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2026 Sundance Film Festival Award Winners Announced
Top L–R: The Friend’s House is Here, Josephine, The Lake, Bedford Park, Who Killed Alex Odeh? Second Row L–R: Take Me Home, American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez, Birds of War, Soul Patrol, One In A Million Third Row L–R: Nuisance Bear, Everybody To Kenmure Street, LADY, How to Divorce During the War, How to Divorce During the War, To Hold a Mountain Fourth Row L–R: TheyDream, Ha-chan, Shake Your Booty!, Shame and Money, Aanikoobijigan [ancestor/great-grandparent/great-grandchild], The Incomer Bottom L–R: Barbara Forever, HOLD ONTO ME (Κράτα Με), Filipiñana

2026 Sundance Film Festival Award Winners Announced

Josephine (U.S. Dramatic Competition), Nuisance Bear (U.S. Documentary Competition), Shame and Money (World Cinema Dramatic Competition), and To Hold a Mountain (World Cinema Documentary Competition) Receive Grand Jury Prizes; NEXT Innovator Award Presented by Adobe Goes to The Incomer, NEXT Special Jury Award Presented by Adobe Goes to TheyDream 

Josephine (U.S. Dramatic Competition) and American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez (U.S. Documentary Competition) Granted Audience Awards Presented by Acura

HOLD ONTO ME (Κράτα Με) (World Cinema Dramatic Competition) and One In A Million (World Cinema Documentary Competition) Win Audience Awards Presented by United Airlines

PARK CITY, UTAH, January 30, 2026 — Today the 2026 Sundance Film Festival announced the award-winning films, presented at a ceremony at The Ray Theatre in Park City, Utah. The ceremony was attended by the jury and artists receiving honors, in advance of the final day of the Festival on February 1. The 2026 Festival has featured premieres, screenings, talks, events, and more in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, including programming that honored Robert Redford and his vision that has inspired generations of artists and redefined cinema around the world. All feature award-winning films are available online nationwide now through February 1. Select award-winning films will screen in person for ticketholders and passholders. Tickets can be purchased at festival.sundance.org/tickets.

Grand Jury Prizes went to Josephine (U.S. Dramatic Competition), Nuisance Bear (U.S. Documentary Competition), Shame and Money (World Cinema Dramatic Competition), and To Hold a Mountain (World Cinema Documentary Competition). The NEXT Innovator Award presented by Adobe was given to The Incomer, and the NEXT Special Jury Award presented by Adobe was given to TheyDream.

Films in competition eligible for audience awards were presented by Acura to Josephine (U.S. Dramatic Competition) and American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez (U.S. Documentary Competition) and presented by United Airlines to HOLD ONTO ME (Κράτα Με) (World Cinema Dramatic Competition) and One In A Million (World Cinema Documentary Competition). Aanikoobijigan [ancestor/great-grandparent/great-grandchild] won the audience award for NEXT presented by Adobe. The Festival Favorite Award–winning film will be announced on the Sundance Film Festival official social accounts on Saturday, January 31 in the afternoon. Awards for the Short Film Program Presented by Ketel One Vodka were announced at a ceremony on January 27 at The Park in Park City, Utah.

The 2026 Sundance Film Festival jury includes: Janicza Bravo, Nisha Ganatra, and Azazel Jacobs for the U.S. Dramatic Competition; Natalia Almada, Justin Chang, and Jennie Livingston for the U.S. Documentary Competition; Ana Katz, So Yong Kim, and Tatiana Maslany for the World Cinema Dramatic Competition; Toni Kamau, Bao Nguyen, and Kirsten Schaffer for the World Cinema Documentary Competition; A.V. Rockwell, Liv Constable-Maxwell, and Martin Starr for the Short Film Program Competition; and John Cooper and Trevor Groth for the NEXT section.

This year’s Sundance Film Festival has introduced audiences to 97 feature-length and episodic works and 54 short films — curated from a total 16,201 submissions — screening to audiences in Park City, Salt Lake City, and online nationwide.

The 2026 Sundance Film Festival will be the culmination of the yearly gathering in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah. Starting in 2027, the Sundance Film Festival will move to Boulder, Colorado, continuing to celebrate independent storytelling and fresh voices for global audiences to discover. The Festival deeply values the long-standing legacy in Utah and the local community who laid the foundation. 

Feature film award winners in previous years include: Sorry, Baby, Come See Me in the Good Light, Twinless, The Perfect Neighbor, A Real Pain, Dìdi (弟弟), Porcelain War, Sujo, Daughters, A Thousand and One, 20 Days in Mariupol, Nanny, CODA, Summer of Soul (…Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised), Flee, Minari, Boys State, Clemency, One Child Nation, Honeyland, The Souvenir, Whiplash, Fruitvale Station, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Twenty Feet from Stardom, The Square, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Cartel Land, The Wolf Pack, The Diary of a Teenage Girl, Dope, Dear White People, The Cove, and Man on Wire.

The 2026 Sundance Film Festival awards are:

GRAND JURY PRIZES

The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented to Josephine / U.S.A.

(Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Beth de Araújo, Producers: David Kaplan, Josh Peters, Marina Stabile, Mark H. Rapaport, Crystine Zhang)

Jury citation: For the depth and nuance of storytelling. For the delicate and elegant execution of a challenging subject matter. The skilled direction of performance from the cast. The humanistic view of the filmmaker and how they withheld judgment of those dealing with the impact of victimization. This filmmaker offered an empathetic view into the many different ways we as humans cope and try to set the wrongs right.

The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented to Josephine / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Beth de Araújo, Producers: David Kaplan, Josh Peters, Marina Stabile, Mark H. Rapaport, Crystine Zhang) — After 8-year-old Josephine accidentally witnesses a crime in Golden Gate Park, she acts out in search of a way to regain control of her safety while adults are helpless to console her. Cast: Mason Reeves, Channing Tatum, Gemma Chan, Philip Ettinger, Syra McCarthy, Eleanore Pienta. World Premiere. Available online for public.

The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented to Nuisance Bear / U.S.A., Canada

(Directors: Gabriela Osio Vanden, Jack Weisman, Producers: Michael Code, Will N. Miller, Teddy Leifer)

Jury citation: This film tells an enormous story with great drama, beauty and verve, and powerfully confronts the realities of climate change, the tensions between Indigenous tradition and Western capitalist encroachment, and the complexities of humanity’s relationship with the natural world. It also features a standout sequence that is, like the film itself, humorous, terrifying, and unforgettable. Of all the documentaries we saw, this one was the least … polarizing. The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary goes to Nuisance Bear.

The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented to Nuisance Bear / U.S.A., Canada (Directors: Gabriela Osio Vanden, Jack Weisman, Producers: Michael Code, Will N. Miller, Teddy Leifer) — A polar bear is forced to navigate a human world of tourists, wildlife officers, and hunters as its ancient migration collides with modern life. When a sacred predator is branded a nuisance, it becomes unclear who truly belongs in this shared landscape. World Premiere. Available online for public.

The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented to Shame and Money / Germany, Kosovo, Slovenia, Albania, North Macedonia, Belgium

(Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Visar Morina, Screenwriter: Doruntina Basha, Producers: Fabian Altenried, Sophie Ahrens, Kristof Gerega, Pia Hellenthal)

Jury citation: For his powerful and unique portrayal of human dignity in contemporary Kosovo that universally resonates. A sensitive filmmaker who masterfully draws the audience into the daily struggles of a family. For his deep empathy for his characters in a crucial moment in which they are beginning again, the World Cinematic Grand Jury Prize goes to Shame and Money.

The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented to Shame and Money / Germany, Kosovo, Slovenia, Albania, North Macedonia, Belgium (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Visar Morina, Screenwriter: Doruntina Basha, Producers: Fabian Altenried, Sophie Ahrens, Kristof Gerega, Pia Hellenthal) — After losing their livelihood in a village, a Kosovar family is forced to move to the capital in pursuit of a place in a hypercapitalist society. Cast: Astrit Kabashi, Flonja Kodheli, Kumrije Hoxha, Fiona Gllavica, Alban Ukaj. World Premiere. Available online for public.

The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented to To Hold a Mountain / Serbia, France, Montenegro, Slovenia, Croatia

(Directors, Screenwriters, and Producers: Biljana Tutorov, Petar Glomazić, Producers: Quentin Laurent, Rok Biček)

Jury citation: This visually and emotionally stunning film transported us to a remote mountain top and into the most intimate moments of a family fighting to protect not only their land, but their way of life. The truest example of the power of cinema to make the personal political.

The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented to To Hold a Mountain / Serbia, France, Montenegro, Slovenia, Croatia (Directors, Screenwriters, and Producers: Biljana Tutorov, Petar Glomazić, Producers: Quentin Laurent, Rok Biček) — In the remote highlands of Montenegro, a shepherd mother and daughter proudly defend their ancestral mountain from the threat of becoming a NATO military training ground, stirring memories of the violence that shattered their family. World Premiere. Available online for public.

NEXT INNOVATOR AWARD PRESENTED BY Adobe

The NEXT Innovator Award Presented by Adobe was awarded to The Incomer / U.K.

(Director and Screenwriter: Louis Paxton, Producers: Shirley O’Connor, Emily Gotto)

Jury citation: This award goes to a boldly original comic fable that blends folklore with formal playfulness. Deadpan humor, animation, and myth collide — proof that fearless invention can be both uproarious and deeply humane.

The NEXT Innovator Award Presented by Adobe was awarded to The Incomer / U.K. (Director and Screenwriter: Louis Paxton, Producers: Shirley O’Connor, Emily Gotto) — On a remote Scottish isle, siblings Isla and Sandy hunt birds and talk to mythical beings while fighting off outsiders. Their lives change when Daniel, an awkward official, arrives to relocate them. Cast: Domhnall Gleeson, Gayle Rankin, Grant O’Rourke, Emun Elliott, Michelle Gomez, John Hannah. World Premiere. Fiction. Available online for public.

AUDIENCE AWARDS

The Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic, Presented by Acura was awarded to Josephine / U.S.A.

(Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Beth de Araújo, Producers: David Kaplan, Josh Peters, Marina Stabile, Mark H. Rapaport, Crystine Zhang)

The Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic, Presented by Acura was awarded to Josephine / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Beth de Araújo, Producers: David Kaplan, Josh Peters, Marina Stabile, Mark H. Rapaport, Crystine Zhang) — After 8-year-old Josephine accidentally witnesses a crime in Golden Gate Park, she acts out in search of a way to regain control of her safety while adults are helpless to console her. Cast: Mason Reeves, Channing Tatum, Gemma Chan, Philip Ettinger, Syra McCarthy, Eleanore Pienta. World Premiere. Available online for public.

The Audience Award: U.S. Documentary, Presented by Acura was awarded to American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez / U.S.A.

(Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: David Alvarado, Producers: Lauren DeFilippo, Everett Katigbak, Amanda Pollak)

The Audience Award: U.S. Documentary, Presented by Acura was awarded to American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: David Alvarado, Producers: Lauren DeFilippo, Everett Katigbak, Amanda Pollak) — Against political resistance and industry skepticism, Luis Valdez pushes Chicano storytelling from the fields to the film screen with Zoot Suit and La Bamba, crafting iconic works that challenge, celebrate, and expand America’s story. World Premiere. Available online for public.

The Audience Award: World Cinema Dramatic, Presented by United Airlines was awarded to HOLD ONTO ME (Κράτα Με) / Cyprus, Denmark, Greece

(Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Myrsini Aristidou, Producer: Monica Nicolaidou)

The Audience Award: World Cinema Dramatic, Presented by United Airlines was awarded to HOLD ONTO ME (Κράτα Με) / Cyprus, Denmark, Greece (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Myrsini Aristidou, Producer: Monica Nicolaidou) — 11-year-old Iris learns her estranged father, Aris, is back in town for his own father’s funeral. Determined to know him, Iris tracks him down to a dilapidated shipyard, where he’s been keeping to himself. What begins as a stubborn attempt to reconnect slowly unfolds into a fragile bond. Cast: Christos Passalis, Maria Petrova. World Premiere. Available online for public.

The Audience Award: World Cinema Documentary, Presented by United Airlines was awarded to One In A Million / U.K.

(Directors: Itab Azzam, Jack MacInnes, Producers: Raney Aronson-Rath, Will Anderson, James Bluemel, Andrew Palmer)

The Audience Award: World Cinema Documentary, Presented by United Airlines was awarded to One In A Million / U.K. (Directors: Itab Azzam, Jack MacInnes, Producers: Raney Aronson-Rath, Will Anderson, James Bluemel, Andrew Palmer) — Filmed over 10 years, one girl’s epic journey from Syria to Germany and back again. She and her family navigate war, exile, and heartbreak in a foreign land, illuminating the complexities of the refugee experience. World Premiere. Available online for public.

The Audience Award: NEXT, Presented by Adobe was awarded to Aanikoobijigan [ancestor/great-grandparent/great-grandchild] / U.S.A., Denmark

(Directors and Producers: Adam Khalil, Zack Khalil, Producers: Steve Holmgren, Grace Remington, Jacque Clark, Franny Alfano)

The Audience Award: NEXT, Presented by Adobe was awarded to Aanikoobijigan [ancestor/great-grandparent/great-grandchild] / U.S.A., Denmark (Directors and Producers: Adam Khalil, Zack Khalil, Producers: Steve Holmgren, Grace Remington, Jacque Clark, Franny Alfano) — Trapped in museum archives, Ancestors bend time and space to find their way home. History, spirituality, and the law collide as tribal repatriation specialists fight to return and rebury Indigenous human remains, offering a revealing look at the still-pervasive worldviews that justified collecting them in the first place. World Premiere. Documentary. Available online for public.

JURY AWARDS FOR DIRECTING, SCREENWRITING, and EDITING

The Directing Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented to Josef Kubota Wladyka for Ha-chan, Shake Your Booty! / U.S.A.

(Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Josef Kubota Wladyka, Screenwriter: Nicholas Huynh, Producers: Kimberly Parker Zox, Mao Nagakura)

Jury citation: For bringing us into a creative world that allowed us to explore love, loss, and grief through dance with deep emotion and surprising joy and laughter. We will carry Rinko Kikuchi’s performance in our hearts, and thank this film for reminding us that when magical realism works it is truly a feat to behold.

The Directing Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented to Josef Kubota Wladyka for Ha-chan, Shake Your Booty! / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Josef Kubota Wladyka, Screenwriter: Nicholas Huynh, Producers: Kimberly Parker Zox, Mao Nagakura) — Haru and Luis love competing in Tokyo’s ballroom dance scene, but after tragedy strikes, Haru withdraws into isolation. When friends coax her back to the studio, she develops an infatuation with the new instructor. She must face what comes next as sparks fly. Cast: Rinko Kikuchi, Alberto Guerra, Alejandro Edda, YOU, Yoh Yoshida, Damián Alcázar. World Premiere. Available online for public.

The Directing Award: U.S. Documentary was presented to J.M. Harper for Soul Patrol / U.S.A.

