THE 2026
WINNING FILMS
BEST OF FEST: PUBLIC ACCESS
NEW YORK PREMIERE / Feature Competition / 107 mins
GENRE: DOCUMENTARY
Director: David Shadrack Smith
Producers: Sara Crow, Anne-Marcelle Ngabirano
Executive Producers: Steve Buscemi, Wren Arthur, Benny Safdie
Editor: Geoff Gruetzmacher
AUDIENCE AWARD: Homunculus
WORLD PREMIERE / Feature Competition / 61 mins
GENRE: ROMANTIC, COMEDY
Director: Owen Kibby
Writers: Santiago Mallan, Owen Kibby
Producers: Noah Blau, Michelle Leung
Director of Photography: Cody Ball
Composer: John Zarcone
Editor: Jonathan Kramer
Cast: Mitra Jouhari, Ruby McCollister, Jeremy Gill, Jake Innerst, Aitana Doyle
BEST FEATURE: THE PLAN
NEW YORK PREMIERE / Feature Competition / 75 mins
GENRE: THRILLER
Writer/Director: Jessica Barr
Starring: Ryan Simpkins, An-Li Bogan, Jordan Hull, Eve Lindley, Percy Hynes White, Logan Miller, Arkira Chantaratananond and Frank Mosley.
BEST NARRATIVE SHORT: Echelon
NYC PREMIERE / Narrative Short Competition / 13 mins
GENRE: THRILLER, COMEDY, MOCKUMENTARY
Director: Sebastian DiNatale
Writer: Zach DiLanzo
Producers: Christina Pelletiere, Nicholas Venerosa
Editor: Nicholas Gallucci
Camera Operator: Johnny Frohman
Cast: Laura Oberbeck, Brad Howe, Johnny Frohman, Matt Weir
BEST DOC SHORT: Being Bublé
Short Doc Competition / 20 mins
GENRE: COMEDY, DOC
Director: Dan Perlman
Producers: Charlotte Kassimir, Dan Perlman
Cast: Dan Perlman, Charlotte Kassimir, Anthony DeVito, Erin Matthews
Cinematographer: Rob DeMaio
Editor: Glenn Fellman
Sound Mixer: Justin Enoch
Colorist: Keyhan Bayegan
Executive Producer: Laura Liberman
BEST ANIMATED SHORT: TO HAVE AND TO HOLD
NEW YORK PREMIERE / Shorts Competition / 5 mins
GENRE: ROMANCE, ANIMATION
Director/Writer: Julianne Martin
Cast: Ryan Self, Katie Self
NEIGHBORHOOD AWARD: Grown
Narrative Short Competition / 15 mins
GENRE: DRAMA, COMEDY, COMING OF AGE
Director/Writer: Audrey Cicerello
Producers: Janet Manina, Jackson Roy Prince
Executive Producer: Rick Greenblatt
Director of Photography: Kalea Calloway
Production Designer: Blair Taller
Editor: Willa Troy
Sound Designer/Composer: Matthew Rollins
Cast: Olivia Welch, Sydney Leiser, Savy Jackson
