Hunt |
| BEST FILM SHORT
|
NEGROLAND
Directed by Jewel McPherson/Author Cohen |
| BEST DIRECTOR | UCHE AGUH • THE HOUSE INVICTUS |
| BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER
|
AN ACT OF TERROR
Directed by Ashley Brim |
| BEST ACTRESS | AMBRE ANDERSON
MS. RENAISSANCE • Directed by Ambre Anderson |
| BEST ACTOR | KHARI CONSTANTINE
APRIL AGAIN• Directed by Tryel Hunt |
| BEST MUSIC DOCUMENTARY
|
PANORAMA: JAMMING TO THE TOP
Directed by Christina Shaw |
| Best INTERNATIONAL
|
PEOPLE OF THE WASTELANDDirected by Heba Khaled • SYRIA |
| BEST URBAN UNDERGROUND | GOT MY HUSTLE UP
Directed by Jason DBKS |
| BEST ANIMATION / SPECIAL EFX | ESCAPE FROM NORTH KOREA
Directed by Keith Eng |
| BEST VR | WALK IN MY SHOES
Directed by Tyler Huyser |
| AUDIENCE AWARD
|
A HAPPY DIVORCE
Directed by Jamal Hodge |
| SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE AWARD
|
IESHA SEKOU
Street Corner Resources |
| CHANCE AWARD | MIKEY JAY – Community Organizer, Leader, Activist |
| POWER OF “SHE” | SHAUNTAY CHERRY |
| HARLEM CREATIVE AWARD | DAVID DJACO |
| BEST OF THE FEST | TYREL HUNT |
| BEST FILM
|
I AM STILL HERE
Directed by Mischa Marcus Produced by Stephanie Bell |
| BEST ACTOR
|
Johnny Rey Diaz
I AM STILL HERE |
| BEST FILM SHORT
HONORABLE MENTION
|
FRESH BLOOD
Directed by Richa Rudola PERCEPTIONS Directed by Charles Jones • Chad Quinn WHAT KEPT ME GOING Directed by Matildah Muchindu |
| BEST DIRECTOR
|
Katie Mack
MISSING YOU |
| BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER
|
YADVI (The Dignified Princess)
Directed by Jyoti Singh |
| BEST EDITOR
|
Sewra G Kidane
PROCLAMATION PUNCTUATION |
| BEST DOCUMENTARY
HONORABLE MENTION
|
DARK PROGRESSIVSIM
Directed by Rodrigo Ribera d’Ebre • James
WALK ALL NIGHT: A DRUM BEAT JOURNEY Directed by Mallory Sohmer • Kate Benzschawel
SEEDS THE UNTOLD STORY Directed by Taggart Siegel – Jon Betz |
| BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM
HONORABLE MENTION |
THE TABLES • Jon Bunning
THE COURAGE OF HER CONVICTIONS Directed by Gillian Ray PROTECT YO HeART Directed by Uncutt ART |
| BEST MUSIC DOCUMENTARY
HONORABLE MENTION
|
MICHAEL CARVIN: NO EXCUSES
Directed by Oscar Sanders HONK: A FESTIVAL OF ACTIVIST STREET BANDS Directed by Patrick Johnson
EDGE OF HARMONY Directed by Shashone Lambert |
| Best INTERNATIONAL
|
THE HARD STOPDirected by George Amponsah • United Kingdom |
| Best INTERNATIONAL SHORT
HONORABLE MENTION |
TAGARELA Directed by Fran Mattoso
Filipe Itagiba • Brazil
KOSNIN Directed by Sara Seligman • Mexico |
| Best COMEDY
|
AMERICAN DRIVER
Directed by Moses Igwman / Nigeria |
| AUDIENCE AWARD
|
FIVE
Directed by Keith Harmon |
| CHANCE AWARD
|
Robert Salasse Jackson – Community Organizer, Leader, Activist
The Chance Award, honors the spirit of Chance Anderson, a renowned filmmaker, producer, screenwriter and actor, whose work was typically classified as provocative and yet cutting edge. |
| SPIRIT AWARD
|
Marta Moreno Vega
Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (CCCAIDA ) |
2026 Winners
Drama
Best Actor
THE SIGHT UNSEEN | "MELVIN TAPLEY"
for “JARED KEMP” · dir. Shawn Antoine II
Best Actress
PRESIDENT MUST DIE: Time Zero - "MADDIE ORTIZ"
for “ELIZABETH RODRIGUEZ - PRESIDENT MUST DIE: Time Zero” · dir. Damon Jamal
Drama
Best Actress (HM) Honorable Mention
THEY LIED TO US | "GLORIA"
for “(HM) ANNE JOSEPH” · dir. Jason Labuda
Drama
Best Cinematography
Take It To The Grave
for “TAKE IT TO THE GRAVE” · dir. Jamal Hodge
Drama
Best Director
THE PRESIDENT MUST DIE: TIME ZERO
for “THE PRESIDENT MUST DIE: TIME ZERO” · dir. Damon Jamal
Documentary
Best Documentary
CAN WE KICK IT?
for “CAN WE KICK IT?” · dir. Akbar Majeed
Documentary
Best Documentary Short
UNHEARD VOICES: A Mother's Quest for Freedom
for “UNHEARD VOICES: A Mother's Quest for Freedom” · dir. Christopher Paul Horne
Documentary
Best Documentary(HM)Honorable Mention
THE REBUTTAL: ELIZABETH MEADERS COLLECTION
for “THE REBUTTAL: ELIZABETH MEADERS COLLECTION” · dir. Nataki Fidella Alexander
Drama
Best Film
93 Til
for “93 Til” · dir. Alterik Miller
Documentary
Best International – Columbia
MURALMENTE: INSTRUCTIONS FOR INTERPRETING GRAFFITI – THE KISS OF THE INVISIBLES
for “MURALMENTE: INSTRUCTIONS FOR INTERPRETING GRAFFITI – THE KISS OF THE INVISIBLES” · dir. Iván Darìo Alba - Columbia
Documentary
Best International (HM) -Costa Rica
THE BORDER CZAR
for “(HM) THE BORDER CZAR” · dir. Raymond T. Williams • Costa Rica
Drama
Best Short Film
The Sight Unseen
for “The Sight Unseen” · dir. Shawn Antoine II
Drama
Best Short Film
No Lables
for “NO LABLES” · dir. Sharna McCullough Jenkins, Alterik Miller