ANNOUNCING OUR SEASON 3 SUMMER EARLY BIRD WINNERS!

We're thrilled to announce the Summer Early Bird winners for the Puerto Aventuras International Film Festival (PAIFF) Season 3! With a record-breaking number of submissions from around the globe, these five remarkable projects have earned automatic official selections and nominations for our annual PAIFF awards event coming in March 2026.

Summer Early Bird Winners:

Best Feature:"Audience" directed by Tom Miller (USA)

Synopsis: Snerdley just wants to see a play. As fate would have it, he IS the play.Tom Miller, a returning PAIFF alumni and previous winner, once again pushes creative boundaries with this surreal and humorously introspective film. Shamrock McShane leads an exceptional cast in this layered exploration of performance, perception, and identity.

Best Documentary:"Sargassum" directed by Claude Barnes (Canada)

This visually stunning documentary highlights the ecological significance and current crisis surrounding the proliferation of Sargassum seaweed in the Caribbean, Mexico, and southern US coastlines. Essential viewing for our Puerto Aventuras community, Barnes expertly navigates critical environmental discussions impacting local and global ecosystems.

Best Short:"Hide" directed by Brenden Hubbard (USA)

Synopsis: Still grieving an immense loss, a father and daughter cling to their bedtime routine for protection against an unimaginable horror that visits nightly. Hubbard, known for his acclaimed works "Curfew" and "Before I Disappear," crafts a gripping narrative infused with emotional depth and atmospheric tension.

Best Animation:"Deadline" directed by Idan Gilboa (Israel)

Gilboa’s black comedy stop-motion short delivers a biting satire wrapped in playful absurdity. Two senior women confront bureaucracy and societal disrespect in a humorous yet impactful exploration of elderly empowerment and friendship.

Best Music Video:"Searching For That Sea" directed by Xavier Guàrdia (Spain)

Guàrdia provides an intimate glimpse into the creative process of the Spanish band CRUDEZAS as they record their track for the documentary "RUTA AL PARAÍSO." His commitment to independent cinema shines in this authentic portrayal of musical artistry.

Congratulations filmmakers!

These standout films are now official selections for our annual festival and will be screening at our event held March 24-29th, 2026. All submissions and new entries remain eligible for the upcoming Fall Early Bird Awards, with the next deadline on September 2nd, and our final deadline for the annual festival isn't until the end of the year.

Stay tuned for more updates as we celebrate creativity from across the world!

Submit your project today: filmfreeway.com/pafilmfestival

Submit a short to our sister festival: filmfreeway.com/roswell-shorts

Follow the progress of our film selections here: pafilmfestival.com/thefilms

Please hashtag us #pafilmfestival #paiff @pafilmfestival on your social media shares!