The USA Film Festival and their National Jurors will announce and screen the winners of the Short Film competition. Awards are given to the top picks in Fiction, Animation and Non-Fiction categories as well as awards for Texas ties, student achievement and more.

USAFF prize winners who were recognized early in their careers include Alexander Payne, Todd Haynes, Wes Anderson, Bill Plympton, Michael Almereyda, John Lasseter, and many more.
The USAFF is an Academy-qualified program and many films recognized here have gone on to be shortlisted and nominated for the Academy Award®. Recent Competition-winning films that were qualified for Academy consideration include 2007’s Academy Award winner West Bank Story, 2010’s nominated Kavi and 2011’s shortlisted Ana’s Playground. 2012’s student winner Nani and 2013’s student winner Josephine and the Roach both won a Student Academy Award.