Congratulations
to our 2025 Short Film Finalists!
We’re excited to announce the winner of this year’s short film challenge on the theme "Doppelgänger." The screening of our Top 3 finalists was a beautiful success and we’re so proud to celebrate their creativity. It was a real joy to present it to our audience on our final festival day. We look forward to witnessing the future work of these talented filmmakers. Enjoy our finalists’ submissions below!
>> CROSSING THE UNCANNY VALLEY
by Bradley Tangonan - “FilmFreude 2025 Short Film Winner”
At a secluded countryside home, an android explores what it means to act like a human.
Meet the minds behind the films
-
✺
» Bradley Tangonan - FilmFreude 2025 Short Film Finalist & Winner
Bradley Tangonan is a Filipino filmmaker born in Hawaiʻi and based in New York City. He creates powerful visual narratives that explore the intersection between the everyday and the subconscious. His films have been screened at Tribeca, Portland Film Festival, Wairoa Māori Film Festival, Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival and his work has been featured by The Smithsonian, Directors Notes, Nowness, The Atlantic, and National Geographic.
Instagram: @bradleytangonan
Web: www.bradleytangonan.com
-
✺
» Michelle Schaefer - FilmFreude 2025 Short Film Finalist
Michelle Mary Schaefer is an award-winning Actor and Filmmaker who breaks tons of barriers within the industry. She values authentic stories and representation onscreen and onstage. She has been in the industry for over 30 years, and involved in over 60 productions. Schaefer, does not allow her Deafness stop her from following her passions and creating stories, which she founded Annabelle Louise Productions to create more diverse and compelling narratives to audiences worldwide.
Instagram: @annabellelouiseproductions
Web: www.annabellelouiseproductions.com
-
✺
» Kymon Greyhorse - FilmFreude 2025 Short Film Finalist
Kymon Greyhorse is a Tongan and Navajo director / writer from Albuquerque, New Mexico. His debut short film I AM HOME premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, was nominated for Best Short, and streamed on AMC+ as part of the “Indigenous Rising Stars” collection in 2024. A 2022 Sundance Indigenous alum, Greyhorse was named a 2023 HuffPost Culture Shifter. He focuses on preserving Polynesian and Indigenous stories and is developing his next short film through NYU TISCH’s Graduate Film Directing Lab.
Instagram: @kymongreyhorse
>> Watch the Finalist Films
SWEET SAM by Michelle Schaefer
Sweet Sam who has always been on a survival mode breaks away from her past to move on to a more deserving life meets her worst nightmare.
DOPPELGANGER by Kymon Greyhorse
In summer 2024, Greyhorsedeveloped DOPPELGÄNGER as part of the NYU TISCH Graduate Film Lab. Written and shot in a single 24-hour period, the short film explores the powerful emotions tied to letting go of one’s past self, confronting it, and finding the strength to move forward and breathe again.
// Credits:
The Woman: Chauné Mountainsong
1st AD: DezBaa’
Boom operator: Autumn Billie
Director/Editor: Kymon Greyhorse
making of "Doppelgänger" * making of "Doppelgänger" * making of "Doppelgänger" * making of "Doppelgänger" *
making of "Doppelgänger" * making of "Doppelgänger" * making of "Doppelgänger" * making of "Doppelgänger" *
✺ Frequently asked questions ✺
-
Yes! We're happy to continue this exciting part of our film festival. Our 2026 short film theme will be announced during the summer months 2025 to give you enough of time to create and prepare for our March 2026 competition.
-
Yes! We deeply value the time, creativity, and passion you put into your work — and we’re proud to support emerging talents through prize awards.
-
Absolutely! Email us at filmfreudehonolulu@gmail.com and we’ll make sure you receive all the latest news — including submission deadlines, theme announcements, and more. Be the first to know!
-
Yes! We welcome filmmakers from around the world to join us in celebrating creativity, storytelling, and unique perspectives.