The votes are in. Congratulations to every filmmaker and screenwriter selected for SNAFF 2026 — here are this year's nominees and winners.
Best Comedy Short
Nominees:
- The Retirement Party – Directed by Justin Schaack & Kristin Schaack
- Clean Slate – Directed by Mitchell D. McCallson
- Incestry.com: Trace Your Roots – Directed by Tyler Council
- Junk Mail – Directed by Patrick Boberg
- Babesmilk – Directed by Elisha Mlotek
Winner: The Retirement Party – Directed by Justin Schaack & Kristin Schaack
Best Dramatic Short
Nominees:
- Them That's Not – Directed by Mekhai Lee
- The Oldest – Directed by Cathlin McCullough
- Krizalit – Directed by Naz Tokgöz & Aranxta Ibarra
- Grossness of Closeness – Directed by Cathal Power
- Boot Room – Directed by Atul Malhotra
Winner: Them That's Not – Directed by Mekhai Lee
Best Short Documentary
Nominees:
- Don't Cry For Me All You Drag Queens – Directed by Kristal Sotomayor
- Thank You For Listening – Directed by Gene Gallerano & Bob Ray
- We Were The Scenery – Directed by Christopher Radcliff
- A Wolf in the Suburbs – Directed by Amélie Hardy
- Climate Control – Directed by Sarah Lasley
Winner: Don't Cry For Me All You Drag Queens – Directed by Kristal Sotomayor
Best Animation Short
Nominees:
- Nissa Scrim – Directed by Marcel Tigchelaar
- Tuna Tartare – Directed by Lena Greene
- Sorrow Doesn't Sleep At Night – Directed by Josefina Montino & Martín André
- Airborne – Directed by Nigel Lievaart
- Sundays – Directed by Ashley Gerst
Winner: Nissa Scrim – Directed by Marcel Tigchelaar
Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy Short
Nominees:
- Man Eating Pussy – Directed by Emily Lawson
- Let There Be Light – Directed by Igor Poptsov
- Switcheroo! – Directed by Kristin Schaack & Justin Schaack
- The Border at Tolstoi – Directed by Bob Kotyk
- After – Directed by Wesley Boone
Winner: Man Eating Pussy – Directed by Emily Lawson
Best Horror Short
Nominees:
- Wax – Directed by Alexandre Forgues
- Tongue – Directed by Da-seul LIM
- The Seeing Eye Dog Who Saw Too Much – Directed by Eric Jackowitz
- Jealous People Are Ugly People – Directed by Theo James Krekis
- The Candle – Directed by Ren Ariel Sano
Winner: Wax – Directed by Alexandre Forgues
Best Music Video
Nominees:
- Mon Rovîa – Heavy Foot – Directed by madebythvs
- Portair – Salt Water – Directed by Jack Fontes
- Digging My Own Grave – Directed by J.B. Lawrence
- The Haunt – Dead 2 Me – Directed by Anastasia
- Killing and Eating – Directed by Giallows
Winner: Mon Rovîa – Heavy Foot – Directed by madebythvs
Best Foreign Language Short
Nominees:
- Tongue – Directed by Da-seul LIM
- Wax – Directed by Alexandre Forgues
- Airborne – Directed by Nigel Lievaart
- Once in a Body – Directed by María Cristina Pérez
- Nkondi – Directed by Frederik Palmaers, Michael Palmaers & Daniel Cattier
Winner: Tongue – Directed by Da-seul LIM
Best Student Short
Nominees:
- Sorrow Doesn't Sleep At Night – Directed by Josefina Montino & Martín André
- Grossness of Closeness – Directed by Cathal Power
- I Don't Know You – Directed by Josefa Rozas & Sofia Vargas
- Nemesis – Directed by Zin Ataş
- Forgotten Motherland – Directed by Anja Oelofse
Winner: Sorrow Doesn't Sleep At Night – Directed by Josefina Montino & Martín André
Best Iowa Made Film
Nominees:
- The Oldest – Directed by Cathlin McCullough
- Detour – Directed by Demian Alan Mancino
- Jess Zottola – A Glass Breakfast Interview – Directed by Ian Carstens
- Dryland – Directed by Marissa Vonn
- In Flux – Directed by Marian Thompson-McLain
Winner: The Oldest – Directed by Cathlin McCullough
Best First-Time Filmmaker
Nominees:
- Airborne – Directed by Nigel Lievaart
- Sorrow Doesn't Sleep At Night – Directed by Josefina Montino & Martín André
- The Candle – Directed by Ren Ariel Sano
- The Oldest – Directed by Cathlin McCullough
- Lost and Found – Directed by Mieke Woestenburg
Winner: Airborne – Directed by Nigel Lievaart
Best Short Screenplay
Nominees:
- Ashlee Knows – Written by Tommy Britt
- As Time Goes By – Written by John Martins III
- The Bout – Written by Molly Franklin
- End of an Era – Written by Julia Medina
- Goldy – Written by Lewayne L. White
- IowaGirl – Written by Jeryl Parade
- Keeper – Written by John Goodlove
- Panophobia: Pilot – Written by Alexander James Dingeman
- Taking Fire – Written by Charles Hall
- Wellness Check – Written by Scott Pittock
Winner: Taking Fire – Written by Charles Hall
Director's Award for Best Performance
Winner: Angel Theory in Them That's Not
Best of the Fest
Winner: Thank You For Listening – Directed by Gene Gallerano & Bob Ray
Audience Choice
Winner: The Seeing Eye Dog Who Saw Too Much – Directed by Eric Jackowitz
Thank you to everyone who submitted, screened, and packed the Capitol Theater this year. See you at SNAFF 2027.