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The 30th Annual Stony Brook Film Festival wrapped up this past weekend — and it went out with a bang.
The 10-day celebration of independent cinema, held at the Staller Center for the Arts at Stony Brook University, welcomed its largest audience since the pandemic and one of the biggest turnouts in the festival’s three-decade history.
This year’s lineup featured 36 original films from 19 different countries — including world and U.S. premieres, award contenders, and exclusive in-person screenings that couldn’t be streamed or found anywhere else.
“The Stony Brook Film Festival continues to prove that independent storytelling is alive and thriving — and that there’s a passionate audience for it right here on Long Island,” said festival organizers.
The big winners
Here’s a look at the top films honored at the 2025 Stony Brook Film Festival:
Jury Award for Best Feature: Mistura
From the U.S. and Peru, Mistura follows a privileged French-Peruvian woman whose life unravels after a betrayal — leading her into the culinary world and the communities she once ignored.
Jury Award for Best Short: My Name is Dania
An Israeli short about a man trying to connect with his ailing father, who lives in immigrant housing and suffers from Alzheimer’s.
Spirit of Independent Filmmaking Award: Mad Bills to Pay
A coming-of-age Bronx story about Rico, a 19-year-old cocktail hustler whose summer fun comes to a crashing halt when his pregnant teenage girlfriend moves in.
Jury Award for Directing: Westhampton
A gripping Long Island tale by Christian Nilsson about a filmmaker haunted by a high school tragedy — and forced to confront his past back in his hometown.
Audience Award for Best Feature: Nawi
From Germany and Kenya, this film tells the story of a young girl in rural Kenya who fights to escape a forced marriage in pursuit of her dreams.
Audience Award for Best Short: A Guest in My Country
A New York City Uber ride turns revealing for a couple and their immigrant driver in this short by John Gray.
Click here to view the full list of winners and more on the 2025 Stony Brook Film Festival.
Photo Credit: Amber Lewis
