British success in Sony Future Filmmaker Awards
Posted on Jun 6, 2025 by Adam Duckworth
Two Brits beat 7500 rivals to take top honours in the global contest to find next-generation talent
The Sony Future Filmmaker Awards announced the 2025 winners during a special ceremony hosted by Emmy-award winner Denny Directo in the iconic Sony Pictures Studios Scenic Arts Building in Culver City. And two of the winners are British – Juliet Klottrup and Hayder Hoozeer.
Travelling Home, Juliet Klottrup
Rock Paper Scissors, Hayder Hoozeer & Franz Böhm
The Sony Future Filmmaker Awards announced the 2025 winners during a special ceremony hosted by Emmy-award winner Denny Directo in the iconic Sony Pictures Studios Scenic Arts Building in Culver City. And two of the winners are British – Juliet Klottrup and Hayder Hoozeer.
Now in its third edition, this trailblazing global awards program for short films established by Creo and sponsored by Sony ignites the careers of emerging visionaries, amplifying bold storytelling from different corners of the world.
Selected for their outstanding work from over 11,750 films submitted by more than 7,500 filmmakers across 158 countries and territories, the winners of the Sony Future Filmmaker Awards 2025 are: Rossana Montoya (Colombia, Fiction), Juliet Klottrup (United Kingdom, Non-Fiction), Santiago O’Ryan & José Navarro (Chile, Animation), and Hayder Hoozeer & Franz Böhm (United Kingdom / Germany, Student).
FICTION
The Fiction category rewards narrative-led submissions that convey an original fictional story or event. The category winner receives Sony Digital Imaging equipment and a $5,000 (USD) cash prize. In the Fiction category, the winner was presented by Jason Reitman, Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker and Sony Future Filmmaker Awards 2025 jury member:
- Rossana Montoya (Colombia), My Demon– As they race to the hospital for the imminent birth of their first child, Eva and Jacobo clash over their relationship. Shot in a single 17-minute take, the film infuses the raw emotional intensity of two on-screen characters into this intimate narrative.
NON-FICTION
The Non-Fiction category awards short films that are predominantly factual in content. These can include archive footage, documentary footage, reenactments and animation. The category winner receives Sony Digital Imaging equipment and a $5,000 (USD) cash prize. In the Non-Fiction category, the winner was presented by Elizabeth Gabler, President, 3000 Pictures and Sony Future Filmmaker Awards 2025 jury member:
- Juliet Klottrup(UK), Travelling Home – An English Romany Traveller reflects on his heritage and the annual pilgrimage to Appleby Fair. Shot on 16mm film, the analogue texture enhances the film’s exploration of time, tradition, and belonging, reflecting Klottrup’s collaborative approach with local communities and her visual artistry focused on rural identity.
ANIMATION
The Animation category embraces filmmakers using stop-motion, motion graphics, computer animation, drawn-on-film, rotoscoping, experimental animation, and additional available techniques. The category winner receives Sony Sony Digital Imaging equipment and a $5,000 (USD) cash prize. In the Animation category, the winner was presented by Minhal Baig, filmmaker, writer, and Sony Future Filmmaker Awards 2025 jury member:
- Santiago O’Ryan & José Navarro (Chile), Hermanos Casablanca (Casablanca Brothers)– At the height of the Pinochet dictatorship, two divers agree to help an army official in the hope of receiving information on their missing sister in return. The film employs engaging visual storytelling and a muted and dark colour palette to evoke a sense of loss, uncertainty and danger.
STUDENT
The Student category rewards filmmakers studying a film course at a registered institution at a diploma or degree level worldwide. The category winner and their institution each receive Sony Digital Imaging equipment. In the Student category, the winner was presented by Tatsuhito Tabuchi, Head of New Contents Creation Business Unit, Sony Corporation:
- Hayder Hoozeer (UK) & Franz Böhm (Germany), The National Film & Television School, Rock Paper Scissors– Based on a true story, a father and son in a warzone hospital face life-or-death choices as their hideout becomes increasingly compromised. Their direction uses stark color contrasts and claustrophobic settings to heighten the film’s emotional impact, supporting the actors’ powerful performances.
Following a successful third edition, the Sony Future Filmmaker Awards will return for a fourth edition in spring 2026, with submissions opening July 2025. To learn more about the winning and shortlisted filmmakers, please visit sonyfuturefilmmakerawards.com.
