awards & prizes
2025
criteria
Awards
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Best Film
Best Interpretation of the "Inspiration Package"
The inventive & interpretative use and integration of the Inspiration Package elements.
Audience Favorite
Is selected by the audience and filmmakers attending the festival and online, rather than by the Selection Committee or International jury.
Cinematography
Effective use of light & shadow and the contribution to telling the story.
Direction
Effectiveness of actors, camera placements & movements and composition on the screen.
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Editing
Effectiveness of scene transitions, tempo, mood changes and continuity of telling the story.
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Performance - Lead & Supporting
Emotional effectiveness and believability in portraying the character.
Poster
Convey clear communication that has readability typography legible from afar. Includes the logo of the event. Composition, contrast balance, that combine visuals with information. Engaging and easy to follow yet creates connection as well as an enduring emotion.
Production Design/ Art Direction
The overall "look" of the picture, effective use of color, texture, types of props, set pieces and locations.
Screenplay
The structure, plot, character development, dialogue and ending effectiveness of the film.
Song or Music
Effectiveness of the soundtrack and/or music and must be original by an identifiable creator/s
Sound
Effectiveness of everything heard (which is NOT music), quality of the sound of dialogue, background sounds and special audio effects (if applicable)
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Prizes
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You Gotta See It Prize
Sponsored by Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
Awarded to Films that are:
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Quirky, Offbeat, Surprising
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Prize: $300 in Alamo Passes,
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Best Opening / Closing Credits Prize
Sponsored by Missouri Film Office
Awarded to Films that:
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Show exceptional creativity & storytelling using motion graphics and other elements as part of the Film's Opening Credits, Closing Credits, or both
Golden Weaver Prize
Sponsored by Graceway Baptist Church
Explore a character’s moral dilemma through the lens of Jesus’ New Testament teachings.
• The ‘moral dilemma’ must have potentially bad consequences
• The physically non-violent resolution must be inspired by any of these: wisdom, love, diplomacy, grace, forgiveness, justice, faith, redemption
• Do NOT use any foul, offensive, or discriminatory language
• Do NOT depict any sexual activity implicitly or explicitly
Scriptural references are optional.
Family Film Project Prize
Sponsored by James Bacon
To be eligible, the team must meet ONE of these criteria:
1.Directed by an adult immediate family member (either parent, grandparent, legal guardian and/or a stepparent, etc.) “with one or more of their Children/grandchildren (age 18 or younger, stepchildren and/or legally adopted children) acting as main character(s) in the film.
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2. Directed by the Child with at least one adult immediate family member as defined above acting as a main character in the film.
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3. Both a Child and one adult immediate family member as defined above acting in main roles of the same film.
​Outstanding Movie Set Design
Sponsored by LaBrie Family
The criteria for this prize is as follows:
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Created a set piece or pieces for your SATO48-2025 Film.
The Al LaBrie Prize celebrates a family tradition of participating in SATO48 for nearly a decade and in particular their father, Al LaBrie, who instilled in his family a love of the arts. A builder by trade, Al also wrote plays, designed sets, and saw the value in creativity. If you created a set piece or pieces for your SATO48-2025 Film, OPT-IN for The Al LaBrie Prize.
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​Pop Culture Reference Prize
Fanatics and the Fan
?CALLING ALL STAR WARRIORS?
This year, Fanatics and the Fan is going lightspeed into a galaxy not-so-far-away...
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That’s right—we’re celebrating all things STAR WARS ?
But hold up, Jedi and Rebels: we're not looking for exact quotes or textbook tributes. This is your moment to channel the Force in your own unique way. Think original, think bold, think YOU—with a dash of lightsaber flair.
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Whether you're a Sith Lord in disguise, a scrappy Resistance fighter, or a Jawa with a dream, we want to see how you honor one of the greatest pop culture sagas of all time.
(No copy-paste Yoda quotes allowed. We’re watching ?)
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What’s in it for you, padawan? Glad you asked: ?
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FREE tickets to Geekmas – the ultimate pop culture convention
? An autographed photo from John Boyega
? Two lightsabers + a custom holder
? A Star Wars Pop and other epic memorabilia
? A guest feature on Fanatics and the Fan
? The chance to host your OWN panel at Geekmas
? Oh, and did we mention $200 in cold, hard galactic credits (aka cash)?
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So fire up that hyperdrive, tap into your creative Force, and may the most original tribute win.
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Submissions open now. Good luck... and may creativity be with you.
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Dapper Timeless Style Prize for Best Hair Design
Sponsored by Dapper Barber
The Dapper Timeless Style Prize for Best Hair Design identifies hair styling that embodies the spirit of cinematic characterization through the deliberate manipulation of a character's hair that best serves the story. It might be "elegance"—where every strand is immaculate, it might be the very opposite; period-specific or subtly modern! The winning film features hair that goes beyond styling to the level of craft—evoking character, era, and atmosphere with intention and finesse. We value continuity, thoughtful design, and the kind of presence that lingers in the mind long after the credits roll. Above all, we’re looking for style that is, in every sense of the word, dapper—distinct, refined, and timeless—as it relates to the film story.​​
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