In a combination ceremony/screening held last night at the Nitehawk Cinema in Williamsburg, New York, Vimeo revealed their selections for their favorite staff picks of 2018. The winners were chosen from a pool of 93 nominated videos over 7 different categories: Action Sports, Animation, Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Eye Candy, and Travel. You can check out the full list of nominees here.

If you're looking for a shorts program to watch this weekend, I highly recommend checking out these films. Honestly, I wish that more festivals would program their shorts blocks in a more categorical manner, as it keeps things interesting throughout. Check out the winners and commentary from a team of jurors including Tony-winning actor & producer Alan Cumming, writer & producer of Spider-man: Into the Spider-Verse Phil Lord, 7x world champion surfer Stephanie Gilmore, New York Times inaugural “52 Places” journalist Jada Yuan, and Oscar-winning director Roger Ross Williams below.

Action Sports - Dean Goes Surfing - Directed by Caitlyn Greene 

“Dean Goes Surfing reminds us of what all action sports are about: freedom, challenge, love, and laughs. At any age and any skill level, the simple act of experiencing nature together can help make this world a better place.” - Dave Mossop, Sherpas Cinema, ‘17 Best of the Year winner

Animation - The Shivering Truth - Directed by Vernon Chatman & Cat Solen

“The Shivering Truth is astoundingly good and delightfully absurd in equal measure. It is rare in that it manages to be dark, nightmarish and sometimes repulsive, yet somehow funny, beautiful and enlightening at the same time.” - Steve Cutts, ‘17 Best of the Year winner 

Comedy - Enough - Directed by Anna Mantzaris

“Enough is playful, darkly relatable, and deeply satisfying to watch. Who among us hasn't felt the urge to slap a loud man's phone right out of his hand? But it's also beautifully hopeful.” - Sarah Schneider, Saturday Night Live writer

Documentary - Alone - Directed by Garrett Bradley

“Alone is a unique and powerful film about an urgent crisis in America. The story is told with a creativity and a level of intimacy that can only come from a filmmaker who is deeply connected to their subject. Garrett Bradley is a talent whose voice is much needed in the community.” - Roger Ross Williams, Oscar®-winning director

Drama - Slapper - Directed by Luci Schroder 

“In just a few short minutes, Luci Schroder takes her audiences on a truly visceral journey with this young girl, in a world so foreign, yet so familiar. It's incredibly raw, edgy, and poignant.” - Reinaldo Marcus Green, 2018 Sundance Jury Prize

Eye Candy - Trippy Isolator - Rop van Mierlo

“An immensely satisfying experience and further proof that less is always more. To call this purely eye candy perhaps sells it a bit short — the rhythm and the textures create a beautiful, melancholic feeling, like we're witnessing the last glimpse of a memory before it fades away completely.” - Jeff Hamada, BOOOOOOOM Editor

Travel -seoul._wave - Directed by Brandon Li

“seoul_wave’captured the way that city is hurtling toward the future in such a visceral way. Travel videos can sometimes feel like glossy ads, but this one, from my limited experience of Seoul, got under the skin of the city.” - Jada Yuan, New York Times ‘52 Places’ writer