Hisonni Mustafa // Courtesy of Hisonni Mustafa
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - LAS VEGAS, NV (May 5, 2026) - Hisonni Mustafa, a current student at the UNLV School of Cinematic Arts (UNLV Film), has been named a winner at the 2026 Webby Awards. His film, Bang Bang, received the Webby Award for Video & Film in the Public Service & Activism category (Media & Entertainment). The project also earned second place in the Webby People’s Voice Award, one of the organization’s highest honors, recognizing strong audience support worldwide.
Bang Bang is a 30-second PSA shot in a visceral, first-person body cam style. The film follows a police officer responding to what appears to be an active school shooting. As tension builds, the narrative delivers a powerful twist: the “gunshots” are revealed to be the sound of books being thrown away. The film closes with the message: “Ban assault weapons. Not books.” The project was created through the Commercial Directors Diversity Program, with production support from Furlined and VIA, and developed in partnership with Safe School Las Vegas, a nonprofit formed in response to school shootings in Nevada.
“I made Bang Bang to create something immediate and immersive that puts the audience inside the fear of what it’s like to be in a school shooting before revealing the truth,” said Mustafa. “Winning a Webby means a lot because it shows that even a 30-second piece can spark a real conversation. It is a reminder to me that storytelling does not need to be loud to be powerful. It just needs to be honest.”
Despite its short runtime, Bang Bang has made a significant impact, using innovative storytelling to address urgent issues surrounding gun violence and censorship in education. Its recognition by the Webby Awards underscores the growing influence of short-form filmmaking in shaping public discourse and highlights the caliber of emerging talent at UNLV Film.
The Webby Awards are widely regarded as the leading international honors for excellence on the internet. Established in 1996, the awards are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). Each year, two distinctions are awarded: the Webby Award, selected by the Academy, and the Webby People’s Voice Award, voted on by the public.
Mustafa is an Emmy Award-winning director, writer, and editor. Most recently, he was selected for the Tyler Perry Dreamers Program, a highly competitive six-week paid internship at Tyler Perry Studios. His honors also include the Emmy Foundation Scholarship, Commercial Directors Diversity Program (CDDP) Directing Fellowship, Writers Guild Foundation Veterans Writing Project Fellowship, and induction into the Rideback Rise Circle.
His debut feature film, Take Out Girl, premiered at Cinequest and has received awards at 21 film festivals. The film is currently streaming on Hulu. A first-generation college student, Mustafa previously graduated with high honors from the College of Southern Nevada, where he was named Student of the Year and selected as a commencement speaker. He now proudly continues his studies at UNLV Film as a Cynthia Bunker Memorial Scholar.
A disabled U.S. Marine veteran and father, Mustafa brings over a decade of experience in cinematography and post-production. His work is known for its grounded visual style and emotionally resonant storytelling, often exploring themes of identity, inequality, and perseverance.
To learn more about Bang Bang’s win at the 2026 Webby Awards, visit https://www.webbyawards.com/
To learn more about the UNLV School of Cinematic Arts, visit https://www.unlv.edu/cinematic-arts
Interviews with Hisonni Mustafa are available upon request.
ABOUT THE UNLV SCHOOL OF CINEMATIC ARTS
The UNLV School of Cinematic Arts (UNLV Film) is a school at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) in the College of Fine Arts, offering both undergraduate and graduate degree programs that blend current industry practices with traditional storytelling, film history, and real-world experience led by professionals in the industry. UNLV Film proudly prepares students by building a strong foundation for careers in the dynamic worlds of film, television, and digital media.
For more information on UNLV Film, visit: https://www.unlv.edu/cinematic-arts
ABOUT THE UNLV COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS
The College of Fine Arts educates, empowers, and engages creative people to become visionary change-makers in the arts through acts of imagination. At UNLV we believe the arts are an essential good for society. We make education relevant and accessible through our programs and outreach. We create new knowledge in the arts. We celebrate independent thought and the power of bringing people together to foster creativity.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Ashley Sanchez
Nocturne PR | UNLV School of Cinematic Arts, Public Relations Consultant
702-427-7670
Jennifer Vaughan
UNLV College of Fine Arts, Communications Director