On Friday April 17th, we randomly drew a theme, item and action. Using those prompts, participants had 48hrs to build, film, edit, export, and upload a 3-minute (or less) short puppet film.
An amazing 115 filmmakers from around the world submitted films, all made in just one weekend. Our illustrious panel of judges watched all of the films, gave them scores, and picked their personal favorites.
It's now our honor to now present the films, over the weekend of May 16th & 17th.
Screening Schedule:
May 16 — 12pm PT / 3pm ET / 9pm CEST and 5pm PT / 8pm ET / 4am CEST
May 17 — 12pm PT / 3pm ET / 9pm CEST - Final Screening + Awards!
Please note that all screenings will feature different films. So set your reminders, subscribe to the channel, and prepare for the most hand-crafted cinematic event of the year (so far)!
Meet Our 2026 Judges!
Dan Garza
Credits include "Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock," "The Muppet Show (2026)", and Donna Kimball’s "Guillermo & Will!"
half past selber schuld
Credits include "RTL Puppenstars," Quantum - The Universe Machine, and What's Wrong with People
Katie McClenahan O’Brien
Credits include "Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio" "The Tiny Chef Show" and "Melvin the Birder"
The 48hr Puppet Film Project is an annual event originally presented through the LA Guild of Puppetry, and now presented by Handmade Puppet Dreams and Griffin Eye Productions through originator and producer Alex U. Griffin. For the past two years, Handmade Puppet Dreams and Heather Henson has been proud to sponsor the event and give a little something extra to artists partaking in the challenge.
This event first started in 2018 as an effort to spark creativity-through-challenge within puppeteers and filmmakers in the LA area by giving them just 48hrs to create a short film using our randomly-drawn theme, object, and action. Since then, the event has gone international and attracts submissions from participants from around the world!
Past judges have included Kirk Thatcher (The Muppets, Dinosaurs), Tim Lagasse (Crash & Bernstein, Helpsters), Trish Sie (Step Up: All In, Pitch Perfect 3), Heather Henson (IBEX Puppetry, Handmade Puppet Dreams), Christine Papalexis (Team America: World Police, Amaterasu), Bill Watterson (Dave Made a Maze, Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Sam Koji Hale (Alien X-Mas, Yamasong: March of the Hollows), Liz Hara (Sesame Street, Life in Pieces), Victor Yerrid (Earth to Ned, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance), Alva Rogers (the doll plays, Daughters of the Dust), Liz Hara (Sesame Street, Life in Pieces), Jean Marie Keevins (The Muppets, Helpsters), Pam Severns (Jim Henson: In His Own Words, Bunny Love), Rudy Martinez (Dear White People, Jane the Virgin, Ham), and Tyler Bunch (Bear in the Big Blue House, Pokemon, Sesame Street), Amanda Maddock (Crank Yankers, Five Nights at Freddy's), Sarah Fornace (Manual Cinema, Candyman 2021), and Frankie Cordero (Donkey Hodie, Sesame Street), Nicolette Santino (Barbarian and the Troll, Coldplay on Tour), Jimmica Collins (Donkey Hodie, Sesame Street), and Craig Shemin (Jim Henson Legacy, The Muppets).