2025 Tyler Film Festival Awards Recognize Local Talent and More!

The curtain has closed on another unforgettable year of storytelling at the 2025 Tyler Film Festival, presented by Dobbs & Porter. After two nights of screenings at Liberty Hall, filmmakers, cast, and audiences came together on Saturday, Sept. 13, to celebrate the creativity and talent showcased during the festival.

Night Two ended with the awards ceremony and reception, where winners were recognized across eight categories. Prizes included cash awards, trophies, and (most importantly) the honor of being selected among a lineup of outstanding student and independent short films from Texas and beyond.

Award Winners:

• Jury Award / Best of the Festival ($1,000 and trophy) - Champions, Directed by The AG Brothers, (Nevada)

• Best Student Film ($500 and trophy) - Wormwood, Directed by Sawyer Goolsby (Austin, TX)

• Best Cinematography ($500 and trophy) - The Ohio, Texas Remix, Directed by Ya'Ke Smith (United States) (not pictured)

• Best Actress ($200 and trophy) - Veronika Bozeman in The Ohio, Texas Remix, Directed by Ya'Ke Smith (United States) (not pictured)

• Best Actor ($200 and trophy) - Bobby Soto in EL Lloron, Directed by Rodrigo Moreno-Fernandez (Brownsville, TX) (not pictured)

• Best Young Actor ($200 and trophy) - Mokhtar Behrouz in Monkey, Directed by Mohsen Habibi (Iran) (not pictured)

• Film with the Biggest Heart (trophy) - Pray for Joe: A Story of Recovery, Directed by Sydney Hines and Bailey Park (Lindale, TX)

• Funniest of the Fest (trophy) - THE STORY OF A THEFT, Directed by Mahdi Hadizadeh, Located in Iran (not pictured)

• Audience Favorite (trophy) - EL Lloron, Directed by Rodrigo Moreno-Fernandez (Brownsville, TX) - Michael Charron pictured in photo

The 2025 Tyler Film Festival was made possible through the support of Dobbs & Porter, Sharon and James Wynne, True Vine Brewing Company, Heritage East at Culture ETX, KETK, Heart of Tyler, Visit Tyler, TAG, Tyler Art Festival, East Texas Film Society, Liberty Hall and the Texas Film Commission.

Submissions for 2026 open on Oct. 1 and will close on May 1, 2026! For more information, visit FilmFreeway.com/TylerFilmFest or follow Tyler Film Fest on Facebook and Instagram.

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