(Director and Producer: J.M. Harper, Producers: Sam Bisbee, Danielle Massie, Nasir Jones, Peter Bittenbender)

Jury citation: With remarkable intelligence and resourcefulness, and an elegant attention to cultural context, this filmmaker achieves a skillful balance of archival footage, vivid re-enactments and troubling hallucinations. In doing so, he makes palpable the trauma of Black Americans who have never gotten due recognition for their sacrifices in war. The Directing Award: U.S. Documentary goes to J.M. Harper for Soul Patrol.

The Directing Award: U.S. Documentary was presented to J.M. Harper for Soul Patrol / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: J.M. Harper, Producers: Sam Bisbee, Danielle Massie, Nasir Jones, Peter Bittenbender) — From deep behind enemy lines, a hidden chapter of American military history is uncovered, prompting the question of whether reckoning with the past can bring peace to those who lived it. The Vietnam War’s first Black special operations team reunites to tell their story. World Premiere. Available online for public.

The Directing Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented to Andrius Blaževičius for How to Divorce During the War / Lithuania, Luxembourg, Ireland, Czech Republic

(Director and Screenwriter: Andrius Blaževičius, Producer: Marija Razgutė)

Jury citation: For his immense talent and steady hand in a darkly comedic film about life in times of war, this director’s subtle observation holds a mirror to our contradictions without neglecting the humanity of his characters…the Directing Award goes to Andrius Blaževičius for How to Divorce During the War.

The Directing Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented to Andrius Blaževičius for How to Divorce During the War / Lithuania, Luxembourg, Ireland, Czech Republic (Director and Screenwriter: Andrius Blaževičius, Producer: Marija Razgutė) — In Vilnius in 2022, Marija has a revelation that she wants to divorce her husband, Vytas, right before Russia invades Ukraine. Forced to confront their crumbling relationship, they navigate the process of divorce as it collides with the ongoing war. Cast: Marius Repšys, Žygimantė Elena Jakštaitė, Amelija Adomaitytė, Indrė Patkauskaitė, Gintarė Parulytė. World Premiere. Available online for public.

The Directing Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented to Itab Azzam and Jack MacInnes for One In A Million / U.K.

(Directors: Itab Azzam, Jack MacInnes, Producers: Raney Aronson-Rath, Will Anderson, James Bluemel, Andrew Palmer)

Jury citation: Elegantly exploring the ideas of freedom and the importance of home in the aftermath of war, this film impressed us with its sense of scale and decade-long directorial commitment to its subjects. It is a beautiful synthesis of one family’s migration across multiple countries as they seek refuge from societal upheaval.

The Directing Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented to Itab Azzam and Jack MacInnes for One In A Million / U.K. (Directors: Itab Azzam, Jack MacInnes, Producers: Raney Aronson-Rath, Will Anderson, James Bluemel, Andrew Palmer) — Filmed over 10 years, one girl’s epic journey from Syria to Germany and back again. She and her family navigate war, exile, and heartbreak in a foreign land, illuminating the complexities of the refugee experience. World Premiere. Available online for public.

The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented to Liz Sargent for Take Me Home / U.S.A.

(Director and Screenwriter: Liz Sargent, Producers: Apoorva Guru Charan, Minos Papas)

Jury citation: For modeling a different way to tell a story. This is a movie that embraced the truth of the moment on set, necessitating the filmmaker be fully present to shift, reflect, and trust her vision, in order to capture the miracle that she did.

The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented to Liz Sargent for Take Me Home / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Liz Sargent, Producers: Apoorva Guru Charan, Minos Papas) — Anna, a 38-year-old Korean adoptee with a cognitive disability, cares for her aging parents in a fragile balance of meeting one another’s needs. When a Florida heat wave shatters their family and Anna’s routine, her future is uncertain until she creates a world where she can thrive. Cast: Anna Sargent, Victor Slezak, Ali Ahn, Marceline Hugot, Shane Harper. World Premiere. Available online for public.

The Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award: U.S. Documentary was presented to Matt Hixon for Barbara Forever / U.S.A.

(Director and Producer: Brydie O’Connor, Producer: Elijah Stevens)

Jury citation: Drawing on an artist’s deep archive of original work and forming exquisite connections between history and biography, art and life, this intimate and expansive portrait gives a pioneering figure in queer experimental filmmaking her rightful due. The Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award: U.S. Documentary goes to Matt Hixon for Barbara Forever.

The Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award: U.S. Documentary was presented to Matt Hixon for Barbara Forever / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Brydie O’Connor, Producer: Elijah Stevens) — An archive-driven exploration of the life, work, and legacy of iconic, pioneering lesbian filmmaker Barbara Hammer. World Premiere. Available online for public.

SPECIAL JURY AWARDS

A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Debut Feature was presented to Bedford Park / U.S.A.

(Director and Screenwriter: Stephanie Ahn, Producers: Gary Foster, Chris S. Lee, Nina Yang Bongiovi, Theresa Kang, Son Sukku)

Jury citation: For inviting us into a world we’ve never seen depicted on film, and daring to share the very personal, the filmmaker upended all of our assumptions of a story told with depth and skill.

