Crime Comedy Short ‘Munchies’ Wins Grand Jury Prize at Proof Film Festival

The fourth annual Proof Film Festival wrapped in Culver City with its closing awards ceremony, where the crime comedy short film “Munchies” won the festival’s Grand Jury Prize. Directed by Florida filmmaker Brittany Alexia Young, “Munchies” follows a group of vulgar teenage girls who, after several hits from a bong, decide to go on a snack run to their local convenience store … just before someone tries to rob it at gunpoint. “Munchies” was supported by the WAVE Grant and Inside Out’s Re: Focus Fund and previously received Decentralized Pictures’ Keslow Camera Award. The festival’s Documentary Award went to Dan Chen for “The Grind,” which takes an unflinching look at the realities of life in the porn industry through the eyes of one Asian-American male who gives up his tech job in search of adult film stardom. Other recipients include “Stem,” a short by Korean-born filmmaker Daeil Kim about a stem-cell scientist who discovers a dark secret behind a supposed cure for all disabilities. Premiering at Telluride earlier this year, “Stem” received Proof’s Gold Jury Award and the Audience Award. Held at the Culver Theatre, the Proof Film Festival, co-sponsored by TheWrap, highlights up-and-coming filmmakers and provides panels and networking to help newcomers to the entertainment industry. Other sponsors include Amazon MGM Studios, MUBI, Scriptation, First Entertainment Credit Union,Hendricks Gin, Toña Cereza, Kodak, ShotDeck, Shamel Studio and more. The festival is also supported by a grant from the Culver City Special Events Grant Program. Read the full list of award winners below: 2026 PROOF Film Festival Award WinnersGrand Jury AwardMUNCHIESDirector: Brittany Alexia YoungWriter: Brittany Alexia YoungProducer: Jaelyn EllisGold AwardSTEMDirector: Daeil KimWriter: Daeil KimProducers: Justin Nguyen, Qingyi Song, Daeil KimSilver AwardSHE’S NON-BINARYDirector: Jess McLeodWriter: Jess McLeodProducers: Erin Purghart, Eva Tavares, Jess McLeodBronze AwardTHANKS FOR CONSIDERING MEDirector: Patrick James VerlinWriters: Patrick James Verlin, Paolo CarboneProducers: Victor Nauwynck, Picloc Productions, Bea Ralston, BeeSting Films, Anastasiya Mykhaylova, Courageous DonutsDocumentary AwardTHE GRINDDirector: Dan ChenProducers: Eric Cook, Dan ChenAudience Choice AwardSTEMDirector: Daeil KimWriter: Daeil KimProducers: Justin Nguyen, Qingyi Song, Daeil KimSpecial AwardsKodak Excellence in Analog Film AwardRAGAMUFFINDirector: Kaitlyn MikaylaWriter: Kaitlyn MikaylaProducers: Juice Box Films, Hannah Alline, Christina Jundt, Sailor Larocque, Amber NeukumShotDeck Cinematography AwardBARBARADirector: Jillian MorayWriter: Jillian MorayProducer: Claire LoudisPROOF Pitch Deck Show & Tell Award WinnerSNOW BANKFilmmaker: Willow FieldsPROOF Pitch Deck Show & Tell Award Runner-UpNUBARIUMFilmmakers: The Kinoki BrosSpecial MentionsFLOWERS BLOOM WHEN TOUCHEDDirector: Priyanka KrishnanWriter: Priyanka KrishnanProducers: Raman Nimmala, Andarated FilmsKARUPYDirector: Kalainthan KalaichelvanWriter: Kalainthan KalaichelvanProducers: Shaista Roshan, Shifting Sands Media, Alison Almeida, Fam Jam MediaPAUL RUINS A WEDINGDirector: Brad RoelandtWriter: Brad RoelandtProducers: Carl Fieler, Stoney Sharp, Horse Cat StudiosDocumentary Runner-UpAMERICAN BABYDirector: Raymond KnudsenProducers: Raymond Knudsen, Stephen Musumeci, Chris Quintos Cathcart, Byron Atienza, JJ Augustavo, Tara Aquino, Karam Gill, Meghna Chakraborty, Andrew Primavera, Big Blue Pictures, A Bunch of Savages, MGX Creative