- Two-week online selection of movies sees awards handed out for the sixth annual Indy Film Library Student Short Showcase
- ‘Le Sous Sol’ scores hat-trick of Best Director, Best Sound Design and Best Actor for Oskar Wolf de Gruyter, in homeless coming of age story
- Short medical drama ‘Do Not Disturb’ scoops Audience Choice garland, along with Best Screenplay
Since Monday 15th December 2025, Indy Film Library (IFL) has been streaming some of the best student short films it has received over the last year. All the films selected are still available to view via the IFL website.
As the showcase draws to a close, however, IFL has announced the winners from the Student Short Showcase shortlist.
The list of accolades distributed sees Best Film handed to Cel Maatjes – a stop-motion animation film, painstakingly pieced together by co-directors Melle Windig, Hidde Alberts, Miguel Reyes, Jurgen de Smit and Arjen van der Plas. The slapstick prison escape was also picked for Best Editing for its creative and effective montages.
Meanwhile, Oskar Wolf de Gruyter picked up Best Actor for his work on bitter-sweet homelessness drama Le Sous Sol – delivering a measured and subtle display in the film’s central performance of a reluctant host, helping a young rough-sleeper to find their place in the word. Veerle Sara Anna Meijaard also took Best Director for a innovative and impactful story, which resolutely avoids the trappings of “biting off more than can be chewed”. Meanwhile, the film also picked up Best Sound Design for its echoing, subterranean audio backing.
Tourism animation Safe Travels was celebrated for its vibrant visuals, winning Best Cinematography. The film was praised for “working smart”, in prioritising a detailed foreground, while opting for more abstract and artistic background shapes.
Healthcare drama Do Not Disturb won a resounding victory in the Audience Choice Category. Matej Kováč’s slow-burning film won more than half of the overall vote – while also being lauded for Best Screenplay.
IFL Chief Editor Jack Benjamin commented, “As always, I have to thank every single artist involved in the films, for helping make this year’s Student Short Showcase such a success. Second, I must congratulate the winners. These filmmakers are the best of the best, and I am so excited to see what they go on to achieve in their careers. Judging from what we have seen here, the independent film industry’s future is in safe hands.”