Award Winners of August 2026: Technical Categories

Best Female Director: Virginie Bluzat for Blockhaus (France)

Best Male Director: Michael McCracken for Break Away (USA)

Best Student Female Director: Helena Hockertz for Becoming Clara DoGood (USA)

Best Student Male Director: Peter Wada for Dog Years (USA)

Best First Time Female Director: Ella Teresa Bogan for Madame Amérique (USA)

Best First Time Male Director: John Wang for Outsourcing Rhapsody (China)

Honorable Mention (Young Female Filmmaker): Izzy Sanborn for Team 22 (USA)

Best Actress: Marla Singer for The Perfect Stranger (USA)

Outstanding Achievement Award (Actor): Austin Greene for Taffy, Rita and The Rattlesnake (USA)

Outstanding Achievement Award (Supporting Actress): Susannah May for Ma Prison (UK)

Best Supporting Actor: Greg Poppa for Taffy, Rita and The Rattlesnake (USA)

Best Young Actress: Nora Close for Break Away (USA)

Outstanding Achievement Award (Young Actress): Raquel Brogmus for Wish I Were a Phoenix (USA)

Honorable Mention (Young Actress): Sophie Bullock for Ma Prison (UK)

Outstanding Achievement Award (Young Actor): Christopher Woodley for Child Check (USA)

Best Acting Duo: Claire Morin and Guillaume Arnault for Blockhaus (France)

Best Ensemble Cast: Demar Nelson, Rony Celis, Steven Edwards, Craig Jackson, Chris Gates, Brandon Keele, Matthew Bossard, Vik Chopra, Don Roff, and Nathan Bowers for Lockdown (USA)

Outstanding Achievement Award (Original Screenplay): Demar Nelson, Steven Edwards, Christopher Gates, Rony Celis, Chris McGill, Craig Jackson, Brandon Keele, Matthew Bossard, Bryce Huber, Shawn Cooke, Gata Leilua, and Don Roff for Lockdown (USA)

Best Cinematography: Just-Aurèle Meissonnier for Blockhaus (France)

Outstanding Achievement Award (Cinematography): Fernando Corta for Quimera (Spain)

Best Editing: Samuel Means for Break Away (USA)

Best Producer: Dan Minogue for Break Away (USA)

Outstanding Achievement Award (Producer): Fernanda Ávalos, César Camán, and Alonso Montoya for The Montenegro Affair (Canada)

Honorable Mention (Producer): Kayla Larson for Love Thy Neighbor (USA)

Best Production Design: Crescentia Volz for Taffy, Rita and The Rattlesnake (USA)

Honorable Mention (Sound Mixing): Adra Kreiling for Mr. Happy (USA)

Honorable Mention (Special Makeup): Mylique E. Fawcett for Mr. Happy (USA)

Best Original Score: Fernando Zabaneh for Fallen From Grace (Mexico)

Best Original Song: More to a Phoenix by Raquel Brogmus, Caleb Cox, Sierra Brogmus, and Connor Low, for Wish I Were a Phoenix (USA)

Honorable Mention (Original Song): Wedding of the Year by Chess Club (USA)