Boyan Dragomirov, Film BA Honours alumnus at the University of Westminster, was awarded the Best Student Showcase award at the Little Venice Film Festival (LVFF) 2026 for his Bulgarian short film titled Reflection, which he edited and shot. The award recognises outstanding filmmaking by student creators, celebrating emerging talent and exceptional work produced within educational settings.
The LVFF is an annual international film festival dedicated to independent filmmaking and new cinematic voices. Based in Little Venice, this year’s festival was held between 22-28 April, championing stories that sit outside the mainstream and amplifying underrepresented voices, including female and LGBTQ+ filmmakers, while placing accessibility at its core. The festival presents features, documentaries and shorts that explore the lives and experiences of marginalised communities, alongside work from independent filmmakers from the UK and around the world.
Boyan's short film follows a man as he confronts his own sense of identity, using natural landscapes and close‑up visual storytelling to chart his search for clarity and self‑acceptance. The film blends observational moments with a restrained narrative style, allowing its themes of resilience and emotional honesty to emerge visually. Festival programmers highlighted its strong cinematography, cohesive visual language and confident pacing - qualities that contributed to its selection for the Best Student Showcase award.
About the award, Boyan said: “Our short film played a huge part in my personal and professional growth, as I worked on it as Director of Photography, Editor and one of the Co-Producers. Receiving this recognition from the LVFF makes all of us incredibly proud of what we created and gives the whole crew behind this completely self-funded independent short film even more motivation. Throughout the entire process, our goal was simply to gather a group of passionate people and fully dive into the art of filmmaking together. I’m extremely grateful to Marc Cameron, the festival's founder, and to the whole team for seeing something special in our project and giving it this opportunity.”
Reflecting on the award, Little Venice Film Festival founder Marc Cameron said: “We congratulate Boyan Dragomirov and director Mishel Devor on their achievement in a highly competitive student film category. Reflection is a powerful example of emerging independent cinema, demonstrating both artistic confidence and emotional depth from an exciting new generation of storytellers. These films exist in that space where new voices begin - bold, searching and electric with possibility. Reflection stood out as a film of quiet depth and inner discovery, resonating far beyond the screen and signalling an exciting future for its filmmakers.”
Boyan's success reflects the University of Westminster’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4: Quality Education and 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Learn more about Film and Television courses at the University of Westminster.
