‘Rock, Paper, Scissors’ & ‘The Singers’ Triumph At HollyShorts UK Awards
Franz Böhm’s Rock, Paper, Scissors and Sam Davis’ The Singers were the big winners at the second UK edition of the Oscar-qualifying HollyShorts short film festival, with two accolades apiece.
Karen Bryson (Shameless and The Rainmaker) hosted the HollyShorts UK awards ceremony, which was held at Vue Cinemas West End in central London.
Franz Böhm’s Rock, Paper, Scissors took the Best Short Film prize. The short follows a father and son operating a makeshift hospital near the frontline of the Russia-Ukraine war. The film has already won the 2025 BAFTA for Best Short Film.
Sam Davis took the Best Director accolade for The Singers. The film, an adaptation of a short story by Ivan Turgenev, bowed at SXSW and was part of the official selection at Tribeca. At HollyShorts UK it also won the Best International award.
The organizers position HollyShorts as an incubator for short-form talent, and have been expanding the event’s international footprint. We previously reported on the inaugural HollyShorts Dubai edition, with speakers including Iraqi-Kurdish filmmaker Philip Rachid.
HollyShorts UK will return for its third edition in 2026, running November 12–15, 2026. The 22nd edition of the flagship HollyShorts Film Festival in Hollywood, meanwhile, is scheduled for August 13–23, 2026.
Check out the full list of 2025 HollyShorts UK winners
Best Short Film Grand Prize: Rock, Paper, Scissors (Franz Böhm)
Best Director: Sam Davis (The Singers)
Best Student Film: Rock, Paper, Scissors (Franz Böhm)
Best Animation: Two Black Boys in Paradise (Baz Sells)
Best Comedy: Chasers (Erin Brown Thomas)
Best Drama: A Friend of Dorothy (Lee Knight)
Best Thriller: ADO (Sam Henderson)
Best International: The Singers (Sam Davis)
Best Music Video: Bile Bile (Rango Musau)
Best Music Documentary: Hugel – The Entourage (Ludovic Genco, Hugo Lucas Pompier)
Best Sports Documentary: Fighting Demons (Simon Stock)
Best Shot on Film: A Death in the Family (Yasmin Hafesji)
Best Cinematography: Stomach Bug (Andri Haraldsson)
