North Star Film Festival

North Star Film Festival

The 2026 Lineup

Browse official selections, nominations, winners, and film details for this season.

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⭐ Official Nominations 🎬 Full Lineup

🌟 Best of Fest Selections

Highest scoring films selected for Best of Fest

Puppy Love
Team #27
🏆 1st Place
Puppy Love
Life Trials
Team #22
🥈 2nd Place
Life Trials
Prized Possession
Team #36
🥉 3rd Place
Prized Possession
Para(ab)normal
Team #14
🏅 4th Place
Para(ab)normal
Hell's Agent
Team #35
🏅 5th Place
Hell's Agent
Divinus
Team #16
🏅 6th Place
Divinus
everything. (pt 2)
Team #30
🏅 7th Place
everything. (pt 2)
Sweet Dreams
Team #42
🏅 8th Place
Sweet Dreams
everything. (part one)
Team #21
🏅 9th Place
everything. (part one)
Morpheus
Team #12
🏅 10th Place
Morpheus
Close Encounters of the Wurst Kind
Team #9
🎖️ Honorable Mention
Close Encounters of the Wurst Kind
Final Girl
Team #11
🎖️ Honorable Mention
Final Girl
Red Wizard
Team #15
🎖️ Honorable Mention
Red Wizard
Dinner with a Demon
Team #6
⭐ Best of Fest Nominee
Dinner with a Demon
Rerouted
Team #23
⭐ Best of Fest Nominee
Rerouted

🍿 Audience Favorites

Puppy Love
Team #27
🏆 WINNER
Puppy Love
Block 1 – 2PM – Mostly PG
Life Trials
Team #22
🏆 WINNER
Life Trials
Block 2 – 4PM – PG/PG13
Hell's Agent
Team #35
🏆 WINNER
Hell's Agent
Block 3 – 6PM – Mostly PG13
Noise Complaints
Team #25
🏆 WINNER
Noise Complaints
Block 4 – 8PM – PG13/R

Best First Time Filmmaker

Hell's Agent
Team #35
🏆 WINNER
Hell's Agent
Jayden Campbell
The Making of PARA(AB)NORMAL - an Ed Lazutin documentary
Team #47
The Making of PARA(AB)NORMAL – an Ed Lazutin documentary
Eduard Lazutsin
Into The Thicket
Team #33
Into The Thicket
Will Rhodes

Best Comedy

Puppy Love
Team #27
🏆 WINNER
Puppy Love
Life Trials
Team #22
Life Trials
Para(ab)normal
Team #14
Para(ab)normal
Close Encounters of the Wurst Kind
Team #9
Close Encounters of the Wurst Kind
Red Wizard
Team #15
Red Wizard

Best Drama

everything. (pt 2)
Team #30
🏆 WINNER
everything. (pt 2)
Dinner with a Demon
Team #6
Dinner with a Demon
The Crossroads
Team #18
The Crossroads
Green Means Go
Team #17
Green Means Go
If She Only Knew
Team #19
If She Only Knew

Best Action/Adventure

Swiftess: Part 1
Team #29
🏆 WINNER
Swiftess: Part 1
Wave of the Iron Palm
Team #26
Wave of the Iron Palm
Swiftess: Part 2
Team #31
Swiftess: Part 2
The Black Mask
Team #45
The Black Mask

Best Thriller/Horror

Prized Possession
Team #36
🏆 WINNER
Prized Possession
Hell's Agent
Team #35
Hell's Agent
Sweet Dreams
Team #42
Sweet Dreams
Final Girl
Team #11
Final Girl
Rerouted
Team #23
Rerouted

Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Divinus
Team #16
🏆 WINNER
Divinus
Morpheus
Team #12
Morpheus
Porcelain Dreams
Team #39
Porcelain Dreams
Friendship
Team #40
Friendship

Best Documentary

The Making of PARA(AB)NORMAL - an Ed Lazutin documentary
Team #47
🏆 WINNER
The Making of PARA(AB)NORMAL – an Ed Lazutin documentary
From Grooves to Ghosts
Team #46
From Grooves to Ghosts

