
Small Budget, Great Films 2026



Mix Art Clic & Drippin
By Sylvie Kay
BEST INTERNATIONAL DANCE MOVIE 2026, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST SOUND DESIGNER, BEST ORIGINAL IDEA & BEST ARTHOUSE EDITOR (Category: Dance Movie)
Tipping Point
By L. Scooter Morris
BEST VIDEO POETRY 2026, BEST ARTHOUSE SUPER SHORT FILM, BEST EDITING, BEST PRODUCER & BEST SOCIAL SHORT FILM
Esperándote
By Jesus Schettino
BEST ORIGINAL CINEMATIC VISION, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER & BEST INTERNATONAL FIRST TIME DIRECTOR 2026
Bad Influence/ Mauvaise Influence
By Aurélie Latona
BEST SUPER SHORT FILM OF THE YEAR, BEST ORIGINAL DIRECTOR & BEST EDTING (Category: Super Short Film)
Pretty Little Lucy
By David Williamson
BEST SCREENPLAY OF THE YEAR, BEST WRITER 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA
Serenity
By AnayaMusic Kunst
BEST GLOBAL MUSIC VIDEO 2026, BEST VOICE OF THE YEAR & BEST INTERNATIONAL SONG
Hito
By Danilo Del Tufo
BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE SHORT FILM 2026, BEST EUROPEAN FILMMAKER & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA
Your Father, who sees in secret
By Danilo Del Tufo
BEST POETRY FILM & BEST EUROPEAN VISIONARY MOVIEMAKER
Potato Family
By Lori Hamilton
BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM, BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT & BEST GLOBAL DIRECTOR 2026 (Category: Animation)
Kev Franzi – Works 80 Years in the Film Industry HD
By Dianne Lang
BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY SHORT 2026, BEST INDIE PRODUCER & BEST ORIGINAL DIRECTOR (Category: Documentary)
American Money
By Timothy A McGhee
BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE FEATURE SCRIPT 2026 & BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE SCREENWRITER
Virulence
By Christopher Pennington
BEST INTERNATIONAL SCREENWRITER 2026 (Category: Indie Screenplay), BEST GLOBAL FEATURE SCRIPT & BEST ORIGINAL WRITING STYLE
Hot Afternoons Have Been in Montana
By Ken Kimmelman
BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILMMAKER 2026 & BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE PRODUCER
The Novice
By Vincenzo Amoruso
BEST INTERNATIONAL ACTOR OF THE YEAR & BEST ORIGINAL INDIE SHORT FILM
Staycation
By Russell Emanuel
BEST INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR 2026, BEST ARTHOSUE NARRATIVE FEATURE, BEST SCREENPLAY, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER, BEST PSYCHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CHARACTERS 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA
The Stones of Rome
By Sean Gregory Tansey
BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE ACTOR 2026 & BEST PSYCHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CHARACTER 2026 (Category: Indie Experimental Short Film)
The Pathos of Hamlet
By Sean Gregory Tansey
BEST EXPERIMENTAL ACTING, BEST INDIE ART FILM & BEST POETRY SHORT FILM
Pirandello’s Wife
By Lynn Elliott
BEST BIOGRAPHICAL SCRIPT 2026 & BEST WRITER (Category: Drama Script)
Alta California
By Lynn Elliott
BEST HISTORICAL FEATURE SCRIPT 2026 & BEST INTERNATIONAL SCREENWRITER
Borderline Justice
By Lynn Elliott
BEST INDIE WRITER 2026 & BEST INTERNATIONAL WRITING STYLE (Category: Feature Script)
The New Immigrants- Hong Kongers
By Vivian Tsang
BEST INTERNATIONAL YOUNG DIRECTOR 2026, BEST ORIGINAL CINEMATOGRAPHER, BEST INDIE FIRST TIME DIRECTOR & BEST ORIGINAL CAMERA OPERATOR
Nossos Caminhos (Our Paths)
By Carla Di Bonito
BEST ARTHOUSE SCRIPT & BEST ORIGINAL DRAMA
Cabaret Cuba
By Madeleine Duba
BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE DOCUMENTARY 2026



The American Film Market is one of the most prestigious and strategic events for promoting film projects, both independent productions and those from the mainstream film industry. It is where cinema meets the marketplace, where new opportunities emerge, and where international partnerships are built.
Following the extraordinary success achieved at the Cannes Marché du Film through Wild Filmmaker’s independent events, we demonstrated that independent cinema is a creative force capable of inspiring audiences around the world. Thanks to a community of more than 85,000 artists from every continent, we have given a voice to a movement that often expresses a level of artistic freedom and creativity that represents the purest essence of cinematic storytelling.
