Winners of Toronto Art Film Spirit Awards

The IMDb-qualifying Toronto Art Film Spirit Awards is an international competition and annual event that promotes arthouse films worldwide. It supports both new and seasoned filmmakers by highlighting diverse storytelling. Supported by Toronto Film magazine and independent platforms in the U.S. and Canada, the festival boosts the visibility of indie films in a competitive market. Our aim is to celebrate the influence of arthouse cinema, challenge traditional narratives, and inspire future filmmakers and movie enthusiasts. The festival not only presents outstanding films but also encourages discussions on the themes and techniques of arthouse cinema, fostering a deeper appreciation for this essential industry segment. Each year, we screen our nominees in January during our annual screenings to aid in the distribution and marketing of shorts and features. We are committed to the language of cinema, arthouse filmmaking, and independent artists. Our team, which includes award-winning filmmakers, authors, cinematographers, editors, journalists, and critics, is devoted to nurturing a vibrant independent cinema community. It is our pleasure to announce the last winners of the competition.

Here are the winners:

Best Narrative Feature

Interaction

Director: Dallas Richard Hallam

Best Documentary Film

Children in Exile

Director: Christopher Swide

Best Narrative Short Film

Two Tigers

Director: Xu Lei

Best Comedy

Bored

Director: Adam Marley

Best Science Fiction

Invasion Of the Spacezombies

Director: Stefan Skimmerstrand

Best Animation

Dieter

Director: Rolf Broennimann

Best Experimental

Amatilla

Director: Adham Garman

Best Horror

Baby Fever

Directors: Nupur Chitalia, Pascale Potvin

Best Student Film

Bill & Bog

Director: Megan Rose Austin

Best TV Series/Web Series/Pilots

High Strung (The Dookie Incident)

Director: Taya Walter

Best Director

Stephen Edward Roach

The Crucifix: Blood of the Exorcist

Best Actor

Lenny MICHANOL

Les Fractures Invisibles

Best Editor

Olivier J.L. van Malderghem

The Library of Babel

Best Cinematographer

Teddy ALBERT

Les Fractures Invisibles

Best Composer

Sean Tinnion

In the Doghouse

Best Indie Film

I JUST WANT TO KILL YOU

Director: Venus Tamirlan

Best Female Director

Raya Salter

Black Soil Rising: An Alabama Family's Fight for a Legacy Stolen by Oil & Gas

Best Script

Chinese Canary

Betty Jiang