Momentum doesn’t always come with a screening.
We’re honored to share that Where The Shadows Wait has received an Honorable Mention at the Macoproject Film Festival 2025.
While the film was not selected for screening, the recognition itself matters. It’s an acknowledgment of the work’s strength, originality, and creative promise—and a reminder that progress in independent filmmaking often shows up in quieter, less visible ways.
Film festivals are complex ecosystems. Not every strong project fits every lineup, and not every form of recognition comes with a stage or a theater. What does come with this moment is validation: the story is landing, the craft is being seen, and the film continues to move forward in its journey.
@darkmonarchfilms Honorable Mention 🏆 Macoproject Film Festival. We keep building. #darkmonarchfilms #filmtok #indiefilmmakers #filmfestivals #wheretheshadowswait ♬ original sound - Dark Monarch Films
For us at Dark Monarch Films, this is part of a larger pattern we’re paying close attention to. Where The Shadows Wait continues to find its audience and earn recognition outside of traditional gatekeeping structures. That matters more to us than a single screening slot.
We’re especially grateful for the encouragement extended alongside this honor, including the opportunity to connect with adjacent filmmaker-focused communities and festivals. Independent film is built on momentum, relationships, and consistency—and moments like this help reinforce all three.
To everyone who has supported the film so far—through screenings, conversations, messages, and genuine belief—thank you. We’re still building. Still refining. Still pushing the work forward.
More to come.