Category: AUDIENCE AWARDS – 2025 ARFF AMSTERDAM

(Finalist)

Original Film Title: Like the Rain, Like the Sea

Director’s Name: Sogol Khermandar

Writer’s Name: Sogol Khermandar

Producer: Sogol Khermandar, Majid Barzegar

Country of Origin: Iran, Islamic Republic of

Country of Filming : Iran, Islamic Republic of

Language: Farsi

Runtime: 54 minutes 24 seconds

Film Description:

Monireh Sadat Hosseini, who prefers to be called “DARYA”, is a young girl born blind. Darya could recognize lights, but this was limited and her mother believes Imam Reza healed her daughter during their trip to the holy city of Mashhad. Darya is a bright smart girl at school and has a big desire to become president. She fights hard against insults from friends, family, and people around her; People who believe that her disease is a sign of God’s anger on herself and her mother. Darya seeks to exact retribution in a different way by leading a fulfilling life. She writes poetry and paints. She adores dancing. All her time is devoted to learning different languages and building bridges to communicate with individuals all around the world. Now she is 23 years old. Although her vision has reached the lowest possible level, she is at peace and content with it. She reconciled with this congenital problem. She holds her white safety cane and goes on. Her proficiency in 17 foreign languages including English, French, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Turkish, and more …gives her the self-assurance she needs to pursue her dream of becoming a professional globetrotter and make it happen to help other blind people around the world. Darya has so far traveled to eight countries in a completely independent way. Staying among people and forming friendships with people of other cultures makes her happy. Her vision, her unconquerable manner, and her intention can play a role. She can serve as an inspiration for a better society and for anyone who sees themselves as disabled.

(Finalist)

Original Film Title: Goodbye / Nevesoma

Director’s Name: Anastasia Bezhan

Writer’s Name: Anastasia Bezhan, Valeria Shlyapina, Nastiya Kai

Producer: Anastasia Bezhan, Daniil Kartashov

Country of Origin: United States

Country of Filming : Russian Federation

Language: English, Russian

Runtime: 2 minutes 22 seconds

Film Description:

“Goodbye” is a surreal visual poem about the quiet violence of self-transformation. Blending soft horror and mythological symbolism, the video follows the artist through slime-coated cocoons, sterile hospital corridors, animal totems, and haunting dreamscapes. It explores identity as something constantly shedding, splitting, and blooming — where beauty and decay coexist.
The final verse unfolds in a language tied to earth, memory, and myth — a soft echo of my Slavic heritage.

(Honorable Mention)

Original Film Title: écht?

Director’s Name: Jonathan Sipkema, Jonathan Bergsma

Writer’s Name: Jonathan Sipkema, Jonathan Bergsma

Producer: Merijn Swinkels

Country of Origin: Netherlands

Country of Filming : Netherlands

Language: English, French

Runtime: 29 minutes 40 seconds

Film Description:

Because Johnny is in denial about his emotions and runs from all confrontation he gets more and more detached from reality. When his simulated carefree nature comes undone he is thrust onto a surreal quest through his own psyche to find his love and grip on his own identity.

(Finalist)

Original Film Title: Abstory – Season 1 (6 episodes)

Director’s Name: Chloé Boutet

Writer’s Name: Chloé Boutet

Producer: Chloé Boutet, Vincent Moreau, Maud Koenig O’carroll

Country of Origin: Canada, France

Country of Filming : Canada, France

Language: English, French

Runtime: 2 hours

Film Description:

Where does the culture of alcohol come from, and why do we feel compelled to drink? Abstory immerses us in the daily lives of six public figures who have chosen to live without alcohol. Artists, sommeliers, athletes, explorers — each person recounts their intimate and powerful journey toward sobriety, a newfound source of inspiration and transformation for themselves and society at large.

(Jury Award)

Original Film Title: Vaja – People Are People

Director’s Name: Vaja

Writer’s Name: Vaja, Steve Horner, Depeceh Mode

Producer: Vaja, Steve Horner, David Christopher Lee, Michael W. Abbott

Country of Origin: United States

Country of Filming : United States

Language: English

Runtime: 5 minutes

Film Description:

A powerful woman’s journey within a futuristic dystopia world of different people in a society that challenges individuality & race. Visually and emotional scenes resonate with those who see the beauty of diversity, empathy and the universal bond that connects us all.

As the video reaches its climax, the cityscape and desert transforms into a beautiful array of colors, symbolizing unity.

Her mesmerizing performance and message becomes clear: “People Are People,” and the importance of embracing humanity.

In the end, Vaja’s directorial debut captures the pure essence of her vision.

(Finalist)

Original Film Title: Perpetual Love

Director’s Name: Danny L Lee

Writer’s Name: Danny L Lee

Producer: Danita K Lee

Country of Origin: United States

Country of Filming : United States

Language: English

Runtime: 2 hours 3 minutes

Film Description:

Waking to a different wife every day in his own bed, is only the beginning of his problems. Caught in this perpetual loop, he only longs to be back with his real wife. The question is: can he survive and endure the labyrinth, now that time is irrelevant.

(Audience Award Winner)

Original Film Title: APPology

Director’s Name: Marco von Moos

Writer’s Name: Julia Salome Nauer

Producer: Remo Marti

Country of Origin: Switzerland

Country of Filming : Switzerland

Language: English, German

Runtime: 1 hour 45 minutes

Film Description:

5 very different friends embark on a journey to create the ultimate app that turns you into your perfect self, all controlled by an Artificial Intelligence.

(Honorable Mention)

Original Film Title: The Big Johnson

Director’s Name: Lola Rocknrolla

Writer’s Name: Lola Rocknrolla

Producer: Lola Rocknrolla, Beth Johnson, Patty Lovemore

Country of Origin: United States

Country of Filming : United States

Language: English

Runtime: 1 hour 35 minutes

Film Description:

Dean Johnson was a famous New York drag queen, rock star, sex party promoter and late in life escort. In 2007 Dean went on a job and never came back. Was it just an accidental OD, Dean had a history of drug use or was it something more sinister? Another escort died in the same apartment four days earlier. The mystery of his death is only part of Dean Johnson’s wild life. Dean was the first in many things, the first bald drag queen, the first to throw sex parties in the 80s during the AIDS crisis, the first openly gay singer on Island records (which cost him his record deal). The first and only person to throw a LGBTQ party at the iconic rock club CBGBs. Through Deans ups and downs, heroin, sobriety, love, sex, music, community, HIV, poverty, Dean survived them all. Until he didn’t. This film brings you into the burned out, fabulous world of the 80s East Village where the looming AIDS crisis made you want to live every day like it was your last. Dean Johnson personified this time in New York and in gay history. Dean Johnson was the man, the myth, the Big Johnson.