Our community is our greatest strength. It is thanks to the artists who choose every day to share their creative journey with us that Wild Filmmaker continues to grow and reach new milestones. For this reason, following the remarkable success of Cannes, we have decided to organize several major events at the American Film Market, further strengthening our commitment to promoting independent cinema on a global scale.
Our achievements continue throughout this extraordinary 2026, and we are already looking ahead with great enthusiasm to the many ambitious projects planned for 2027.
Among our upcoming initiatives, Wild Filmmaker will once again appear in The Hollywood Reporter with a special feature dedicated to the year’s most awarded artists. The publication will be distributed during the Venice International Film Festival, providing yet another prestigious showcase for the outstanding talents within our community.
Below are the artists selected for the American Film Market 2026 press release.
AnayaMusic Kunst
Camy De Mario
Carla Di Bonito
Casey Williams
Christopher Pennington
Colleen Fuglaar
Cosmo Swevens
Daniel Smith
Danilo Del Tufo
David Williamson
Dianne Lang
Dr Dawn Menge
Earnest Diaz
Fabrizio Fuochi
Faye Fayerman
Gabriel Womack
Gary Beeber
Ian S. Williams
Jacek Krawczyk
L. Scooter Morris
L. S. Strange
Lena Mattsson
Lynn Elliott
Margaret Bihong Sha
Matthew Roch
Michelle Lynn
Monte Albers de Leon
Patricia Planck
Roger Paradiso
Sean Gregory Tansey
Suzanne Lutas
Terri Battee
Timothy A McGhee
Vicentini Gomez
Vincenzo Amoruso
Vivian Tsang



My Hollywood Circus
By Roger Paradiso
BEST AMERICAN WRITER 2026 (Category: Indie Book) & BEST MANUSCRIPT OF THE YEAR
Hope is Not a Black and White Rainbow
By Harold Brown
BEST ORIGINAL FEATURE SCRIPT OF THE YEAR & BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE SCREENWRITER 2026
Pretty Little Lucy
By David Williamson
BEST THRILLER SCRIPT 2026, BEST GLOBAL SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR & BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE SCRIPT 2026
My Father Moves Mountains
By Andria Litto
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST EDITING & BEST CAMERA OPERATOR (Category: Documentary)
Non dimenticare il poeta
By Fabrizio Fuochi
BEST SINGER 2026, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: Music Video) & BEST EUROPEAN SONG WRITER 2026
Bellatrix
By Jacek Krawczyk
BEST NARRATIVE SHORT OF THE YEAR, BEST DIRECTOR 2026, BEST VISIONARY SCREENPLAY SHORT, BEST CAST, BEST COSTUME DESIGNER & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Revisited – Life is Short
By TerryLee WHETSTONe
BEST MUSIC VIDEO 2026, BEST ORIGINAL SONG & BEST DIRECTOR (Category: Music Video)
Esperándote
By Jesus Schettino
BEST ORIGINAL FIRST TIME DIRECTOR 2026, BEST EDITING & BEST ORIGINAL STORY
America Boxed In
By Ian S. Williams & Casey Williams
BEST ARTHOUSE DOCUMENTARY, BEST HUMAN RIGHTS DOCUMENTARY FEATURE OF THE YEAR, BEST INDIE DIRECTOR, BEST EDITING & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA
Disclosure from a Cloakroom
By Carol Dorn
BEST ORIGINAL ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT 2026, BEST SCREENWRITER & BEST VISIONARY INDIE SCREENWRITER 2026
Tipping Point
By L. Scooter Morris
BEST INTERNATIONAL SUPER SHORT FILM 2026, BEST EDITING, BEST FILMMAKER, BEST INDIE PRODUCER & BEST EXPERIMENTAL CINEMATOGRAPHY
American Money
By Timothy A McGhee
BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE FEATURE SCRIPT 2026, BEST SOCIAL SCRIPT & BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE SCREENWRITER
Kev Franzi – Works 80 Years in the Film Industry HD
By Dianne Lang
BEST ORIGINAL FILMMAKER, BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY SHORT 2026 & BEST EXPERIMENTAL EDITING (Category: Documentary)
Aegean Love
By May Liu
BEST INDIE SCREENPLAY 2026 & BEST GLOBAL ARTHOUSE SCREENWRITER