Best Specialty

The Visitor
Team #24
🏆 WINNER
The Visitor
War
Team #10
War
Shifting Perspectives or: How to Almost, Maybe, but Not Really Win at BITCOIN Without Really Trying
Team #41
Shifting Perspectives or: How to Almost, Maybe, but Not Really Win at BITCOIN Without Really Trying

Best Directing

Puppy Love
Team #27
🏆 WINNER
Puppy Love
Vanessa M. H. Powers
Life Trials
Team #22
Life Trials
Abbey Lowenstein and James Wilsford
Para(ab)normal
Team #14
Para(ab)normal
Jordan Lynn
Hell's Agent
Team #35
Hell's Agent
Jayden Campbell
Prized Possession
Team #36
Prized Possession
Peter House

Best Screenplay

Final Girl
Team #11
🏆 WINNER
Final Girl
Brian Sams
Conduit
Team #13
Conduit
Morpheus
Team #12
Morpheus
Holli Buhr and Anthony Hunke
Para(ab)normal
Team #14
Para(ab)normal
Lisa Evanson
Puppy Love
Team #27
Puppy Love
Erin Pecha

Best Cinematography

Puppy Love
Team #27
🏆 WINNER
Puppy Love
Kari Layland
Prized Possession
Team #36
Prized Possession
Joe Mellor and Peter House
Hell's Agent
Team #35
Hell's Agent
Kari Layland
Life Trials
Team #22
Life Trials
Luke Oleen Junk
everything. (part one)
Team #21
everything. (part one)
Luke Oleen Junk

Best Editing

Puppy Love
Team #27
🏆 WINNER
Puppy Love
Vanessa M. H. Powers
Prized Possession
Team #36
Prized Possession
Peter House
Life Trials
Team #22
Life Trials
Vanessa M.H. Powers
Hell's Agent
Team #35
Hell's Agent
Jayden Campbell
everything. (pt 2)
Team #30
everything. (pt 2)
Vanessa M. H. Powers

Best Audio/Sound Design

Prized Possession
Team #36
🏆 WINNER
Prized Possession
Peter House
Puppy Love
Team #27
Puppy Love
Raymond Bell Jr.
everything. (part one)
Team #21
everything. (part one)
Rascal Miles
everything. (pt 2)
Team #30
everything. (pt 2)
Rascal Miles
Sweet Dreams
Team #42
Sweet Dreams
Arthur Hey

Best Lighting

Puppy Love
Team #27
🏆 WINNER
Puppy Love
Sebastian Luna
Prized Possession
Team #36
Prized Possession
Joe Mellor
everything. (part one)
Team #21
everything. (part one)
Sebastian Luna
Divinus
Team #16
Divinus
Kari Layland
Life Trials
Team #22
Life Trials
Sebastian Luna

Best Production Design

Puppy Love
Team #27
🏆 WINNER
Puppy Love
Laura LaBree
Divinus
Team #16
Divinus
Keri Sauter & Julietta Borman
Close Encounters of the Wurst Kind
Team #9
Close Encounters of the Wurst Kind
Holli Buhr
Morpheus
Team #12
Morpheus
Holli Buhr
Life Trials
Team #22
Life Trials
Holli Buhr

Best Actor

Prized Possession
Team #36
🏆 WINNER
Prized Possession
David Webber
Close Encounters of the Wurst Kind
Team #9
Close Encounters of the Wurst Kind
Paul Economon
Para(ab)normal
Team #14
Para(ab)normal
Anthony Hunke
Puppy Love
Team #27
Puppy Love
Adam Hebeisen
Life Trials
Team #22
Life Trials
James Wilsford

Best Actress

Para(ab)normal
Team #14
🏆 WINNER
Para(ab)normal
Lisa Evanson
everything. (pt 2)
Team #30
everything. (pt 2)
Abbey Lowenstein
Puppy Love
Team #27
Puppy Love
Erin Pecha
Life Trials
Team #22
Life Trials
Marissa Moeller
Dinner with a Demon
Team #6
Dinner with a Demon
Abby Wagner

Best Supporting Actor

everything. (part one)
Team #21
🏆 WINNER
everything. (part one)
James Wilsford
everything. (pt 2)
Team #30
everything. (pt 2)
Micah Chartrand
Hell's Agent
Team #35
Hell's Agent
Weston Rabbitt
Wave of the Iron Palm
Team #26
Wave of the Iron Palm
Anthony Hunke
Drink More Water
Team #34
Drink More Water
Max Jacobson

