2026 AWARD WINNERS

Audience Choice

• Short Documentary: La Tierra del Valor (The Home of the Brave) - Director Cristina Costantini

• Short Narrative: Light Bunny - Director Valerian Zamel

• Feature Narrative: Nika and Madison - Director Eva Thomas

• Feature Documentary: Los Lobos Native Sons - Directors Doug Blush, Piero Giunti

Jury Awards

• Best Short Documentary: La Tierra del Valor (The Home of the Brave) - Director Cristina Costantini

• Best Short Narrative: The Whole Thing - Director Calvin Sang, Writer Jake Mynatt

• Best Local Short: Sound Again - Director Carlos Correa

• Best Feature Narrative: Honeyjoon - Director Lilian T. Mehrel

• Best Feature Documentary: Loving Karma - Director Andrew Hinton

• Best First Feature: Run Amok - Director NB Mager

• Lifetime Achievement: Gregory Nava

Jury Commendations

• Feature Narrative Jury:

  • “Best Editing” to Steven Rico for Edie Arnold is a Loser

  • “Best Actor in a Feature Narrative” to Zack Kozlow in Dead Deer High

• Feature Documentary Jury: “Honorable Mention” for “Bridging the Divide” to The [Conserv]atives - Directors Dominic Gill, Nadia Gill

• Short Documentary Jury:

  • “First Runner-Up” to The Hardest Working Man

  • “Second Runner-Up” to Fletcher Street

• Short Narrative Jury:

  • “Best Performance in a Short Narrative” to Karole Forman in Light Bunny

  • “Achievement in Directing & Writing” to Gregory JM Kasunich for Meeting Your Maker

  • “Commendation for Social Justice” to The Birthday Gift - Director Arianna Ortiz, Writers Stephanie Alison Walker and Paula Pizzi

• Local Shorts Jury:

  • “Commendation for Exceptional New Voices” to Directors Bryce Harbin, Benjamin Greene for Tougher, A Wrestling Documentary

  • “Commendation for Local Short Narrative” to Fitted Sheet - Director Celia Beasley