The Giant
By Kevin B Ploth
BEST TELEVISION SCRIPT 2026, BEST ORIGINAL PILOT TV & BEST INTERNATIONAL WRITING STYLE (Category: Pilot TV/Television Script)
Eyesolation
By Damiano Rossi
BEST POETRY SHORT FILM & BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR (Category: Art Film)
Brothers of Babylon
By Gabriel Womack
BEST ARTHOUSE SCREENPLAY, BEST INTERNATIONAL SCREENWRITER 2026 & BEST WRING STYLE (Category: Feature Script)
When Cassandra Venice speaks
By Hugo Teugels
BEST INDIE DIRECTOR, BEST EUROPEAN CINEMATIC VISION & BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE EDITING
Something ain’t right
By Susan Downs
BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE DOCUMENTARY 2026, BEST ORIGINAL STORYTELLING & BEST VISIONARY FILMMAKER 2026 (Category: International Documentary)
The Novice
By Vincenzo Amoruso
BEST ARTHOUSE ACTING & BEST EXPERIMENTAL ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Staycation
By Russell Emanuel
BEST FILM OF THE YEAR, BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY, BEST INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR, (Category: NARRATIVE FEATURE) BEST EDITING, BEST CAST (Category: Film), BEST SOUNDTRACK & BEST PRODUCTION COMPANY
The Dead Ringer
By Suzanne Lutas
BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Stalker Hair Twirl
By Faye Fayerman
BEST ARTHOUSE EXPERIMENTAL FILM & BEST VISIONARY MOVIEMAKER 2026
Borderline Justice
By Lynn Elliott
BEST INDIE WRITER 2026 & BEST INTERNATIONAL WRITING STYLE (Category: Feature Script)
“Only You Can Save Her,” pilot teleplay of series THE BOY WHO EARNED HIS MAGIC
By Lynn Elliott
BEST INTERNATIONAL PILOT TV
Pirandello’s Wife
By Lynn Elliott
BEST BIOGRAPHICAL FEATURE SCRIPT OF THE YEAR
Uncle Franco’s Birthday Suit
By Lynn Elliott
BEST COMEDY SCRIPT 2026 & BEST VISIONARY SCREENWRITER
Alta California
By Lynn Elliott
BEST INTERNATIONAL SCREENPLAY 2026 & BEST HISTORICAL SCRIPT
The New Immigrant- Hong Kongers
By Vivian Tsang
BEST INTERNATIONAL FIRST TIME DIRECTOR 2026, BEST SOCIAL DOCUMENTARY 2026 & BEST ARTHOUSE CINEMATOGRAPHY
Noise
By R. Scott MacLeay
BEST DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR (Category: Experimental Film), BEST VISIONARY SCREENWRITER & BEST INDIE PRODUCER
Doctor Hyphoteses
By Vicentini Gomez
BEST COMEDIAN, BEST SCREENPLAY 2026, BEST INTERNATIONAL WRITER & BEST ORIGINAL WRITING STYLE
Precious the baby dragon
By Dawn Menge
BEST FAIRY TALE OF THE YEAR & BEST ORIGINAL WRITER (Category: International Book)
An Ever After Drama
By Michelle Lynn
BEST NARRATIVE SHORT FILM 2026, BEST DIRECTOR 2026, BEST INTERNATIONAL ACTRESS, BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Whispers of Love
By Michelle Lynn
BEST ROMANCE SCRIPT 2026 ORIGINAL FEATURE SCRIPT OF THE YEAR
Behind The Algorithm
By Michelle Lynn
BEST INTERNATIONAL SCREENPLAY 2026 & BEST WRITER
Not Without Gloves
By Lena Mattsson
BEST INDIE MOVIEMAKER, BEST STORYTELLING & BEST INDIE SHORT FILM 2026
The Aesthetics of Failure
By Lena Mattsson
BEST EUROPEAN DIRECTOR, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY & BEST ARTHOUSE EDITING
The Rorschach Test
By Lena Mattsson
BEST INTERNATIONAL ORIGINAL INDIE SHORT FILM 2026 & BEST VISIONARY DIRECTOR
Your Father, who sees in secret
By Danilo Del Tufo
BEST INDIE DIRECTOR 2026, BEST PSYCHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CHARACTERS 2026, BEST EXPERIMENTAL CINEMATIC VISION & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER
The Duchess
By C. Arnold Curry
BEST VISIONARY INDIE SCREENWRITER & BEST GLOBAL DRAMA 2026
Linda Harkey’s Harkey Animal Tales Series Featuring:
The Great Animal Escape The Case of the Missing Pink Piggy Desert Friends:
Travels with the Pack, Second Edition
Published by Story Monsters Press
BEST SERIES OF CHILDREN’S BOOK
Walking With God
By Lois M. Banks
BEST ARTHOUSE NARRATIVE FEATURE & BEST AMERCAN INDIE FILMMAKER

