Resilience is an act of quiet bravery. In its silence, revolutions are born. The stories honored in SIMA’s 2025 shortlist stand as powerful testaments to that truth. With narratives spanning 37 countries, these films do more than document our world; they celebrate the extraordinary resolve of individuals and communities who rise, despite the weight of uncertainty, to forge a path toward hope.
The SIMA 2025 Finalists are now eligible for entry into SIMA’s global traveling series, Cinema Across Borders, and their award-winning education platform, SIMA Academy, which reaches over 140,000 students around the globe. Now moving on to the final round of judging, they will compete for awards and cash prizes of up to $1,500 per category. Winners will be announced on February 6, 2025.
View the shortlist: simaawards.org/2025-finalists
The 13th Annual SIMA Awards are powered by SIMA Studios, The Foundation for Systemic Change, Human Sustainability Project, FIPADOC, International Documentary Association (IDA), Firelight Media, DC/DOX, Double Exposure, Undocumented Filmmakers Collective, Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC), Documentary Australia, Armenian Film Society, GEN Center for Arts and Sciences, and Instituto Multimedia DerHumALC (IMD).