A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Debut Feature was presented to Bedford Park / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Stephanie Ahn, Producers: Gary Foster, Chris S. Lee, Nina Yang Bongiovi, Theresa Kang, Son Sukku) — Haunted by an abusive childhood, Audrey, a Korean American woman in her 30s, faces her emotional past. When her mother’s car accident brings her back to her parents’ home, she meets the man responsible for the accident. Their relationship builds, passions ignite, and they form a loving connection. Cast: Moon Choi, Son Sukku, Won Mi Kyung, Kim Eung Soo, Jefferson White. World Premiere. Available online for public.

 

A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Journalistic Excellence was presented to Who Killed Alex Odeh? / U.S.A.

(Directors: Jason Osder, William Lafi Youmans, Producer: Dawne Langford, William Lafi Youmans, Jason Osder, Daniel J. Chalfen)

Jury citation: This engrossing and surprising true-crime saga begins as an investigation into an unsolved murder and, with great procedural rigor, excavates a nefarious history about America’s role in suppressing justice for a Palestinian American family. The Special Jury Award: Journalistic Excellence goes to Who Killed Alex Odeh?

A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Journalistic Excellence was presented to Who Killed Alex Odeh? / U.S.A. (Directors: Jason Osder, William Lafi Youmans, Producer: Dawne Langford, William Lafi Youmans, Jason Osder, Daniel J. Chalfen) — The assassination of a beloved Palestinian American activist in Southern California ignites a 40-year quest for justice, revealing the roots of a dangerous political movement that thrives today. World Premiere. Available online for public.

A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Impact for Change was presented to The Lake / U.S.A.

(Director and Producer: Abby Ellis, Producer: Fletcher Keyes)

Jury citation: This environmental-crisis story is a probing and provocative look at the interdependency of science and faith, and the power of individuals and communities to avert disaster by working together. We were moved and encouraged by its vision of people working across political divides. A Special Jury Award: Impact for Change goes to The Lake.

A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Impact for Change was presented to The Lake / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Abby Ellis, Producer: Fletcher Keyes) –— An environmental nuclear bomb looms in Utah. Two intrepid scientists and a political insider race the clock to save their home from unprecedented catastrophe. World Premiere. Available online for public.

A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Creative Vision was presented to Filipiñana / Singapore, U.K., Philippines, France, Netherlands

(Director and Screenwriter: Rafael Manuel, Producers: Jeremy Chua, Alex Polunin, Bianca Balbuena, Bradley Liew, Nadia Turincev, Omar El Kadi)

Jury citation: With stunning visual command and sensitivity to the setting, the filmmaker thoughtfully evokes a world where characters languish. Through its static form, the filmmaker highlights insidious tension between luxury and labor. The special jury award for Creative Vision goes to Filipiñana.

A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Creative Vision was presented to Filipiñana / Singapore, U.K., Philippines, France, Netherlands (Director and Screenwriter: Rafael Manuel, Producers: Jeremy Chua, Alex Polunin, Bianca Balbuena, Bradley Liew, Nadia Turincev, Omar El Kadi) — Tee girl Isabel feels strangely drawn to Dr. Palanca, the president of the country club where she works. However, after piecing together a violent picture of what lies beneath the club’s pristine surface, she realizes that what began as an innocent infatuation is actually rooted in a sinister shared history. Cast: Jorrybell Agoto, Carmen Castellanos, Teroy Guzman, Carlitos Siguion-Reyna, Isabel Sicat, Nour Houshmand. World Premiere. Available online for public.

A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting Ensemble was presented to LADY / U.K., Nigeria

(Director and Screenwriter: Olive Nwosu, Producer: Alex Polunin)

Jury citation: For a film full of depth and texture and with a rhythm all its own, with an electric ensemble cast that brings life and humor and insight to a story about day-to-day challenges and finding safety in unexpected friendships, the special jury award for Acting Ensemble goes to… LADY.

A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting Ensemble was presented to LADY / U.K., Nigeria (Director and Screenwriter: Olive Nwosu, Producer: Alex Polunin) — In the sprawling African metropolis of Lagos, a fiercely independent young cab driver meets a band of radiantly reckless sex workers whose sisterhood pulls her into danger and joy, setting her on a journey toward her own transformation. Cast: Jessica Gabriel’s Ujah, Amanda Oruh, Tinuade Jemiseye, Binta Ayo Mogaji, Seun Kuti, Bucci Franklin. World Premiere. Available online for public.

A World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Journalistic Impact was presented to Birds of War/ U.K., Syrian Arab Republic, Lebanon

(Directors, Screenwriters, and Producers: Janay Boulos, Abd Alkader Habak, Producer: Sonja Henrici)

Jury citation: By turning the camera on themselves, the co-directors follow the arc of their own love story as the vehicle for a deeply moving narrative about the complexity of revolution and war. This film showcases the power of journalism through emotion and vulnerability; enduring, bearing witness, and telling one’s own story oftentimes has the most impact.

A World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Journalistic Impact was presented to Birds of War/ U.K., Syrian Arab Republic, Lebanon (Directors, Screenwriters, and Producers: Janay Boulos, Abd Alkader Habak, Producer: Sonja Henrici) — The love story of a London-based Lebanese journalist and a Syrian activist and cameraman as told through 13 years of personal archives across revolutions, war, and exile. World Premiere. Available online for public.

