Overview
- The awards announced winners Thursday, naming Jack Hughes (Fiction), Christine Seow (Non‑Fiction), Michelle Brøndum and Ida Melum (Animation), Ana A. Alpizar (Student) and Innocent Yama Lamido (Future Format).
- The 2026 competition drew more than 8,400 submissions from 162 countries and the jury selected winners from a 30-film shortlist representing over 20 countries.
- A four-person jury chaired by director Justin Chadwick and including Will Gluck, Rachel O’Connor and Adam Rosette issued a joint statement praising the winners for their craft and global resonance.
- This year’s Future Format brief required vertical 9:16 shorts, a deliberate push to test mobile-first storytelling and new exhibition formats for short films.
- Winners completed an intensive four-day program at Sony Pictures Studios that included workshops, masterclasses and behind-the-scenes access, prizes that aim to boost their visibility and help launch professional careers.