The 7th Yucca Valley Film Festival concluded yesterday, and the Community Center was fully packed for the final awards ceremony! The spirit of community truly merged with a genuine celebration of talents in a room full of smiles and bursting with energy. The Yucca Room was filled with filmmakers from across the country, community leaders, and guests who all cheered and rejoiced from the red carpet to the final and prestigious Yucca Valley Award.
The ambiance was exceptional, and the turnout was so strong that extra chairs had to be brought in to accommodate the crowd that kept coming in. The evening was co-hosted with sizzling elegance by Chloe Malaisé and Janey Hann, who kept the pace lively while announcing each winner, who then walked up to a giant Clint Eastwood backdrop where Miss Yucca Valley Court distributed the awards and cash prizes.
Community highlights added to the night’s festive tone, with plugs from the Joshua Tree National Park and the Yucca Valley Youth Commission celebrating local engagement and creativity. The Supernova All Stars – Stardust Team delivered an energetic performance that had the audience cheering, while Copper Mountain College’s beloved mascot, Spike, made a rocking red carpet appearance, delighting guests and photographers alike.
The 8th YVFF will take place November 6, 7 and 8, 2026.
| CATEGORY | TITLE | DIRECTOR / ARTIST | CASH PRIZE |
| Best Movie Poster | 113 Words For You | Bo Qing Tang, Xiao Lan Zeng | 50 |
| Best Trailer | Density | Graham M Bishop | 50 |
| Best Drone Film | Discover Indonesia | Ty Rogers | 50 |
| Best Dance Film | Motherhood | Nicole Spring | 150 |
| Best Music Video | Embers | August Falcon | 100 |
| Best Visual Art | Lonesome Town | Caleb Garrett | 100 |
| Festival Pick #1 | Te Seguiré a la Oscuridad | Nicholas Luciano | 100 |
| Festival Pick #2 | The Rain | Kā’eo Luke | 100 |
| Best Documentary | Sheepdogs | Brian Knappmiller | 150 |
| Best Student Film | The Lights Above | Luke J. Salewski | 150 |
| Best Script ex-aequo | Conch | Kevin Bibo | 150 |
| Best Script ex-aequo | The Spider’s Warning | Staci Mallett | 150 |
| Best Animated Short Film ex-aequo | Pow! | Joey Clift | 200 |
| Best Animated Short Film ex-aequo | One Final Day | Paul Hollingsworth | 200 |
| Best Short Film | Milk Baby | Kristen Gerweck Diaz | 200 |
| Best Director | Dual Agency | Frank Blake | 250 |
| Yucca Valley Award | Will and Silence | Robert Robb | 300 |
Yucca Valley Film Festival 