Lonely Seal International Film, Screenplay & Music Festival
2025 Festival Winners
Our judges had a very difficult time choosing this year’s winners, but we are thrilled to present to you the best our festival had to offer. So, without further ado, here is the batch of creativity that told the stories “most aching to be told.”
Welcome to “Stories Aching To Be Told,” hosted at the Regent Theatre, a 456-seat visually and acoustically stunning gem located in Arlington, Massachusetts (near Boston). We are more than just an event; we are a supportive community that stands by you and champions your creative journey throughout the year. We invite all creators to connect with us beyond the festival dates. Our mission is to nurture your growth and success both in the moment and for a lifetime. Our winners have the opportunity to showcase their work to cinema buyers at the Cannes Film Festival and Cannes Film Market, and our winners in the sports divisions get Cannes, plus an invite to broadcast on the Ryz Sports Network, with a revenue share from the broadcast. Lonely Seal is committed to providing exceptional exposure for selected projects. We’ve added a few sports-related categories, all of which include an invite to broadcast on the Ryz Sports Network, with a revenue share from the broadcast. We’ve also added a few comedy categories, because we believe there needs to be more laughter in the world. We embrace diversity, women’s voices, and films about disabilities, and we welcome stories from all genres. We LOVE premieres, so if you’re interested in premiering at Lonely Seal, we have a heightened interest in showcasing your work. Lonely Seal is a festival you won’t forget attending, because you won’t be joining a crowd; you’ll be joining a family. So click that “submit” button below and send us your work, because we can’t help you thrive until you send us your awesomeness!
Prizes & Key Dates
GRAND PRIZE AWARD
Grand Prize – A showcase for cinema buyers at Cannes, and any other international or domestic sales market that Lonely Seal attends during the year of the win, as well as preferred placement on Lonely Seal Streaming, and strategic distribution advice, which includes insight into financing, packaging, and distribution. We’re looking to showcase the story “Most aching to be told.”
FILM AWARDS: Feature Length Awards:
Best Feature Film – Showcase for buyers at Cannes and strategic distribution advice.
Best International Feature Film – Showcase for buyers at Cannes and strategic distribution device.
Best Documentary Feature Film – Showcase for buyers at Cannes and strategic distribution device.
Best Comedy Feature Film – Showcase for buyers at Cannes and strategic distribution device.
Best Sports-Related Feature Film – An invite to broadcast on the Ryz Sports Network, with a revenue share from your broadcast, a showcase for buyers at Cannes and strategic distribution device.
Best Film Accessible Feature – Showcase for buyers at Cannes and strategic distribution device.
FILM AWARDS: Short Form Awards
Best Short Film – Showcase for interested producers and sales agents at Cannes.
Best International Short Film – Showcase for interested producers and sales agents at Cannes.
Best Documentary Short – Showcase for buyers at Cannes and strategic distribution device.
Best Comedy Short Film – Showcase for buyers at Cannes and strategic distribution device.
Best Sports-Related Short Film – An invite to broadcast on the Ryz Sports Network, with a revenue share from your broadcast, a showcase for buyers at Cannes and strategic distribution device.
Best Film Accessible Short – Showcase for buyers at Cannes and strategic distribution device.
SCREENPLAY AWARDS
Best Feature Screenplay – Showcase for interested producers and sales agents at Cannes. Script development and financing advice.
Best Short Screenplay – Showcase for interested producers and sales agents at Cannes. Script development and financing advice.
Best Script Accessible Feature Screenplay – Showcase for interested producers and sales agents at Cannes. Script development and financing advice.
Best Script Accessible Short – Showcase for interested producers and sales agents at Cannes. Script development and financing advice.
MUSIC AWARDS
Best Music Video – Strategic distribution advice.
KEY DATES
Festival submissions open August 25, 2025.
The early bird submission deadline is October 31, 2025.
The regular submission deadline is March 31, 2026.
The late submission deadline is April 20, 2026.
All selections for our Arlington, MA (Boston) festival will be notified by April 27, 2026.
Our festival is from August 27-30, 2026, at the Regent Theatre in Arlington, MA.
Winners will be announced on Sunday, August 30, 2026, at our awards ceremony.