A World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Civil Resistance was presented to Everybody To Kenmure Street / U.K.

(Director and Producer: Felipe Bustos Sierra, Producer: Ciara Barry)

Jury citation: Not your typical social issue film, this documentary utilizes a touch of humor and a wide diversity of perspectives to call upon people to stand up for their neighbors. In a time when xenophobia and authoritarianism are on the rise, the power of collective action here is a global rallying cry.

A World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Civil Resistance was presented to Everybody To Kenmure Street / U.K. (Director and Producer: Felipe Bustos Sierra, Producer: Ciara Barry) — In May 2021, a U.K. Home Office dawn raid triggers one of the most spontaneous and successful acts of civil resistance in recent memory. In Scotland’s most diverse neighborhood, hundreds of residents rush to the streets to stop the deportation of their neighbors. World Premiere. Available online for public.

The NEXT Special Jury Award for Creative Expression was awarded to TheyDream / U.S.A.

(Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: William David Caballero, Screenwriters and Producers: Erin Ploss-Campoamor, Elaine del Valle, Producer: Brad Jones)

Jury citation: For fully exploring multiple filmmaking techniques blending craft and emotion to tell a personal story of those often overlooked…more importantly with loving humor and brutal honesty.

The NEXT Special Jury Award for Creative Expression was awarded to TheyDream / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: William David Caballero, Screenwriters and Producers: Erin Ploss-Campoamor, Elaine del Valle, Producer: Brad Jones) — After 20 years of chronicling his Puerto Rican family, a director and his mother face devastating losses. Through tears and laughter, they craft animations that bring their loved ones back to life, discovering that every act of creation is also an act of letting go. World Premiere. Documentary. Available online for public.

PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED 2026 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS:

Jury prizes for the Short Film Program were announced on January 27 at the Short Film Awards Ceremony & Party presented by Ketel One Vodka at The Park in Park City:

The Short Film Grand Jury Prize was awarded to: The Baddest Speechwriter of All / U.S.A.

(Directors and Producers: Ben Proudfoot, Stephen Curry, Producer: Erick Peyton)

Jury citation: This film implores us to take action with a message that is timeless and timely. Through the eyes of its subject, we find one of the most important moments in modern history has a new perspective.  For its portrait of a strong willed, hilarious, compassionate man, and the instrumental role he played in kicking ass, nonviolently, against division and hate, the Short Film Grand Jury Prize goes to The Baddest Speechwriter of All.

The Short Film Grand Jury Prize was awarded to: The Baddest Speechwriter of All / U.S.A. (Directors and Producers: Ben Proudfoot, Stephen Curry, Producer: Erick Peyton) — Now 93, Martin Luther King Jr.’s lawyer and speechwriter reflects on the personal cost and surprising truths of making history, offering an intimate insider’s view of the Civil Rights Movement. World Premiere. Available online for public.

The Short Film Jury Award: U.S. Fiction was awarded to: Crisis Actor / U.S.A.

(Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Lily Platt, Producers: Sophie Seyd, Alex Bendo, Lexi Preiser)

Jury citation: This short is uniquely brilliant in its ability to balance laugh-out-loud levity with the emotional pain of honest self-reflection. This film is a succinct display of craft in writing, directing, acting, and a deeply insightful depiction of the distorted state of American values today. The Short Film Jury Award for U.S. Fiction goes to Crisis Actor.

The Short Film Jury Award: U.S. Fiction was awarded to: Crisis Actor / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Lily Platt, Producers: Sophie Seyd, Alex Bendo, Lexi Preiser) — Fired from her day job, an impulsive actress crashes a support group and spirals into a chaotic night that forces her to face her addiction to drama. Cast: Sarah Steele, Philip Ettinger. World Premiere. Available online for public.

The Short Film Jury Award: International Fiction was awarded to: Jazz Infernal /  Canada

(Director and Screenwriter: Will Niava, Screenwriter: Kristelle Laroche, Producers: Zion Lipstein-Saffer, Samuel Caron)

Jury citation: This film deeply resonates in a way that lingers long after viewing, powerfully blending evocative atmosphere, gorgeous cinematography, music, and global storytelling influences into a profoundly singular vision. The Short Film Jury Award for International Fiction goes to Jazz Infernal.

The Short Film Jury Award: International Fiction was awarded to: Jazz Infernal /  Canada (Director and Screenwriter: Will Niava, Screenwriter: Kristelle Laroche, Producers: Zion Lipstein-Saffer, Samuel Caron) — Koffi, a young Ivorian trumpeter, arrives in Montréal with nothing but the legacy of his father to guide him. Lost between the city’s noise and the silence of his past, he must confront his roots to finally find his voice. Cast: Ange-Eric N’guessan, Alexis Belhumeur, Kalombo Kasongo. U.S. Premiere. Available online for public.

The Short Film Jury Award: Nonfiction was awarded to: The Boys and the Bees / U.S.A.

(Director and Producer: Arielle C. Knight, Producer: Sean Weiner)

Jury citation: This film is a beautiful and bold story, in which we see two young boys as they are taught what it means to be strong without disregarding feelings; to learn about oneself and our place in nature; and ultimately to understand our capacity to reimagine the lineages we pass down to our children. The Short Film Jury Award for Non-Fiction goes to The Boys and the Bees.

