NASA and the Houston Cinema Arts Society announced winners of the 8th annual CineSpace International Short Film Competition during the Houston Cinema Arts Festival on Nov. 13 at The Orange Show. CineSpace provides filmmakers around the world the opportunity to share their work inspired by, and using, actual NASA imagery.

This year's first-place winner is "Unbound" by Sarah Moshman from Los Angeles, CA. Second place was awarded to "So Long" by Lee Ka Wai from Hong Kong, and third place went to "Colors of Space" by Adrian Reyes Pulido from Mexico.

This year 169 films were submitted from 38 different countries. 12 finalists were selected and the winners were chosen by Academy Award Nominated Director and Houston native, Richard Linklater. Two new special categories were added for 2022: Best educational film that inspires the next generation to join the STEM workforce, and film that best depicts unity and inclusion.

The film "Journey to Mars" by Rohan Chopra of Saratoga,CA., won the STEM category, and the film "The Astronaut" by Damian Javier Apunte of Long Beach, CA. was selected as first place for unity and inclusion.

Cash awards totaling $26,000 went to the top three overall winners, as well as winners in the two special categories.

Learn more about CineSpace and view the 2022 CineSpace finalist films, as well as past winners and finalists, at:

https://www.cinespace.org

Learn more about the Houston Cinema Arts Society at:

https://www.cinemahtx.org