Fucktoys takes top Newfest award

Multiple mentions for She's The He and Rainbow Girls

by Jennie Kermode

Fucktoys
Fucktoys Photo: Fantasia International Film Festival

Continuing an amazing festival run, Annapurna Sriram's ebullient satirical odyssey Fucktoys has won the Grand Jury Award For US Narrative Feature at Newfest 2025. The jury gave a special mention to Siobhan McCarthy's heartfelt high school comedy She's The He, which also got a mention in the Best Narrative Feature category.

Another film having a good festival was short film Rainbow Girls, which won both Best Narrative Short and the Grand Jury Award For New York Short Film, with its director, Nana Duffuor, coming second in the Emerging Black LGBTQ+ Filmmaker Award race.

Those awards in full:

Grand Jury Award For US Narrative Feature

Grand Jury Award For International Narrative Feature

  • Winner: Love Letters
  • Special Mention: Dreamers

Grand Jury Award For Documentary/Nonfiction Feature

  • Winner: Come See Me In The Good Light
  • Special Mention: Niñxs

Grand Jury Award For New York Short Film, Presented In Partnership With The Gotham Film & Media Institute

  • Winner: Rainbow Girls
  • Special Mention: Baba, I’m Fine

Newfest37 Emerging Black LGBTQ+ Filmmaker Award

  • Matthew Jacobs Morgan, director of Lisbon
  • Nana Duffuor, director of Rainbow Girls
  • Elle Clay & Leilah Weinraub, co-directors of Seek No Favor

Audience Award For Best Narrative Feature

Audience Award For Best Documentary Feature

  • Winner: Come See Me In The Good Light
  • Runner-Up: A Deeper Love: The Story Of Miss Peppermint

Audience Award For Best Narrative Short

  • Winner: Rainbow Girls
  • Runner-Up: Flash Sale

Audience Award For Best Documentary Short

  • Winner: Hustleween
  • Runner-Up: Echoes: The B Side

Teen Choice Audience Award For Best Teen Short Film

  • Winner: A Friend Of Dorothy
  • Runner-Up: Dandelion

Share this with others on...
News

'History is constantly repeating itself' Ferit Karahan on recurring cycles and the end of childhood in Djinn Wedding

Expanding the possible Fernanda Salgado on fantasy, reality, Jan Švankmajer and Ana, En Passant

A burning thing Sneha Mehta and Teddy Stern on falling in love with Mumbai, and making Getar Hero

Nothing is impossible Paul Rowley on moving to New York, the Pulse massacre, and Gays Against Guns

‘The only thing that makes a story universal is emotions’ Warsaw’s Industry panel discuss reaching audiences abroad

European Film Academy shortlist announced 68 features vie for nomination

More news and features

We're bringing you all the latest news and reviews from the London Film Festival and Newfest.



We're looking forward to the Belfast Film Festival, Halloween Frightfest, the Cheltenham International Film Festival and the Leeds International Film Festival.



We've recently brought you coverage of the New York Film Festival, Grimmfest, Beyond Fest, the San Sebastian International Film Festival, Fantastic Fest, the Toronto International Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival.



Read our full for more.


Visit our festivals section.

Interact

Don't forget that you can follow us on YouTube for trailers of festival films and more. You can also find us on Mastodon, Instagram and Bluesky.


It's a busy time for festivals and here's the latest:


London Winners announced


Tallinn Black Nights UK co-production joins Works In Progress


Warsaw What Belongs To Others takes top prize


Tallinn Baltic Competition, Rebels With A Cause and Critics' Picks titles announced


Dinard I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning named Best Film