Sundance Film Festival 2025 Award Winners

Adam Manery | Sundance Award Winners | 2025

Sundance Film Festival 2025 concluded its awards ceremony on January 31, 2025, recognizing outstanding films across the U.S. Dramatic and Documentary Competitions, World Cinema Dramatic and Documentary Competitions, and the NEXT section for emerging voices. Highlights included the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic awarded to Atropia, the World Cinema Documentary Directing Award for Mstyslav Chernov for 2000 Meters to Andriivka, and the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award going to Eva Victor for Sorry, Baby. Audience Awards, chosen by festivalgoers, were also announced during the ceremony at the Ray Theatre.

2025 Sundance Film Festival – Logo

The 2025 juries gathered a range of artists and industry leaders. The U.S. Dramatic Competition jury was led by Reinaldo Marcus Green, Arian Moayed and Celine Song. The U.S. Documentary jury included Steven Bognar, Vinnie Malhotra and Marcia Smith. World Cinema Dramatic jurors featured Ava Cahen, Wanuri Kahiu and Daniel Kaluuya, while Kevin Macdonald, Daniela Alatorre and Laura Kim judged World Cinema Documentary. Elijah Wood served as sole juror for NEXT, spotlighting inventive and independent filmmakers. The Short Film Competition jury consisted of director Kaniehtiio Horn, Maggie Mackay, and Kibwe Tavares.

Nearly 90 films from more than 30 countries screened at this year’s festival. Many competition titles continue to build awards-season momentum following strong showings in previous years.

The festival continued through February 2, and a selection of competition films remained available to view online during the final days. Tickets were offered via the festival’s official portal.

Below is a concise, organized list of the 2025 award winners across categories, with the previous year’s notable winners noted where available for context.

SUNDANCE AWARD WINNERS: US DRAMATIC COMPETITION

Presented by Celine Song

Tom Blyth and Russell Tovey appear in Plainclothes by Carmen Emmi, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Ethan Palmer. — Tom Blyth and Russell Tovey in Plainclothes by Carmen Emmi, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Photo: Ethan Palmer / Courtesy of Sundance Institute.

US Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic

2025 Winner: Atropia

2024 Winner: In The Summers

Directing Award: US Dramatic

2025 Winner: Rashad Frett for Ricky

2024 Winner: Alessandra Lacorazza for In The Summers

US Dramatic Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast

2025 Winner: Tom Blyth, Russell Tovey, Maria Dizzia, Christian Cooke, Gabe Fazio, and Amy Forsyth for Plainclothes

US Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting

2025 Winner: Dylan O’Brien for Twinless

Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: US Dramatic

2025 Winner: Eva Victor for Sorry, Baby

2024 Winner: Jesse Eisenberg for A Real Pain

SUNDANCE AWARD WINNERS: US DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION

Presented by Steve Bognar & Marcia Smith

Gregory Dugan appears in Life After by Reid Davenport, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Reuters. — Gregory Dugan in Life After by Reid Davenport, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Photo: Reuters / Courtesy of Sundance Institute.

US Documentary Special Jury Award for Archival Storytelling

2025 Winner: Selena y Los Dinos

US Documentary Special Jury Award

2025 Winner: Life After

Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award: US Documentary

2025 Winner: Parker Laramie for André is an Idiot

2024 Winner: Carla Gutiérrez for FRIDA

Directing Award: US Documentary

2025 Winner: Geeta Gandbhir for The Perfect Neighbor

2024 Winner: Julian Brave NoiseCat & Emily Kassie for Sugarcane

US Grand Jury Prize: Documentary

2025 Winner: Seeds

2024 Winner: Porcelain War

SUNDANCE AWARD WINNERS: AUDIENCE AWARDS

Presented by Raúl Esparza

Dylan O'Brien and James Sweeney appear in Twinless by James Sweeney, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Greg Cotten. — Dylan O’Brien and James Sweeney in Twinless by James Sweeney. Photo: Greg Cotten / Courtesy of Sundance Institute.

Audience Award: NEXT

2025 Winner: East of Wall

Audience Award: World Cinema Documentary

2025 Winner: Prime Minister

Audience Award: World Cinema Dramatic

2025 Winner: DJ Ahmet

Audience Award: US Documentary

2025 Winner: André is an Idiot

Audience Award: US Dramatic

2025 Winner: Twinless

SUNDANCE AWARD WINNERS: NEXT AWARDS

Presented by Jack Begert

A still from Zodiac Killer Project by Charlie Shackleton, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute. — A still from Zodiac Killer Project by Charlie Shackleton. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.

NEXT Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast

2025 Winner: Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo)

NEXT Innovator Award

2025 Winner: Zodiac Killer Project directed by Charlie Shackleton

SUNDANCE AWARD WINNERS: WORLD DRAMATIC COMPETITION

Bhushaan Manoj and Suraaj Suman appear in Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears) by Rohan Parashuram Kanawade, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Vikas Urs — Bhushaan Manoj and Suraaj Suman in Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears) by Rohan Parashuram Kanawade. Photo: Vikas Urs / Courtesy of Sundance Institute.

Presented by Wanuri Kahiu

World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Creative Vision

2025 Winner: Georgi M. Unkovski for DJ Ahmet

World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Writing

2025 Winner: Chloe Robichaud & Catherine Leger for Two Women

Directing Award: World Cinema Dramatic

2025 Winner: Alireza Khatami for The Things You Kill

World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic

2025 Winner: Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears)

SUNDANCE AWARD WINNERS: WORLD DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION

Presented by Cristina Costantini

A still from Mr. Nobody Against Putin by David Borestein and Pavel Talankin, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute. — A still from Mr. Nobody Against Putin by David Borestein and Pavel Talankin. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.

World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award

2025 Winner: Mr. Nobody Against Putin

World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Freedom of Expression

2025 Winner: Coexistence, My Ass!

Directing Award: World Cinema Documentary

2025 Winner: Mstyslav Chernov for 2000 Meters to Andriivka

World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary

2025 Winner: Cutting Through Rocks (اوزاک یوللار)

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