SUNY Niagara Film & Animation Festival

Saturday, May 3, 2025 | 11:00AM – 5:00PM

The SUNY Niagara Film & Animation Festival is an annual event, held each spring on the college’s Sanborn campus. The festival brings together filmmakers and animation artists from all over Western New York and beyond. Topping the SUNY Niagara Film & Animation Festival is an international film competition, in which awards are given to filmmakers in a variety of categories. A $200 prize is awarded to the best films in the following categories: Drama, Comedy, Animation, Documentary, Music Video, Horror, and Experimental.

Judges for the contest include filmmakers, animators, actors, musicians, and other professionals in the field. The event is sponsored by SUNY Niagara’s Digital Media Department, Animation Department, and the SUNY Niagara Digital Filmmakers Club, and the college’s Office of Student Life. Three additional $100 prizes are awarded to local filmmakers in the “Best of 716” category: Best High School Student Film, Best College Student Film, and Best of the Festival. And two $2,000 scholarships for best WNY High School Student Film & Animation.

Film submissions are due by April 1, 2025

First Prize – Animation

“The Monster”
Directed by Ruby Yang & Bomin Kim, Republic of Korea

First Prize – Comedy

“Home Policies”
Directed by Nick Smith, Fredonia, NY, USA

First Prize – Documentary

“Two Wars: The Road to Integration”
Directed by Steven Tedesco & Sean Donovan, Buffalo, NY, USA

“You’re NOT for ART!”
Directed by Lukia Costello, Buffalo, NY, USA

First Prize – Drama

“Memories Withered”
Directed by Rafael DeMoura, Marlton, NJ, USA

First Prize – Experimental

“Demi-Goddesses”
Directed by Martin Gerigk, Germany

First Prize – Horror

“Die Dame”
Directed by Taylor Martin, Tonawanda, NY, USA

First Prize – Music Video

“The Hamiltones – Entr’acte to The Hamiltones in Space”
Directed by John E. Toohill & Nicholas Reynolds, San Francisco, CA, USA

Best College Student Film

“He Has to Come Home”
Directed by Apollo Shepherd, Mobile, AL, USA

716 – People’s Choice Award

“Katie’s Ghost”
Directed by Richard Fysh, Niagara Falls, NY, USA

2024 WNY Filmmaker of the Year

Ken Cosentino Niagara Falls, NY, USA

First Prize – Animation

“The Lost Courier”
Directed by Ma Zidong, China

First Prize – Comedy

“A Vegan Love Story”
Directed by Daniela Di Salvo, Canada

First Prize – Documentary

“Jackass Love”
Directed by Michele DeLuca, USA

First Prize – Drama

“Simulacrum”
Directed by Taylor Martin, USA

First Prize – Experimental

“Harlem Nights”
Directed by Kaitlyn Lowe, USA

First Prize – Horror

“VRDLK: Family of Vurdulak”
Directed by Sam Chou, Canada

First Prize – Music Video

“Exotic Dimensions: A Maiden not Made of Clay”
Directed by Kohei Takeda, USA

716 – Best College Student Film

“I Had a Strange Dream Last Night”
Directed by Mira Haley Steuer, Clarence, NY

716 – Best High School Student Film

“Lost and Never Found”
Directed by Nicholas Joseph Buccarelli, Lockport, NY

716 – People’s Choice Award

“Lost and Never Found”
Directed by Nicholas Joseph Buccarelli, Lockport, NY

2023 WNY Filmmaker of the Year

Chris Cosgrave, Buffalo, NY

First Prize – Animation

“Red Fire,”
Directed by Mona A. Shahi
Tehran, Iran

First Prize – Comedy

“Hubbards,”
Directed by Kevin Ralston
Long Island City, NY

First Prize – Documentary

“Visiting Ben Shemen,”
Directed by Miriam Harris
Aukland, New Zealand

First Prize – Drama

“Mr. Sisyphus,”
Directed by Jedi Joongoo Kang
Buffalo, NY

First Prize – Experimental

“The Long Goodbye,”
Directed by Heidi Neff
Bel Air, MD

First Prize – Horror

“Halloween: A Short Dance Film,”
Directed by Malik Thompson
Burlington, NJ

First Prize – Music Video

“Oyasumi – Lullaby of Flames,”
Directed by Arisa Wakami
Tokyo, Japan

Best College Student Film

“Mr. Sisyphus,”
Directed by Jedi Joongoo Kang
Buffalo, NY

716 – People’s Choice Award

“Maya,”
Directed by Richard Fysh
Niagara Falls, NY

2022 WNY Filmmaker of the Year

Sam Qualiana

First Prize – Animation

“Hostess”
Directed by Alexander Bubnov
Ukraine

First Prize – Music Video

“Astronaut”
Directed by Pierre Ponchant
France

First Prize – Experimental

“Attentionspam”
Directed by Kilo Watts, The Drone
United States

First Prize – Comedy

“Tino’s Pizza – New Crap”
Directed by Benoit Créac’h & Julia Gaudard
Germany

First Prize – Drama

“Circle in the Woods”
Directed by Rebecca Snowden
United States

First Prize – Horror

“Script”
Directed by Piero Cannata
Italy

First Prize – Documentary

“Jayro”
Directed by Wojciech Lorenc
United States

716 Awards

Best Western New York High School Student Film

“Amica”
Directed by Mira Haley Steuer
Drama
Clarence, NY USA

Best Western New York College Student Film

“Capture Tomorrow”
Directed by Brayton Lydell
Drama
Buffalo, NY USA

716 People’s Choice Award

“The Banana Manifesto”
Directed by Azalia Muchransyah of Williamsville, NY

Animation

PHIL GOMM, “Red & the Kingdom of Sound” (UK)

Comedy

PAOLA BERNARDINI, “Solitaire” (USA)

Documentary

ANIL TOKUR, “Rising Puppets of the Limitless Sky” (Turkey)

Drama

Vikkramm Chandirramani, “The Perfect Murder” (India)

Experimental

MIN DING, “Fox Spirit” (USA)

Horror

MICHAEL RICCI, “The Greeting” (USA)

Music Video

BARBARA CREUTZ, “How Can I Tell You” (France)

People’s Choice
“Best of the Festival” Award

KALI CROISDALE, “Party Animal”

Best College Student Film

JACOB LITERRE, “The Beauts of Buffalo”

Best High School Student Film

SERGEY JOSEPH, “Not 4 Nothing: But 4 Something”