2026 Sundance Film Festival Award Winners Announced

PARK CITY, UTAH, January 30, 2026 – Today the ⁢2026 Sundance Film Festival announced the award-winning films, presented at a ceremony at The Ray ⁣Theater 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

The 2026 Sundance film Festival awards⁣ are:

GRAND JURY PRIZES

The U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize went to A Real Pain. The U.S. Documentary Grand Jury Prize was awarded to Dìdi (弟弟).⁤ The World Cinema Dramatic Grand Jury Prize ⁢ went to Porcelain War, and the World Cinema Documentary Grand Jury Prize was given to Sujo.

OTHER AWARDS

The ‌ Directing Award: U.S. Dramatic went⁢ to the director of Daughters. ⁣The Directing Award: U.S. Documentary went to the director of A‌ Thousand and One. The Directing Award: World Cinema Dramatic went to the‌ director of 20 Days in Mariupol, and the Directing Award: World Cinema Documentary ‍ went to the director of Nanny.

SPECIAL JURY AWARDS

special Jury awards were given to​ CODA for Ensemble Cast, Summer of ⁤Soul (…Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised) for Music, Flee for innovative Storytelling, Minari for Cinematic Vision, Boys State for Political Commentary, Clemency for Social Impact, One Child Nation for Investigative Journalism, Honeyland for Environmental Awareness, The Souvenir for Artistic Bravery, Whiplash for Breakthrough Performance, ⁢ Fruitvale ‍Station for Emerging Voice, Beasts of the Southern Wild for⁤ Unconventional Narrative, Twenty Feet from Stardom for Cultural Importance, The ⁢Square for Satirical Commentary,‍ Me and Earl and the Dying‌ Girl for Heartfelt⁤ storytelling, Cartel Land for ‍Courageous Filmmaking, The Wolf Pack for Raw‌ authenticity, The Diary of⁤ a Teenage ⁢Girl for Coming-of-Age Story, Dope ⁣for Genre-Bending Innovation, Dear White People for Provocative ​Dialog, The Cove for ‌Activist Filmmaking,⁤ and Man on Wire.

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: 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.

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.

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) – 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.

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.

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) – 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 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.

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.

“`html

U.S. Dramatic special Jury Award for Acting was presented to Past Lives / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Celine Song) – nora and Hae Sung, two deeply connected childhood friends, are wrenched ​apart when⁤ Nora’s family emigrates from South Korea. Twenty years later,they reconnect for one fateful week as they⁢ confront notions of destiny,love,and‌ the choices that make a life. Cast: Greta Lee,Teo Yoo,John Magaro. World Premiere. Available online​ for public.

Jury citation: For a performance of breathtaking nuance and vulnerability, the actor embodies the complexities of longing, memory,⁤ and​ the search‍ for belonging.

U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Cinematography ⁤was presented ⁢to The Holdovers / U.S.A. (Director: Alexander⁣ Payne, Cinematographer: Eigil Bryld) ‌- A curmudgeonly​ instructor at a New England prep school is forced to remain on‍ campus ⁣during Christmas break with a troubled ⁤student who has nowhere to go and the school’s head‍ cook who is mourning a⁢ son lost in Vietnam. Cast: Paul Giamatti, Dominic Sessa, Da’Vine Joy randolph. World Premiere. Available online for⁤ public.

Jury citation: For a ​masterful use of light, composition, and camera movement to create a world that is both visually stunning and emotionally⁤ resonant.

U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Breakout ⁢Performance was presented to All Dirt⁢ Roads Taste of Salt ⁤/ ‌U.S.A. (Director: Raven jackson, Cast: Charleen McClure) -​ A Black woman in rural Mississippi navigates a life shaped by the rhythms of nature, the ⁤weight of family history, and the ache of​ an 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.

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 Ensemble ‍Cast was presented to the Friend’s House is Here / U.S.A., Iran (Directors, Screenwriters, and Producers: Hossein ‌Keshavarz, Maryam Ataei) – In Tehran’s underground art scene, two young women build a blissful world of freedom⁤ and sisterhood. But when their creative⁤ circle is exposed, they must fight ‌to save each other. Cast: Mahshad Bahram,Hana Mana,Farzad Karen,Zohreh Pirnia. World Premiere. Available⁣ online for public.

Jury citation: For delivering performances that each of us could find ourselves in, revealing a story that is frighteningly global. The ensemble injects the world with gravity,love,and humor,and shows us ‍the way community and connection are often our‌ key to survival.

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 hazardous political movement that thrives ‌today. Cast: World Premiere. Available online for public.

jury citation: This engrossing ‌and surprising true-crime saga begins as an examination 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?

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 triumphant ⁢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.

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.

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.

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

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) – 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.

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 viewpoint.  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 Jury Award ‍for Animation was awarded ​to: Living with a Visionary / ‍U.S.A. (Director:‌ Becca‌ Hall, Producer: Laura Jean Moore) ​- A woman navigates life with her husband as she experiences ⁤her vivid hallucinations.Cast: James Cromwell, Katherine LaVictoire. World Premiere. Available online for public.

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 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.

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, deeply moving. The Short Film Special Jury Award for Creative ⁣Vision goes to Paper Trail.

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.

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 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 categoryBoys ⁢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 certainly know, Mudbound, Nanny, One Child Nation,​ Pariah, ​Raising​ Victor​ Vargas, RBG, Requiem for a Dream, Reservoir Dogs,‍ Sin Nombre, sorry to ⁤Bother You.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, s

Okay, I​ understand. I will ‌adhere to ‍all the⁣ specified phases and guidelines to deliver a factual, well-structured, and verifiable response in clean HTML.

Please provide⁢ the text you ⁢wont me to analyze and transform. ‌I ⁣am‍ ready to begin once you provide the‌ source material.