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Hang On To Your Shorts Film Festival

April 5-6, 2024 • Red Bank, NJ

The Hang on to Your Shorts Film Festival is in its 10th year of bringing great short films and art to iconic Asbury Park, New Jersey. In 2023 we returned to our traditional, in-person roots of beautiful Asbury Park, at the Jersey Shore.

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 2024 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 2024 to make sure the HOTYS 2025 is even better. We hope to see you again.

Warmly,
BK, Chris O, Hiram, and the HOTYS Crew!

2024 Winners

Best Drama“Testament”
Best Comedy“When a Blind Man Cries”
Best Horror/Thriller“Nose Goes”
Best NJ Short“Heart of Gold”
Best Music Video“Home”
Best Animation“Red Iron Road: In the Heat” -
Best Documentary“This is Why We Train’ – The Sea Girt Beach Patrol
Best International ShortHedgehog
Best Ensemble“When a Blind Man Cries”
Best Screenplay“The Light at the End”
Best Cinematography“Meditations of Ecclesiastes”
Best Actress – ComedyAshton Clay for “A View to a Beehive”
Best Actress - Horror/ThrillerMakayla Patton for “Noes Goes”
Best Actress – DramaSarah Ceballos for “Hero”
Best Actor – ComedySteve Hanisch for “When a Blind Man Cries”
Best Actor - Horror/ThrillerJohn Michael Hardin for “Cutter”
Best Actor – DramaMichael Fedele - “The Better Man”
Best Supporting Actor – ComedySam Anthony for “Cleaners”
Best Supporting Actor Horror/ThrillerBill Timoney for “100 Proof Warlock”
Best Supporting Actress – ComedyMarcia Haufrecht for “A View to a Beehive”
Best Supporting Actress - Horror/ThrillerGiGi Grace for “Noes Goes”
Best Director – ComedyChristian Cordes for “Just Desserts”
Best Director - Horror/ThrillerEden Wright for “Cutter”
Best Director – DramaGadi Rubin for “The Naming of Things”
Best Student Film (College)Personalized Futures
Best Student Film (High School)Cry of the Yellow Moon
Best Short ShortOne Last Time
Best Medium ShortCall Failed
Best Long ShortThe Worst Best Man Ever
Rising StarHunter Nickless and Allegra Novikov

The Hang on to Your Shorts Film Festival is in its 10th year of bringing great short films and art to iconic Asbury Park, New Jersey. In 2023 we returned to our traditional, in-person roots of beautiful Asbury Park, at the Jersey Shore.

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!

This festival is so welcoming and fun to attend!! Love the enthusiasm of Rich, Brian and Hiram. I have gone to this festival three times now and never been disappointed. Great to meet the other filmmakers as well!!

Kristin S.

Great Festival! Jersey and its people received us with open arms. The organizers are incredible people that care about your art and you as a creator. This Festival has a great sense of community and genuine appreciation for the art of film making.

Royce L.

I absolutely love this festival and they are so great to the filmmakers! I have been in this festival with both of my short films and i HIGHLY recommend for anyone in the trig-state area to submit to! Great programming and opportunities to network for filmmakers.

Kisha P.

I really enjoyed taking part in the “Hang On to Your Shorts” Film Fest. COVID didn’t allow for it to be a live event and spoiled potential networking opportunities but I look forward to submitting to them again in the future and attending a live screening. Everyone was friendly and communicated well.

Michael B.

This festival is definitely worth your attention, filmmakers. The folks in charge are generous and know what they're doing. Your film will seen side-by-side with GREAT films made my talented people. Super glad to have been part of this.

Jamie D.

We love love loved being a part of this film festival! They treated the pandemic year with as much care and excitement as they would a live screening and made every effort for the festival to be a celebration of great film works! We will definitely submit again!

Vanessa P.

What People Are Saying About Us

Submit your film today and join the fun on April 5-6, 2024!