The 52nd Student Academy Awards® celebrated emerging filmmakers from around the world in a ceremony held at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City. Hosted in partnership with Rolex, the event honored Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners across multiple categories, recognizing outstanding student work in narrative, documentary, animation, and experimental films.
This year’s competition received 3,127 entries from 988 colleges and universities worldwide. Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Lynette Howell Taylor delivered remarks, while category presenters included Academy Actors Branch Governor Lou Diamond Phillips and filmmakers Craig Brewer, Jon M. Chu, and Alex Woo. The 2025 ceremony is available to view online.
In the Alternative/Experimental category, Xindi Zhang of the University of Southern California won Gold for The Song of Drifters. Silver went to Vega Moltke-Leth from the University of Copenhagen for Without Perfection, while Mati Granica of the London College of Communication in the United Kingdom took Bronze for flower_gan.
In Animation, Tobias Eckerlin of Germany’s Film Academy Baden-Württemberg received Gold for A Sparrow’s Song. Lucas Ansel from the Rhode Island School of Design earned Silver for The 12 Inch Pianist. The Bronze award went to Sofiia Chuikovska, Loïck du Plessis D’Argentré, and Maud Le Bras of Gobelins, France, for The Shyness of Trees.
The Documentary category recognized Tatiana McCabe of the University of the West of England Bristol in the United Kingdom with Gold for Tides of Life. Silver was awarded to Rebeka Bizubová from the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, Slovakia, for Confession, and Bronze went to Jane Deng of New York University for I Remember.
In Narrative, Jan Saczek of the Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School in Poland earned Gold for Dad’s Not Home. Silver was awarded to Meyer Levinson-Blount of Tel Aviv University for Butcher’s Stain, and Bronze went to ZEFAN of Columbia University for Kubrick, Like I Love You.
Several institutions received first-time honors at the Student Academy Awards, including the University of Copenhagen, Gobelins, Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School, Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, London College of Communication, and University of the West of England Bristol.
All Student Academy Award-winning films are eligible to compete for the 98th Oscars® in the Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film, or Documentary Short Film categories. Past Student Academy Award winners, such as Patricia Cardoso, Pete Docter, Spike Lee, Patricia Riggen, and Robert Zemeckis, have received 69 Oscar® nominations and won or shared 15 awards.
Established in 1972, the Student Academy Awards provide a platform for emerging global talent, creating opportunities to showcase student filmmaking work within the industry.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences represents more than 11,000 accomplished film industry professionals worldwide. It connects audiences, members, and filmmakers through its celebration of cinematic achievements, including the Oscars®, Governors Awards, and Scientific and Technical Awards. Its charitable arm, the Academy Foundation, supports education, preservation, and cultural programs, including the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and the Academy Collection, the largest film-related collection in the world.
Rolex, a long-time partner of the Academy, celebrates human achievement through the arts. The brand supports cinema, dance, music, literature, theatre, and visual arts through its Perpetual Arts Initiative. As a sponsor of the Oscars®, Rolex hosts the Greenroom, supports the Governors Awards, and partners with Film at Lincoln Center. The brand also contributes to preserving film history through the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, The Film Foundation, and The National Film and Television School.
The 2025 Student Academy Awards continue the tradition of honoring emerging talent and fostering the next generation of filmmakers worldwide.
