Awards

Celebrating Excellence in Independent Cinema

The Houston Independent Film Festival honors the visionaries, the trailblazers, and the storytellers who redefine the art of filmmaking. Our awards celebrate not only cinematic achievement but also the courage to dream, create, and inspire.

Best Narrative Feature

For the most captivating feature-length story that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats.

Best Documentary

Honoring powerful real-life stories that inspire, inform, and move audiences.

Best Short Film

Recognizing exceptional creativity in bite-sized storytelling under 40 minutes.

Best Experimental Film

For innovative visions that challenge cinematic norms and expand artistic boundaries.

Best Animation

For the most imaginative and visually stunning animated storytelling, showcasing exceptional artistry and creativity.

Best Director

Celebrating visionary leadership in filmmaking, bringing stories to life with style and precision.

Best Cinematography

Awarding stunning visuals that create mood, atmosphere, and unforgettable imagery.

Best Screenplay

For outstanding written stories, showcasing exceptional dialogue and narrative.

Best Performance

Recognizing the actor or actress who delivers a performance that stays with you.

Best Editing

For precise storytelling through impeccable cuts and pacing that shape the film’s rhythm.

Audience Choice Award

Your favorite film, chosen by the festival’s audience for its undeniable impact.

Best Sound Design

Highlighting the artistry in creating immersive soundscapes that bring a film’s world to life, blending music, effects, and dialogue seamlessly.

HIFF Official Selection

Rabbits—Seabold Krebs

Set in turn-of-the-century Kansas, an isolated farmer finds the body of a young woman and uses it to get over the death of his wife.

Little Angel—
Kevin Murray

When Laurie’s car breaks down on a dark, stormy night, she fears the worst – no cell signal, no one around – until she sees the Little Angel Bed and Breakfast. Is it a safe haven from the night, or are her terrors just beginning?

La Goutte d’Eau—Joséphine Vuigner

Aspiring her daily life to be perfect, a young woman sees herself going from hassle to hassle until the last straw.

Lessons in Red—Will Schwartz

When a junior high student in 1963 suspects his teacher of being a communist, he investigates the truth to gain approval from his father.

I miei occhi—Tommaso Acquarone

A woman finds a familiar face whilst driving in the rain and offers him a ride home: a journey that could change their lives forever.