The Short Film Jury Award: Nonfiction was awarded to: The Boys and the Bees / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Arielle C. Knight, Producer: Sean Weiner) — On an idyllic farm in rural Georgia, Black beekeeping parents tenderly share their knowledge of life, love, and nature with their young sons while restoring their homestead. Available online for public.

The Short Film Jury Award: Animation was awarded to: Living with a Visionary / U.S.A.

(Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Stephen P. Neary, Producer: Mireia Vilanova)

Jury citation: With visuals that so beautifully bring this funny, imaginative, and ultimately heartbreaking story to life, we fell easily into the world of two storied lovers dealing with one of life’s greatest challenges. Loss. The detailed yet childlike animation helps bring to life a world only one woman can see and instills levity into this deeply moving story. The Short Film Jury Award for Animation goes to Living with a Visionary.

The Short Film Jury Award: Animation was awarded to: Living with a Visionary / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Stephen P. Neary, Producer: Mireia Vilanova) — After 50 years of marriage, John must care for his wife while learning to live alongside her vivid hallucinations. Cast: James Cromwell, Katherine LaVictoire. World Premiere. Available online for public.

The Short Film Special Jury Award for Creative Vision was awarded to: Paper Trail / U.S.A.

(Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Don Hertzfeldt)

Jury citation: This film is a meticulous and brilliantly crafted example of how a single idea, which unfolds with vision and ingenuity, can expand our way of seeing the world around us. Beginning with a simple, crayon-drawn line, this bold film transports us on a roving journey of one man’s life, twisting and turning along the way with moments that are at once playful, banal, sincere, and, in the end, deeply moving. The Short Film Special Jury Award for Creative Vision goes to Paper Trail.

The Short Film Special Jury Award for Creative Vision was awarded to: Paper Trail / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Don Hertzfeldt) — A life, seen through paper. World Premiere.

The Short Film Special Jury Award for Acting was awarded to: Noah Roja and Filippo Carrozza for The Liars / Argentina

(Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Eduardo Braun Costa, Producers: Manuel Aguer, Natasha Gurfinkel)

Jury citation: Rarely do you see performances so honest and natural that they blur the line between fiction and nonfiction in their portrayal. For two young actors we look forward to seeing again who have done just that with their performances, we award the Short Film Special Jury Award for Acting to Noah Roja and Filippo Carrozza in The Liars.

The Short Film Special Jury Award for Acting was awarded to: Noah Roja and Filippo Carrozza for The Liars / Argentina (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Eduardo Braun Costa, Producers: Manuel Aguer, Natasha Gurfinkel) — Thrown into adulthood, Matías and Jaime try to make sense of the world. One day, Jaime is arrested by a security guard at a mall and Matías must ask a stranger to pretend to be their father to free him. Cast: Noah Roja, Filippo Carrozza, Esteban Bigliardi, Mariana Chaud, Pablo Fusco. World Premiere. Available online for public.

The 2026 Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize for an outstanding feature film with science and technology themes or characters was awarded to In The Blink of An Eye

(Directed by Andrew Stanton and written by Colby Day)

The 2026 Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize for an outstanding feature film with science and technology themes or characters was awarded to In The Blink of An Eye directed by Andrew Stanton and written by Colby Day, screening in the Premieres category. The filmmakers received a $25,000 cash award from Sundance Institute with support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

The Sundance Institute Producers Award for Nonfiction, presented by Amazon MGM Studios, went to Dawne Langford for Who Killed Alex Odeh? / U.S.A.

(Directors: Jason Osder, William Lafi Youmans, Producers: Dawne Langford, William Lafi Youmans, Jason Osder, Daniel J. Chalfen)

The Sundance Institute Producers Award for Nonfiction, presented by Amazon MGM Studios, went to Dawne Langford for Who Killed Alex Odeh? / U.S.A. (Directors: Jason Osder, William Lafi Youmans, Producers: Dawne Langford, William Lafi Youmans, Jason Osder, Daniel J. Chalfen) –– The assassination of a beloved Palestinian American activist in Southern California ignites a 40-year quest for justice, revealing the roots of a dangerous political movement that thrives today. World Premiere. Available online for public.

The Sundance Institute Producers Award for Fiction, presented by Amazon MGM Studios, went to Apoorva Guru Charan for Take Me Home / U.S.A.

(Director and Screenwriter: Liz Sargent, Producers: Apoorva Guru Charan, Minos Papas)

The Sundance Institute Producers Award for Fiction, presented by Amazon MGM Studios, went to Apoorva Guru Charan for Take Me Home / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Liz Sargent, Producers: Apoorva Guru Charan, Minos Papas) — Anna, a 38-year-old Korean adoptee with a cognitive disability, cares for her aging parents in a fragile balance of meeting one another’s needs. When a Florida heat wave shatters their family and Anna’s routine, her future is uncertain until she creates a world where she can thrive. Cast: Anna Sargent, Victor Slezak, Ali Ahn, Marceline Hugot, Shane Harper. World Premiere. Available online for public. 