Best Supporting Actress

Puppy Love
Team #27
🏆 WINNER
Puppy Love
Abigail Blue
Para(ab)normal
Team #14
Para(ab)normal
Antonette Trussoni
Green Means Go
Team #17
Green Means Go
Victoria Laurey
Stranded
Team #43
Stranded
Callie Wing
everything. (part one)
Team #21
everything. (part one)
Marissa Moeller

Best Youth Actor

Paprika Series
Team #32
🏆 WINNER
Paprika Series
Benny Hughes
Red Wizard
Team #15
Red Wizard
Carter Monahan
Porcelain Dreams
Team #39
Porcelain Dreams
Dean St. Cyr
Hell's Agent
Team #35
Hell's Agent
Walter Rabbitt
Sweet Dreams
Team #42
Sweet Dreams
Jude Anderson

Best Youth Actress

Swiftess: Part 1
Team #29
🏆 WINNER
Swiftess: Part 1
Chloe Sorensen
Sweet Dreams
Team #42
Sweet Dreams
Chloe Sorenson
Red Wizard
Team #15
Red Wizard
Niyah Addy
Paprika Series
Team #32
Paprika Series
McKenna Moorehead
Puppy Love
Team #27
Puppy Love
Tenley Boushek

Best Dynamic Duo

Para(ab)normal
Team #14
🏆 WINNER
Para(ab)normal
Lisa Evanson & Anthony Hunke
Prized Possession
Team #36
Prized Possession
David Webber & Danielle Maroney
Puppy Love
Team #27
Puppy Love
Adam Hebeisen + Abigail Blue
everything. (part one)
Team #21
everything. (part one)
Lahiru Samarasinghe + Isaiah Dietz
Close Encounters of the Wurst Kind
Team #9
Close Encounters of the Wurst Kind
Marcus Papasadora and Max Lemberger

Best Color Grading

Puppy Love
Team #27
🏆 WINNER
Puppy Love
Vanessa M. H. Powers
Life Trials
Team #22
Life Trials
Vanessa M. H. Powers
Para(ab)normal
Team #14
Para(ab)normal
Jordan Lynn
Porcelain Dreams
Team #39
Porcelain Dreams
Alex Suszko
everything. (part one)
Team #21
everything. (part one)
Luke Oleen-Junk

Best Visual Effects

Close Encounters of the Wurst Kind
Team #9
🏆 WINNER
Close Encounters of the Wurst Kind
Jeremy Wanek
Red Wizard
Team #15
Red Wizard
Zach A. Crotty
Para(ab)normal
Team #14
Para(ab)normal
Jordan Lynn
Swiftess: Part 1
Team #29
Swiftess: Part 1
Zach A. Crotty
Hell's Agent
Team #35
Hell's Agent
Jayden Campbell

Best Credits

Para(ab)normal
Team #14
🏆 WINNER
Para(ab)normal
Jordan Lynn
Puppy Love
Team #27
Puppy Love
Laura LaBree
Swiftess: Part 2
Team #31
Swiftess: Part 2
Zach A. Crotty
Porcelain Dreams
Team #39
Porcelain Dreams
Sonya Boushek
Divinus
Team #16
Divinus
Kari Layland

Best Film Score

Puppy Love
Team #27
🏆 WINNER
Puppy Love
Eric Richardson
Into The Thicket
Team #33
Into The Thicket
Will Rhodes
Life Trials
Team #22
Life Trials
Jeff Jahangir
everything. (pt 2)
Team #30
everything. (pt 2)
Jeff Jahangir
Para(ab)normal
Team #14
Para(ab)normal
Andrew Crowley

Best Original Song

War
Team #10
🏆 WINNER
War
Élodi Vedha Donnadieu
everything. (part one)
Team #21
everything. (part one)
Isaiah Dietz
everything. (pt 2)
Team #30
everything. (pt 2)
Jeff Jahangir
Porcelain Dreams
Team #39
Porcelain Dreams
Elliott Graber
The Visitor
Team #24
The Visitor
Aidan Danbury

