Dances With Films Announces Awards Winners For 28th Festival

EXCLUSIVE: Dances With Films, the festival that describes itself as “defiantly independent,” has announced its jury and audience awards after wrapping the 28^th edition of the cinematic showcase in Los Angeles.

No Choice, directed by Nate Hilgartner, won the Grand Jury Prize for Narrative Feature. Hannah Deal, Jennifer Herzog, and Robert Denzel Edwards star in the drama about a young woman who “becomes unexpectedly pregnant and starts having harrowing, prophetic dreams that she will die if she can’t get an abortion.”

Honorable Mention in that category went to Something Casual, directed by Brandon Buczek, a romantic drama about two people navigating “the soulless casual hookup culture of Los Angeles.”

Scroll for the complete list of DWF winners.

Erin Williams-Weir and David Anthony Ngo, co-creators of ‘Never Get Busted’

Projector Films

The Grand Jury Prize for Documentary Feature was claimed by Never Get Busted, co-created by David Anthony Ngo and Erin Williams-Weir; written and directed by Ngo and produced by Ngo and Williams-Weir. Deadline premiered a clip from the documentary ahead of its world premiere at Sundance. The film tells the story of Barry Cooper, a YouTube star, activist on behalf of drug law reform, and former police officer in Texas now living in Brazil (as a fugitive from U.S. law enforcement).

“Barry Cooper is an expert at hiding drugs, evading police, and raising hell!” notes a synopsis of Never Get Busted. “But once upon a time he was a highly decorated Narcotics Officer, spearheading the War on Drugs in Texas for one of the most notorious drug task forces in American history.”

Honorable Mention in the Best Documentary Feature category went to You’re No Indian, directed by Ryan Flynn. The film examines the “stripping tribal citizenship from thousands of Indigenous people across the U.S… [Q]uestions of identity, belonging, and federal funding collide within a system few outside Indian Country truly understand.”

The Industry Choice Award for a film over 40 minutes went to Trash Baby, directed by Jacy Mairs and starring Esther Harrison, Chloe Kramer, and Eddie Wollrabe.

The Audience Award for Competition Narrative was earned by Good Sport, directed by Andrew Jack Zuckerman and written by Zuckerman and Dillon Orth. Mike O’Gorman and Esera Tuaolo star in the feature about “a youth basketball coach [who] has a horrible day on the job.”

'A Little Fellow: The Legacy Of A.P. Giannini' poster — A Little Fellow LLC

The Audience Award for Documentary Feature went to A Little Fellow: The Legacy Of A.P. Giannini, directed by Davide Fiore. The documentary explores the remarkable life and career of the titular Italian immigrant who settled in San Francisco and got into banking more than a century ago. After the devastating 1906 earthquake, Giannini began to make loans to help people rebuild; his Bank of Italy eventually became the colossus Bank of America.

DWF:LA presented “nine of its famous Orange Carpet events,” notes a release, featuring more than 200 films and more than 1000 filmmakers, cast members, and documentary subjects.

Notable attendees of Dances With Films included Shohreh Aghdashloo, Ronny Chieng, Catharine Daddario, Matthew Daddario, Rosaline Elbay, Andrea Londo, Amy Madigan, Kika Magalhães, Alfred Molina, and Harry Shum Jr. The New York edition of Dances With Films, approaching its fourth year, will take place in December.

“The DWF:LA Filmmaker Awards ceremony also included a major announcement regarding the leadership of L.A.’s largest indie film-focused film festival,” shares a release, “as the festival’s founders Leslee Scallon and Michael Trent introduced Lindsey Smith-Sands as DWF’s first Festival Director in its nearly 30-year history. Currently, DWF’s Senior Producer and Head of Narrative Short Film Programing, Smith-Sands has been a longtime beloved presence by the festival’s filmmakers, and a key reason for its solidification in recent years as Los Angeles’ top film festival focusing on independent film.”

Dances With Films founders Leslee Scallon and Michael Trent commented, “Lindsey began as a volunteer with us seven years ago, but her passion for independent cinema, shaped by her own experience as an actress in indie films, quickly set her apart. As DWF has grown into a major force on the festival circuit, she has embraced every challenge with heart, vision, and unwavering dedication.” Scallon and Trent added, “We are thrilled to have found a kindred spirit in Lindsey. She works tirelessly on behalf of the groundbreaking creatives we champion. More importantly, she truly believes in every filmmaker who walks through our doors.”

In a statement, Smith-Sands said, “Dances with Films creates an incredibly meaningful space for talent that otherwise goes uncelebrated. After seven years of growing with the festival, I’m honored that Michael Trent and Leslee Scallon see me as a guardian of the festival’s legacy and a steward of its future. With their guidance, I look forward to collaborating with everyone on our fantastic team to continue elevating independent film in LA, NY and beyond.”

The 2025 Dances With Films NYC Filmmaker Award Winners:

GRAND JURY PRIZES

GRAND JURY – NARRATIVE FEATURES

NO CHOICE

Director/Writer: Nate Hilgartner
Producers: Shannon Semler, Nate Hilgartner, Steve Hilgartner, Kathleen O’Neil

HONORABLE MENTION:

SOMETHING CASUAL
Director/Writer: Brandon Buczek
Producers: Brandon Buczek, Anie Delgado, Gabrielle LeBlanc, Ben Rejzer

GRAND JURY – DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

NEVER GET BUSTED!
Director/Writer: David Anthony Ngo
Producers: Erin Williams-Weir, Daniel Joyce, David Anthony Ngo

HONORABLE MENTION:

YOU’RE NO INDIAN

Director/Writer: Ryan Flynn

Producer: Michael Sammaciccia, Santana Rabang

GRAND JURY PRIZE – NARRATIVE SHORTS

NWA (BLACK)
Director/Writer: Hans Augustave
Producers: Hans Augustave, Bruno Vernaschi, Raashauna Payne, Matthew Romanski

HONORABLE MENTION:

MOTI
Director/Writer: Yash Saraf
Producers: Karan Shah, Yash Saraf

INDUSTRY CHOICE AWARDS

INDUSTRY CHOICE AWARDS (UNDER 40′)

WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON.

Director/Writer: Greg Rubner

Producer: James Panetta

INDUSTRY CHOICE AWARDS (OVER 40′)

TRASH BABY
Director/Writer: Jacy Mairs
Producers: Jacy Mairs, Karlee Boon and Cameron Holly Dexter

AUDIENCE AWARDS

COMPETITION (NARRATIVE) FEATURE AUDIENCE AWARD

GOOD SPORT
Director: Andrew Jack Zuckerman
Writers: Andrew Jack Zuckerman and Dillon Orth
Producers: Dillon Orth, John Cronin and Andrew Jack Zuckerman

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE AUDIENCE AWARD

A LITTLE FELLOW: THE LEGACY OF A.P. GIANNINI

Director: Davide Fiore

Writers: Joseph Mancini and Davide Fiore

Producers: Davide Fiore, Anna Laclergue, Sacha Smith, Joseph Mancini

MIDNIGHT AUDIENCE AWARD

KOMBUCHA

Director: Jake Myers

Writer: Geoff Bakken

Producer: John Condne

FUSION FEATURE AUDIENCE AWARD

CIAO, MAMA