After a month of incredible creativity and more than 680 submissions, the wait is over. We’re proud to announce the winners of the Fall 2025 Filmsupply Editfest.
From standout storytelling to masterful technique, let’s celebrate the Best Advertisement, Best Trailer, Best Title Sequence, and People’s Choice and congratulate the filmmakers taking home their share of $70K+ in cash and prizes.
FILMSUPPLY EDITFEST FALL 2025 WINNERS
BEST ADVERTISEMENT: “WinterLight Excursions”
CREDITS
Editor: J Michael
JUDGES’ FEEDBACK
From Valerie Lasser, editor at Big Sky Edit | Amazon, Nationwide, Nespresso
This entry was a nice montage with strong copy. I really liked the picture-in-picture layering and the use of sound design, which both added depth and interest.
My only note would be that the voiceover didn’t feel quite strong enough to fully anchor the piece. Overall, a creative and well-executed entry.
From Amy Rosenberg, editor at Cut+Run | Meta, Dove, NFL, Calvin Klein
Great storytelling and wonderful presentation — the pacing and sound design were excellent. Technically very strong and engaging throughout. I really appreciate how you took a familiar concept and made it feel fresh and different. Great job.
From Anne-Laure D’hooghe, film editor at Rock Paper Scissors | Samsung, GAP, Corcoran, Infiniti
It’s a visually beautiful spot. The VO lacks a bit of emotion, but I do like the story, the use of mixed media with stills; it was very well executed. The first shot threw me off a bit, maybe the machinery. I would have maybe started with something different. I do wish I felt a bit more emotion watching it.
From Tiffany Taveras, editor and colorist at Whitehouse Post | Grey Goose, Coca-Cola, Modelo, Fujifilm
Really great work! I loved the shift in narrative, where we went from everyday people experiencing the cold in real life to the possibilities in the cold. Such a great transition! The music was great, the VO was spot on.
My only critique is that the ending was SO fast. The lines “discover winter, discover the outdoors” weren’t the most creative lines in comparison to your really creative spot. And the end product line and super were just a bit too quick for me. Lastly, loved the addition of the grain, gave this spot a more rugged feel that looked great.
From Michelle Zelazny, senior producer at Consulate NYC | adidas, Calvin Klein, L’Oreal, Louis Vuitton
Loved the sound design and edit pace on this one! The little inserts added to the overall flow, and it felt seamless. Really enjoyed this one!
ADVERTISEMENT FINALISTS
Jogo Bonito | The Beautiful Game
BEST TRAILER: “LOVEBUG”
CREDITS
Editor: Faye Miravalles
JUDGES’ FEEDBACK
From Aly Weatherford, senior producer at Edelman | LEGO, eBay, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, CVS Health
This was really fun. I love thrillers and think they’re always made a little bit better when they feature a hot psychotic woman. In all seriousness, what grabbed me the most was the electric feel of this cut, the bright, neon palette, the gorgeously designed gfx, and the interesting narrative concept.
Broadly speaking, I think the concept is unique and the story is compelling. It feels lightly influenced by the dystopian elements of an increasingly digital world that often feels manipulative and alluring all at once. The characters and narrative structure feature some existing tropes, and the story’s look-and-feel reminded me a bit of Strange Darling and Companion. I did rely on the summary blurb in the description as a hint to the story, but after a rewatch or two, I found it clearer.
From Jens Jacob, executive producer at Sypher | Google, Vimeo, AT&T
I really liked the style. It felt like I was about to watch an A24 film. Felt compelling and made me want to know more, even if I didn’t get the full story.
From JD Smyth, editor and partner at Final Cut | Nike, AT&T, Comcast, NFL
Excellent. Compelling, intriguing, excellently paced. Engaging and abstract. The only reason I gave the storyline a 9 is that it’s an honest answer; but it doesn’t seem like the kind of feature that explicitly spells itself out anyway. Loved this.
From director and editor Al Benoit | Nike, NYT, Volvo, Dove
This trailer immediately brought to mind Cam (Daniel Goldhaber) and Like Me (Robert Mockler). Feels like it lives in that same neon-drenched, internet-obsessed world. The story is clear and compelling: a man falls for a cam girl, gradually losing control as he tries to satisfy her. Thought the use of dialogue snippets gave just enough insight into their dynamic without over-explaining. The storytelling is confident and cohesive, and I appreciated how the edit held a consistent, languid rhythm throughout.
That being said, I would’ve loved to see the pacing evolve more toward the end. To feel that spiral of obsession more viscerally. Felt like the edit itself could have mirrored that unraveling. With the rhythm of the cuts tightening, the energy ramping up, and the imagery becoming more chaotic. Letting both the pacing and the song build and fracture — through escalating tempo, distortion, or a breakdown in sound design — could’ve given the finale a stronger emotional crescendo.
Visually, it looks great. The saturated neon tones and 4:3 aspect ratio perfectly capture the artificial intimacy of this world. A few moments in a 9×16 format could’ve pushed it even further — reinforcing the digital voyeurism at the story’s core. Overall, Lovebug is an intriguing, stylish piece that nails tone and atmosphere — just shy of that final punch to make it unforgettable.
From Karen Kourtessis, editor at Union Editorial | Walmart, Google, Cisco, Pedigree
Love the first 1/2 – it’s written well ,and the structure of a trailer is great. I didn’t feel enough for what was going to happen. Possibly too many abstract shots. Structure is done well, though.
