BENTONVILLE FILM FESTIVAL, LED BY GEENA DAVIS, ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF 11TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL
“Rosemead” Wins Best Narrative Award
“The Librarians” Wins Best Documentary Award
The Bentonville Film Foundation, in collaboration with founding partner, Walmart, and presenting sponsor, Coca-Cola, announced the winners of their narrative, documentary, homegrown, short film, and episodic categories from the 2025 Bentonville Film Festival’s competition program. The 11th anniversary of the festival ran from June 16-22 in Bentonville, AR. The annual Festival is a globally recognized platform that champions the transformative power of storytelling—creating space for a world where every voice matters and every story is seen, heard, and valued.
“Rosemead” from Eric Lin won the award for Best Narrative Award and “The Librarians” directed by Kim A. Snyder took home the prize for Best Documentary Award. Additionally, the Rising to the Challenge Award, was presented to Lucy Liu, producer and star of “Rosemead”. The Rising to the Challenge Award has been given to a select few artists in the history of Bentonville Film Festival and honoring those who represent the true impact of supporting independent film both in front of and behind the camera. The Rising to the Challenge Award celebrates artists who put their talent, passion and experience on the line in the service of empowering stories that are otherwise underrepresented.
“These awards reflect the passion and drive of storytellers, whose work will continue to broaden perspectives and engage audiences throughout the year,” said Bentonville Film Festival Chair Geena Davis. “We congratulate our BFF award winners and we’re so thankful to every filmmaker here for their contributions to the success of this year’s BFF!”
Additional winners are as follows:
Best Narrative
Jury: Marie Jamora (Director; Guest Artistic Director of AFI's Directing Workshop for Women), Bomani J. Story (Director, The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster)
Best Narrative: ROSEMEAD
(Director, Eric Lin; Writer, Marilyn Fu; Producers, Mynette Louie, Andrew Corkin, Lucy Liu)
Jury Statement: “Rosemead” captures the terrifying realities of motherhood in our contemporary era. When culture, society, and healthcare break down, how can a mother protect her own child? With a powerhouse performance from the often underused Lucy Liu, you understand every choice she makes. Director Eric Lin sparks real world conversations about the society we’re living in through an intimate, unflinching film based on true events in the San Gabriel Valley. The very essence of what great cinema can do.
Special Jury Mention for Directorial Vision: COLOR BOOK
(Director/Writer, David Fortune; Producers, Kiah Clingman, Kristen Uno, Autumn Bailey-Ford)
Jury Statement: David Fortune’s “Color Book” makes daring choices through form and subject matter. In a stripped down tale of a father just trying to get his son to a baseball game, the film unearths profound themes about the world we live in with a consistent command of beautiful visuals, performances, and crisp storytelling. Fortune’s vision speaks through a confident hand like he’s done this many times before.
Special Jury Mention for Ensemble Cast: ADULT CHILDREN
(Director/Producer, Ric