The Lee Strasberg Film Festival Announces 2025 Award Winners, Celebrating the Craft of Acting and Storytelling on Screen
The Lee Strasberg Film Festival has officially concluded its 2025 edition in West Hollywood, marking the 9th inspiring year of films, panels, and conversations dedicated to the craft of acting and the art of cinematic storytelling.
Hosted at the historic Marilyn Monroe Theatre, this year’s festival brought together filmmakers, actors, and Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute alumni from around the world for three days of screenings, Q&As, and industry discussions that celebrated the power of performance—a tradition deeply rooted in Lee Strasberg’s legacy. The Lee Strasberg Institute has continued to be a vital force at the heart of the entertainment industry shaping the world of Film & Television around the globe with legendary stars of Hollywood and Broadway that have been practitioners of Lee Strasberg’s Method.
“The festival is a reminder of how central the actor’s process is to filmmaking,” said David Strasberg, Lee Strasberg Festival Director. “Each film we screened, whether a feature or a short, reflected a deep respect for the human experience and the craft of transformation that my dad championed.”
The 2025 lineup featured an extraordinary mix of international voices. The festival kicked off with Italian documentary feature, Duse, The Greatest, followed by an in-depth discussion of Eleonora Duse—the renowned actress whose groundbreaking subtlety helped inspire Lee Strasberg’s Method. The program also included Scenario (Japan), a gripping short film offering a thought-provoking perspective on AI’s influence on the future of humanity. The winning films were recognized for their authenticity, artistry, and performance-driven storytelling.
2025 Lee Strasberg Film Festival Award Winners:
Best Actress
Ayaka Onishi, Scenario
Best Actor
Vincent Van Sande, Stay
Best Screenplay
Kazunori Miura, Scenario
Best Cinematography
Farzad Shahab, The Steak
Best Supporting Actress
Sabine Timoteo, Violet
Best Supporting Actor
Dainius Svobonas, Arrested
Best Director
Pablo Delgado, The Cascade
Best Alumni Director
Isabella Uzcátegui, Flashlight
Best Alumni Actress
Lisette Lastra, NMBR 1 FN
Best Alumni Actor
Braden Misiaszek, Disco
Best Editing
Kenichi Hirai, Scenario
Best Short Film
The Steak, Kiarash Dadgar
Best Alumni Short Film
NMBR 1 FN, Rudy Weimer
Best Narrative Feature Film
A Hunt For Hedgehogs, Mihály Schwechtje
Best Documentary Feature Film
Duse, The Greatest, Sonia Bergamasco
Best of Fest
Scenario, Kazunori Miura
In celebrating these winners, the festival also honors Lee Strasberg’s enduring influence on generations of artists—the belief that truth in performance is the foundation of powerful storytelling.
“The Lee Strasberg Film Festival continues to be a space where filmmakers and actors meet in shared purpose to explore, to take risks, and to tell stories that move people,” said Festival Director, Sasha Krane “That spirit was alive in the films we watched this weekend.”