Adobe Mentorship Award for Nonfiction went to Flavia de Souza, and the Sundance Institute | Adobe Mentorship Award for Fiction went to Mollie Goldstein

The Sundance Institute | Adobe Mentorship Award for Nonfiction went to Flavia de Souza, and the Sundance Institute | Adobe Mentorship Award for Fiction went to Mollie Goldstein.

NHK Award went to Leo Aguirre for Verano (U.S.A.).

The Sundance Institute | NHK Award went to Leo Aguirre for Verano (U.S.A.).

WHO

Sundance Institute

As a champion and curator of independent stories, the nonprofit Sundance Institute provides and preserves the space for artists across storytelling media to create and thrive. Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, the Institute’s signature labs, granting, and mentorship programs, dedicated to developing new work, take place throughout the year in the U.S. and internationally. Sundance Collab, a digital community platform, brings a global cohort of working artists together to learn from Sundance Institute advisors and connect with each other in a creative space, developing and sharing works in progress. The Sundance Film Festival and other public programs connect audiences and artists to ignite new ideas, discover original voices, and build a community dedicated to independent storytelling. Through the Sundance Institute artist programs, we have supported such projects as Beasts of the Southern Wild, The Big Sick, Bottle Rocket, Boys Don’t Cry, Boys State, Call Me by Your Name, Clemency, CODA, Dìdi (弟弟), Drunktown’s Finest, The Farewell, Fire of Love, Flee, Fruitvale Station, Half Nelson, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Hereditary, The Infiltrators, The Last Black Man in San Francisco, Little Woods, Love & Basketball, Me and You and Everyone We Know, Mudbound, Nanny, One Child Nation, Pariah, Raising Victor Vargas, RBG, Requiem for a Dream, Reservoir Dogs, Sin Nombre, Sorry to Bother You, Strong Island, Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), Swiss Army Man, A Thousand and One, Top of the Lake, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, and Zola. Through year-round artist programs, the Institute also nurtured the early careers of such artists as Paul Thomas Anderson, Gregg Araki, Darren Aronofsky, Lisa Cholodenko, Nia DaCosta, Ryan Coogler, The Daniels, Robert Eggers, Rick Famuyiwa, David Gordon Green, Sterlin Harjo, Marielle Heller, Miranda July, Nikyatu Jusu, James Mangold, John Cameron Mitchell, Kimberly Peirce, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Boots Riley, A.V. Rockwell, Ira Sachs, Walter Salles, Quentin Tarantino, Erica Tremblay, Taika Waititi, Lulu Wang, and Chloé Zhao. Support Sundance Institute in our commitment to uplifting bold artists and powerful storytelling globally by making a donation at sundance.org/donate. Join Sundance Institute on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X, and Bluesky.

Sundance Film Festival®

The Sundance Film Festival, a program of the nonprofit Sundance Institute, is the preeminent gathering of original storytellers and audiences seeking new voices and fresh perspectives. Since 1985, hundreds of films launched at the Festival have gone on to gain critical acclaim and reach new audiences worldwide. The Festival has introduced some of the most groundbreaking films and episodic works of the past decades, including Kiss of the Spider Woman, Prime Minister, Pee-wee as Himself, Dìdi (弟弟), A Real Pain, Daughters, Thelma, Will & Harper, Past Lives, 20 Days in Mariupol, The Eternal Memory, Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, A Thousand and One, Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields, Rye Lane, Navalny, Fire of Love, Flee, CODA, Passing, Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), Minari, Clemency, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, Zola, O.J.: Made in America, On the Record, Boys State, The Farewell, Honeyland, One Child Nation, The Souvenir, The Infiltrators, Sorry to Bother You, Top of the Lake, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, Hereditary, Call Me by Your Name, Get Out, The Big Sick, Mudbound, Fruitvale Station, Whiplash, Brooklyn, Precious, The Cove, Little Miss Sunshine, An Inconvenient Truth, Napoleon Dynamite, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Reservoir Dogs, and sex, lies, and videotape. The program consists of fiction and nonfiction features and short films, series and episodic content, innovative storytelling, and performances, as well as conversations and other events. The 2026 Festival will be held January 22–February 1, 2026 in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, and online January 29–February 1, 2026 across the country. Be a part of the Festival at festival.sundance.org and follow the Festival on Facebook,Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X, and Bluesky.

The Festival is a program of the nonprofit Sundance Institute. To date 2026 Festival sponsors include: Presenting Sponsors – Acura, Sundance Now, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, Adobe; Leadership Sponsors – Audible, Casamigos, Hulu on Disney+, Ketel One Vodka, Omnicom, United Airlines; Sustaining Sponsors – Canon U.S.A., Inc., Dropbox, World of Hyatt®, IMDbPro, Patagonia, Rabbit Hole Bourbon & Rye, White Claw Hard Seltzer; Media Sponsors – Deadline Hollywood, IndieWire, Los Angeles Times, Variety, Vulture. The support of these organizations helps offset the Festival’s costs and sustain the Institute’s year round programs for independent artists. Please visit festival.sundance.org for more.

WHERE
Sundance Film Festival 2026
festival.sundance.org/tickets
festival.sundance.org
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