58th SF Film Fest Winners: Of Men and War, Sworn Virgin and More

The 58th San Francisco International Film Festival has wrapped and winners were announced last night in Director, Documentary, Narrative, Short and Student film categories. In all, nearly $40,000 was given by the festival to various filmmakers.
GOLDEN GATE NEW DIRECTORS PRIZE
Winner: “Sworn Virgin,” Laura Bispuri (Italy/Switzerland/Germany/Albania/Kosovo)
GOLDEN GATE AWARDS FOR DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
Documentary Feature Winner: “Western,” Bill Ross IV, Turner Ross (USA)
Special Jury recognition: “Of Men and War,” Laurent Bécue-Renard (France/Switzerland)
Bay Area Documentary Winner: “Very Semi-Serious,” Leah Wolchok (USA) • Receives $5,000 cash prize
Special Jury recognition: “T-Rex,” Drea Cooper, Zackary Canepari (USA)
GOLDEN GATE AWARDS FOR SHORT FILMS
Narrative Short Winner: “The Chicken,” Una Gunjak (Germany/Croatia) • Receives $2,000 cash prize
Documentary Short Winner: “Cailleach,” Rosie Reed Hillman (Scotland)
Animated Short Winner: “A Single Life,” Marieke Blaauw, Joris Oprins, Job Roggeveen (Netherlands)
New Visions Short Winner: “Discussion Questions,” Jonn Herschend (USA)
Bay Area Short First Prize Winner: “The Box,” Michael I Schiller (USA)
Bay Area Short Second Prize Winner: “Time Quest,” John Dilley (USA)
GOLDEN GATE AWARD FOR FAMILY FILM
Winner: “The Story of Percival Pilts,” Janette Goodey, John Lewis (Australia/New Zealand)
Honorable Mentions: “Lava,” James Ford Murphy (USA) and “One, Two, Tree,” Yulia Aronova
GOLDEN GATE AWARD FOR YOUTH WORK
Winner: “Two and a Quarter Minutes,” Joshua Ovalle (USA)
Honorable Mention: “The Off / Season,” Lance Oppenheim (USA)
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- North Texas Film Critics Association (NTFCA) Nominations - December 22, 2025
- Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KCFCC) Awards: ‘One Battle After Another’ Named Best Film - December 21, 2025

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