Xposure Film Awards 2025 honors top filmmakers from 834 global entries

Photo: Sharjah Government Media Bureau

The Xposure International Film Awards 2025 celebrated the best in global filmmaking, honoring talented directors and storytellers from around the world. This year, the competition received an impressive 834 entries, showing a significant rise in participation compared to last year’s event.

The second edition of the Xposure International Film Awards was part of the 9th International Photography Festival in Sharjah. The event continues to serve as a global platform for filmmakers, recognizing creativity and excellence in visual storytelling.

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The awards ceremony took place during the festival and highlighted the power of films to move audiences, challenge perspectives, and bring people together. With four main categories—Short Film, Animation, Cinematic Arts, and Documentary Feature—the event showcased the diversity and innovation of filmmakers from various backgrounds.

The awards were presented by HE Tariq Saeed Allay, Director General of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), and HE Alya Al Suwaidi, Director of SGMB. Each category featured remarkable winners and runners-up, representing different styles and storytelling approaches. In the Short Film category, Iranian filmmaker Payam Mahmoudi Kurdistani won first place for his gripping film Nietzschean Suicide, while Andrea Devicenzi from Italy earned the runner-up position for Crossing The North. The Animation category saw Andrés Aguilar from Spain take home the top prize for his film The Strange Case Of The Human Cannonball, with Mustafa Keskin from Turkey as the runner-up for Ari-6427.

The Cinematic Arts category awarded first place to Mehrshad Karkhani from Iran for Bruise-Lips Tulip, while Finnish filmmakers Markku Hakala and Mari Käki secured second place with Giants Kettle. In the Documentary Feature category, Jurgen Buedts and Sahim Omar Kalifa from Belgium received top honors for Iraq’s Invisible Beauty, and Portuguese filmmaker Diogo Andrade was the runner-up for Sikat Subar – A Hidden Colourful Feather.

Aside from celebrating new talents, Xposure 2025 also recognized 10 influential figures in the film industry. These individuals have made a lasting impact on filmmaking and played a key role in making this event a success. The honorees included Academy Award winners and industry leaders such as Brent Homann, Franklin Leonard, Glenn Gainor, Jerome Pink, Maitha Alawadi, Martin Desmone Roe, Pippa Erlich, Roger Horrocks, Siraj Jhaveri, and Travon Free. Each of them was honored for their contributions to cinema and their dedication to storytelling.

The Xposure International Film Awards continue to grow each year, providing a space for filmmakers to share their work with global audiences. The 2025 edition built upon the success of the previous year, proving that the art of filmmaking is thriving. Through inspiring films and meaningful recognition, Xposure remains a beacon for creativity in the film industry.