TRAILER FINALISTS
BEST TITLE SEQUENCE: “THE DECISION”
CREDITS
Editor: Bennet Sigmundczyk
JUDGES’ FEEDBACK
From Jordan Wright, producer at Untold Studios | Amazon Music, Universal Music, Estée Lauder
This sequence was a bit fast for me, with perhaps too many elements competing for the spotlight. I’m assuming the story is about a couple who may or may not be deciding to have a baby amidst the chaos of their world, but I’m not sure. I think with some time, this could be refined into a really nice sequence. I think specific emotional imagery with a slower, more deliberate pace could help land that. And at the end, I felt like the typefaces were too different to belong on the same frame together.
The music choice also indicates to me that one of the people in the couple might feel “like a ghost” in the relationship, but none of the visuals reinforced that for me, so I’m left wondering what that is speaking to. Obviously this sequence is intriguing and has led me to narrativize the visuals for myself, so that is an achievement!
From Phoebe Brown, producer at Unblinking Eye Films | NBC, CNN, History, Vice
This title sequence felt very emotionally engaging. The song track was evocative and intriguing. There was a lot of human connection. The DNA sequence running through and starting with the fetus leads me to believe this is going to be a sort of genetic sci-fi thriller.
The pacing of the edit and how the images relate to each other worked really well. And then we see these characters that are all interesting, with flashes of what drives the story, with a central couple, I assume, the story will revolve around. Overall, I’d watch this show based on the title sequence, so great job.
From Eddie Kesler, senior editor and VP at Company 3 | Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, Google, HP
this one is great. love most everything about it. the edit is great. the music is great. the color is great and the type is great. nice work!
TITLE SEQUENCE FINALISTS
PEOPLE’S CHOICE: “My Father, the Serial Killer”
CREDITS
Editor: Samuel Brown
JUDGES’ FEEDBACK
From Aly Weatherford, senior producer at Edelman | LEGO, eBay, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, CVS Health
Lovely work! I love docs in this sub-genre and found this to be a captivating and very clean-cut trailer. With that said, I felt the concept could push boundaries a bit further and dig a little deeper. I didn’t find it particularly unique for its category, despite a doc-style approach being a unique, great way in to this competition. I’m curious how this could leave me asking more questions, hint at a twist or unexpected element, and keep me on my toes.
With that said, I found the edit super clear and concise from a storytelling perspective, and could immediately follow the plot in a single watch, which is, of course, massively important in a trailer. The graphics were neat, and readability was great, and cuts were smooth and well-timed. The VO drove a lot of the emotion, and I loved the idea of using home video, film, and family footage to build the story, but felt that without a visual of our lead “character,” it was difficult to emotionally connect with. I’d love to see boundaries pushed on emotional resonance, and a little mystery added to the narrative hook.
Technically, this felt well-executed, but safe. Font choices, sound design, VO were neat and clean. The cut is smooth, the type animation is simple, but effective. This piece shows a fantastic foundation of technical skill and a capable creator – all it’s missing is a little bit of magic! Push creative boundaries, get experimental, go forth, and continue to crush it!
From Jens Jacob, executive producer at Sypher | Google, Vimeo, AT&T
I think it feels like a very down-the-middle doc trailer. Would have wanted to see something maybe more unique, but I think from a technical standpoint, it was very good. My only feedback, if we had to stick with this concept, was more use of sound bites to keep it going; it felt like it relied too much on just the music. Great job regardless!
From JD Smyth, editor and partner at Final Cut | Nike, AT&T, Comcast, NFL
Solid, but familiar. Well executed, but hampered by being part of a cluttered landscape of serial killer true crime.
From director and editor Al Benoit | Nike, NYT, Volvo, Dove
“My Father, The Serial Killer” captures the tone and pacing of a modern true-crime doc well. It feels like something that could live on Netflix. The pacing is strong, building slowly and deliberately before hitting a more intense rhythm toward the end. Structurally, it works.
That said, the concept itself feels a bit too familiar. The title is on the nose, and the story — as presented here — doesn’t quite set itself apart from the flood of true-crime content already out there. What’s the angle that makes this new or essential viewing? The glimpses of the son’s perspective hint at something more emotionally layered, and I found myself wanting the piece to lean harder into that — exploring the psychological and moral weight of being the child of a killer, rather than the standard recounting of crimes.
The sound design is serviceable, though I was thrown by the use of camera shutter sounds over old home movie footage. That choice didn’t quite line up conceptually. Also, remember to double-check some of your spelling on titles.
Visually, it hits the right doc tone, but the footage feels inconsistent in texture and could have benefited from a cohesive grade to unify the look. Likewise, the music works in tone but remains fairly one-note. It doesn’t quite build tension or deepen the emotion as it progresses.
Overall, this is a competent and well-structured trailer that nails the style of true crime, but it doesn’t yet carve out its own identity. It’s solid, but I’m not sure what makes it stand out in an already crowded space.
From Karen Kourtessis, editor at Union Editorial | Walmart, Google, Cisco, Pedigree
For a crime doc trailer, it’s pretty good. But for originality, the storyline suffers a bit. The technical skills of putting a trailer together are strong, but the writing could have been clearer – “it took his murder to find out the truth” or something like that might have ended it for more clarity – it seems like the son killed the father from that line – but I’m not sure. But if that is the case, I would have been more emotionally engaged.
