Bold headline: Five rising filmmakers crowned at Focus Features’ Student Short Film Showcase, celebrated during Gotham Awards week.
But here’s where it gets revealing: this year marks the seventh edition of the Focus Features Student Short Film Showcase, a program that highlights five promising directors from across the United States. The winners were announced at the 35th Gotham Awards in New York City on December 1, 2025. A jury comprised of filmmakers and curators selected the final five from a pool of entries submitted by 20 graduate programs nationwide. Congratulations to this year’s recipients.
Maria Regina Rios Ceja | Loyola Marymount University
Regina Rios Ceja hails from Ciudad Constitución, a small town in northern Mexico. Her short Maybe I’ll Find You in a Robbery (Tal Vez Te Encuentre En Un Asalto) follows the story of a young girl who hatches an inventive plan to reconnect with her imprisoned mother during the Christmas season, offering a tender look at family ties and resilience.
ishkwaazhe Shane McSauby | New York University
A Grand Rapids, Michigan native, McSauby is an American filmmaker who is also an enrolled member of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. His film The Beguiling premiered internationally at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival and debuted in the United States at SXSW, signaling a sharp, D-line of storytelling and cultural perspective.
Cameron Clay | Columbia University
Clay, a filmmaker and editor from Prince George’s County, Maryland, presents Jesus is Coming (to take the Church away), a project that continues his exploration of the nuanced, often quiet dynamics within Black male communities, delivered through a thoughtful, intimate lens.
Alexander Molochnikov | Columbia University
Molochnikov is a Russian filmmaker and theater director based in New York. His feature Extremist, centered on political prisoner Sasha Skochilenko, earned both the Live Action Award and the Special Jury Award at BAFTA North America in 2025, underscoring his knack for provocative, timely storytelling.
Sergio Muñoz Esquer | University of Texas at Austin
A Mexican filmmaker who writes, directs, and produces, Esquer’s Ballad of an Immigrant With Memory continues his exploration of human connection, identity, and immigration through a Latinx perspective, marrying personal narratives with broader social themes.
Each winner receives a $2,000 grant and gains the opportunity for their film to be showcased on Focus Features’ digital streaming platform, expanding audiences for these emerging voices.
