Every year around this time, the curators behind Short of the Week come together and rack their minds to select what they determine to be the best short films of the year. This is their 11th year holding the time-honored tradition in which the entire S/W team is polled on all 280 films chosen for exhibition on the site.

A few weeks ago they teased their "favorites," but now it's down to 10 categories, each with a winner and a special mention.

As editor-in-chief Jason Sondhi explains, "Like the short film community itself—gritty, resourceful, and committed to artistic quality, the stakes maybe low, but the glory is high, as these select few filmmakers receive the validation of the premier short film curation site—a badge they can proudly wear for life."

With the recent announcement that the Live Action Shorts will be excluded from the upcoming Academy Awards broadcast, sites like these are more important than ever and show that there are still people out there that give a shit about the craft and the promoting of up-and-coming filmmakers' work. Check out all the selections below, and head to Short of the Week to read more on each choice.

Short of the Year - "Joy in People" - Directed by Oscar Hudson

Best Drama - "Fauve" - Directed by Jeremy Comte (Currently Offline Due to Oscars)

Best Comedy - "Mixtape Marauders" - Directed by Peter Edlund

Best Documentary - "My Dead Dad's Porno Tapes" - Directed by Charlie Tyrell

Best Animation - "Pépé Le Morse (Grandpa Walrus)" - Directed by Lucrèce Andreae

Best Student Film - "Fry Day" - Directed by Laura Moss

Best Genre Film - "Demon" - Directed by Caleb Slain

Best WTF Film - "Greener Grass" - Created by Jocelyn DeBoer and Dawn Luebbe

Best Experimental Film - "Red Light" - Directed by Sam Benenati

Best Social Issue Film - "How Was Your Day" - Directed by Damien O'Donnell

Audience Award - "SMILF" - Directed by Frankie Shaw

Source: Short of the Week