Returns to Red Bank, New Jersey
On Friday and Saturday,
May 1st and 2nd of 2026
Mark your calendars and stay tuned for the official selections for our “Lucky 13th” year of film art.
A quick “post-festival” message from the HOTYS Crew…
A heartfelt THANK YOU to all of the actors, directors, writers, scorers, etc..all of the creatives whose art and passion made the 2025 version of the Hang Onto Your Shorts Film Festival such a resounding success. We are humbled to know that you entrusted us with your art, and we were SO excited to meet you, and share a moment with you. Meeting you is, by far, the most rewarding part of what we do.
Beautiful Red Bank, New Jersey is new and unexplored ground for us. We will be working for the remainder of 2025 to make sure the HOTYS 2026 is even better. We hope to see you again.
Warmly,
BK, Chris O, Hiram, and the HOTYS Crew!
2026 Winners
| Best Director (Horror/Thriller) | Nadine Madell - Choice |
| Best Director (Comedy) | BJ Barretta - A Quart of Salt |
| Best Director (Drama) | Kristen Buckels Cantrell - Wooly Bully |
| Best Actor - Horror/Thriller | Daniel Martin Berkey - A Son's Burden |
| Best Actor - Drama | James Rana - Strays |
| Best Actor - Comedy | David Piccinetti - A Quart of Salt |
| Best Actress - Comedy | Angela Nordeng - Brody's Choice |
| Best Actress - Horror/Thriller | Ionie Olivia Nieves - Hide |
| Best Actress - Drama | Jenna Wood - A Disturbance in the High Desert |
| Best Supporting Actor (Comedy) | Mike Boland - SilverSizzle |
| Best Supporting Actress (Comedy) | Barbara Moonsammy - Midnight at the Diner |
| Best Supporting Actor (Drama) | Ted Lewis - Sprinkles |
| Best Supporting Actress (Drama) | Tillie Howard - A Disturbance in the High Desert |
| Best Documentary | Sisters at the Court |
| Best Animation | Chloe |
| Best Cinematography | Zach Morrison - A Disturbance in the High Desert |
| Best "Medium" Short | A Son's Burden |
| Best "Long" Short | Wooly Bully |
| Best "Short" Short | Sticks and Stones |
| Best NJ Short Film | Jimmy's Older Sister |
| Best Music Video | Mein Fuhrer Blues |
| Best Drama | Wooly Bully |
| Best International Short | Choice |
| Best Horror/Thriller | A Son's Burden |
| Best Comedy | Brody's Choice |
| Best Ensemble | The Allergy Table |
| Best Student Film (College) | Woe |
| Best Student Film (High School) | Echo |
| Best Screenplay | Wake Up Call - Mark Kennedy Buerck |
| Rising Star-2026 | Levi Marsh - Starting From Scratch |
New Jersey is the home of a lot of great film festivals. The Hang Onto Your Shorts Film Festival is unique because it is an intimate and inviting affair, without pretense. We celebrate your art, and we celebrate you! Hang Onto Your Shorts strives to create connections among filmmakers and actors, and these connections often result in collaborations that screen the very next year.
In celebration of the spirit of the Jersey Shore’s musical history, this year we added a “Music Video” category to the awards. We also aim to promote the arts with future creators and collaborators. Accordingly, we have special STUDENT film rates.
We look forward to sharing our creative universe with you, and we look forward to meeting you!
What People Are Saying About Us
Submit your film today and join the fun on May 1-2, 2026!
