Top Honors

The SXSW Film & TV Festival has unveiled its award winners for 2025, highlighting the best in cinematic storytelling. The prestigious top prize in the Narrative Feature Competition was awarded to Slanted, a film by Amy Wang, renowned for her previous work on Crazy Rich Asians.

Film Highlights

Slanted is described as a compelling body horror film set in a high school environment, merging elements reminiscent of Mean Girls and The Substance. As it seeks U.S. distribution, it has garnered positive reviews, including one from IndieWire.

In addition to Wang’s accolade, the Special Jury Award for a Multi-Hyphenate was given to Annapurna Sriram for her film Fucktoys. Amanda Peet received the Performance Award for her portrayal in Matthew Shear’s debut film, Fantasy Life. The top Documentary award went to Benjamin Flaherty for his work on Shuffle.

Notable Awards

Special recognitions were also presented, with a special prize awarded to Grace Glowicki for her film Dead Lover, which recently obtained distribution following its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.

Comprehensive List of Winners

Feature Film Grand Jury Awards

Narrative Feature Competition

Winner: Slanted – Amy Wang

This film examines racial identity with a unique and haunting perspective.

Special Jury Award for a Multi-Hyphenate: Annapurna Sriram, Fucktoys

Her dynamic film challenges standard cinematic conventions through various artistic roles.

Special Jury Award for Performance: Amanda Peet, Fantasy Life

Peet captivates with a performance that explores the complexities of the entertainment industry.

Documentary Feature Competition

Winner: Shuffle – Benjamin Flaherty

This documentary delves into the exploitation of the addiction treatment industry.

Special Jury Awards:

• The Python Hunt – Xander Robin
• Remaining Native – Paige Bethmann

Short Film Competition Awards

Narrative Short Competition

Winner: One Day This Kid – Alexander Farah

Documentary Short Competition

Winner: Looking for a Donkey – Juan Vicente Manrique

Animated Shorts Competition

Winner: Retirement Plan – John Kelly

Midnight Shorts Competition

Winner: Stomach Bug – Matty Crawford

Texas Shorts Competition

Winner: Harvester – Charlie Schwan

Music Video Competition

Winner: BIJI – ‘ZIGIDI’ – Maceo Frost

Independent TV Pilot Competition

Winner: F*ckups Anonymous – Joe Tierney

Special Awards and Recognitions

The festival also honored filmmakers and creatives with various special awards:

• Redbreast Unhidden Award: Brief Somebodies – Andy Reid
• Auteur Award: Grace Glowicki, Dead Lover
• Howl of Fame Award: Indy from Good Boy – Ben Leonberg