The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the winners of the 52nd Student Academy Awards, recognizing 14 outstanding student filmmakers from around the globe. This year’s competition drew 3,127 submissions from 988 colleges and universities, highlighting the exceptional talent and creativity emerging in the next generation of filmmakers. The 2025 winners join a prestigious lineage that includes Spike Lee, Robert Zemeckis, Pete Docter, Patricia Riggen, and Patricia Cardoso.
For the first time, the Student Academy Awards ceremony was held in New York City at the Ziegfeld Ballroom on October 6, coinciding with the New York Film Festival in partnership with Rolex. The event celebrated the finalists’ achievements and unveil the gold, silver, and bronze winners in four categories: Alternative/Experimental, Animation, Documentary, and Narrative.
The Alternative/Experimental category recognized Mati Granica (“flower_gan,” London College of Communication, UK), Xindi Zhang (“The Song of Drifters,” University of Southern California), and Vega Moltke-Leth (“Without Perfection,” University of Copenhagen, Denmark). In Animation, winners included Sofiia Chuikovska, Loïck du Plessis D’Argentré, and Maud Le Bras (“The Shyness of Trees,” Gobelins, France), Tobias Eckerlin (“A Sparrow’s Song,” Film Academy Baden-Württemberg, Germany), and Lucas Ansel (“The 12 Inch Pianist,” Rhode Island School of Design).
The Documentary category honored Rebeka Bizubová (“Confession,” Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, Slovakia), Jane Deng (“I Remember,” New York University), and Tatiana McCabe (“Tides of Life,” University of the West of England Bristol, UK). In Narrative, awardees included Meyer Levinson-Blount (“Butcher’s Stain,” Tel Aviv University, Israel), Jan Saczek (“Dad’s Not Home,” Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School, Poland), and Zefan Wang (“Kubrick, Like I Love You,” Columbia University).
Several winners represent institutions achieving first-time honors, including the University of Copenhagen, Gobelins, Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School, Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, London College of Communication, and University of the West of England Bristol.
In addition to award recognition, winners will participate in a robust weekend of educational programming, networking, and exclusive access to Academy members, supporting their development as emerging industry professionals. All winning films will also be eligible to compete for the 98th Oscars in the Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film, or Documentary Short Film categories. Historically, Student Academy Award winners have garnered 69 Oscar nominations and 15 wins.
Established in 1972, the Student Academy Awards provide a global platform for emerging talent, connecting student filmmakers with opportunities to showcase their work and advance their careers in the film industry.