Best Costume

Puppy Love
Team #27
🏆 WINNER
Puppy Love
Ellen Conniff
Close Encounters of the Wurst Kind
Team #9
Close Encounters of the Wurst Kind
Bronson Talcott
Porcelain Dreams
Team #39
Porcelain Dreams
Theresa Nelsen
Red Wizard
Team #15
Red Wizard
Bronson Talcott
Para(ab)normal
Team #14
Para(ab)normal
Bronson Talcott

Best Hair/Makeup

Puppy Love
Team #27
🏆 WINNER
Puppy Love
Rese Larson + Abbey Lowenstein
Porcelain Dreams
Team #39
Porcelain Dreams
Sonya Boushek
Life Trials
Team #22
Life Trials
Rese Larson
Wave of the Iron Palm
Team #26
Wave of the Iron Palm
Jules Pivek
Para(ab)normal
Team #14
Para(ab)normal
Lisa Evanson, Antonette Trussoni, Brook Yager

Best Fight Scene

Wave of the Iron Palm
Team #26
🏆 WINNER
Wave of the Iron Palm
Stormm Liang & Brady Linderman
Final Girl
Team #11
Final Girl
John Zach
Para(ab)normal
Team #14
Para(ab)normal
Lisa Evanson & Anthony Hunke
Red Wizard
Team #15
Red Wizard
Zach A. Crotty
Hell's Agent
Team #35
Hell's Agent
Jayden Campbell

Best Non-Human Character

Waiting For Mamá
Team #38
🏆 WINNER
Waiting For Mamá
Puppy Love
Team #27
Puppy Love
Close Encounters of the Wurst Kind
Team #9
Close Encounters of the Wurst Kind
Solemn Stillness
Team #5
Solemn Stillness
Into The Thicket
Team #33
Into The Thicket

Best Hero

Wave of the Iron Palm
Team #26
🏆 WINNER
Wave of the Iron Palm
Swiftess: Part 2
Team #31
Swiftess: Part 2
Red Wizard
Team #15
Red Wizard
Green Means Go
Team #17
Green Means Go
Porcelain Dreams
Team #39
Porcelain Dreams

Best Villain

Final Girl
Team #11
🏆 WINNER
Final Girl
Red Wizard
Team #15
Red Wizard
Wave of the Iron Palm
Team #26
Wave of the Iron Palm
Hell's Agent
Team #35
Hell's Agent
Close Encounters of the Wurst Kind
Team #9
Close Encounters of the Wurst Kind

Best Kiss

Life Trials
Team #22
🏆 WINNER
Life Trials
everything. (pt 2)
Team #30
everything. (pt 2)
everything. (part one)
Team #21
everything. (part one)
Puppy Love
Team #27
Puppy Love
Solemn Stillness
Team #5
Solemn Stillness

Best WTF Moment

Close Encounters of the Wurst Kind
Team #9
🏆 WINNER
Close Encounters of the Wurst Kind
Sweet Dreams
Team #42
Sweet Dreams
Wave of the Iron Palm
Team #26
Wave of the Iron Palm
Solemn Stillness
Team #5
Solemn Stillness
Life Trials
Team #22
Life Trials

Best Prop

Para(ab)normal
Team #14
🏆 WINNER
Para(ab)normal
Wave of the Iron Palm
Team #26
Wave of the Iron Palm
Morpheus
Team #12
Morpheus
Into The Thicket
Team #33
Into The Thicket
Puppy Love
Team #27
Puppy Love

I'm Not Crying, You Are Crying

Dinner with a Demon
Team #6
🏆 WINNER
Dinner with a Demon
Waiting For Mamá
Team #38
Waiting For Mamá
everything. (pt 2)
Team #30
everything. (pt 2)
Stranded
Team #43
Stranded
Swiftess: Part 2
Team #31
Swiftess: Part 2

Best Poster

Swiftess: Part 1
Team #29
🏆 WINNER
Swiftess: Part 1
Zach A. Crotty
Puppy Love
Team #27
Puppy Love
Laura LaBree
Porcelain Dreams
Team #39
Porcelain Dreams
Friendship
Team #40
Friendship
Sweet Dreams
Team #42
Sweet Dreams