HollyShorts brought a dose of Hollywood to London this week as its second U.K. edition wrapped with a sold-out awards ceremony at Vue Cinemas West End, where Franz Böhm’s Rock, Paper, Scissors and Sam Davis’ The Singers emerged as the night’s top winners.
The Oscar-qualifying short film festival, now growing a sizable satellite presence in Europe, the Middle East, and North America, drew filmmakers from across three continents as it continues positioning itself as one of the world’s leading incubators for short-form talent.
The awards were hosted by Karen Bryson MBE who recently starred in The Rainmaker and is also loved for The Teacher.
Böhm & Davis Lead the 2025 Winners List
Böhm’s Rock, Paper, Scissors scored the Best Short Film Grand Prize, earning a £20,000 Panavision lens package and a prize package from Essex Bouqcakes. The film also claimed Best Student Film, cementing Böhm as one of the event’s breakout names.
Davis’ The Singers delivered a parallel sweep, taking Best Director, presented by Cotrini Skin Care with a £5,000 post-production package from The Farm, and Best International Film.
2025 HollyShorts UK Award Winners
Best Short Film Grand Prize
Rock, Paper, Scissors, Franz Böhm
Prize: £20,000 Panavision lens package, Essex Bouqcakes prize package
Best Director, Presented by Cotrini Skincare with £5,000 Post Production Package from The Farm
The Singers, Sam Davis
Best Student Film
Rock, Paper, Scissors, Franz Böhm
Best Animation
Two Black Boys in Paradise, Baz Sells
Best Comedy
Chasers, Erin Brown Thomas
Best Drama, Presented by Le Kool Champagne
A Friend of Dorothy, Lee Knight
Best Thriller
ADO, Sam Henderson
Best International, Presented by Sushi Samba
The Singers, Sam Davis
Best Music Video
Bile Bile, Rango Musau
Best Music Documentary
Hugel – The Entourage, Ludovic Genco, Hugo Lucas Pompier
Best Sports Documentary
Fighting Demons, Simon Stock
Best Shot on Film, Presented by Kodak Motion Pictures
A Death in the Family, Yasmin Hafesji
Best Cinematography, Prize Package Presented by ShotDeck
Stomach Bug, Andri Haraldsson
HollyShorts Expands Into 2026
The festival also announced its largest global expansion to date. HollyShorts UK will return for its third edition November 12–15, 2026, with submissions for the 2026 cycle opening tomorrow. HollyShorts Dubai is set to run December 12–14, 2025, extending the brand’s reach in the Middle East.
The year will conclude with the 22nd edition of the flagship HollyShorts Film Festival in Hollywood, scheduled for August 13–23, 2026.
Founded in 2005, HollyShorts remains a key discovery platform for emerging filmmakers, with Academy Awards-qualifying and BAFTA qualifying categories and deep partnerships across production, post, and distribution sectors. Sponsors for the 2026 London event include Cotrini Skincare, IMGN, Miller Insurance, LeKool Champagne, Panavision, Alta Global, Dumont Luxury Real Estate, Essex Boucakes, Sushi Samba, The Farm, Kodak, and others.
