Month: July 2026

Staycation

By Russell Emanuel

BEST INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE FEATURE 2026, BEST VISIONARY DIRECTOR, BEST SCREENPLAY (Category: Narrative Feature), BEST CAST, BEST SOUNDTACK, BEST ORIGINAL EDITING, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER & BEST INDIE PRODUCTION COMPANY (Category: Film)

Tomorrow’s Dream

By Justin Gizzi

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT 2026

The Soft Core

By Justin Gizzi

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY & BEST VISIONARY WRITING STYLE

Love is a lonely Hunter

By Graciela Cassel

BEST EXPERIMENTAL DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR, BEST ORIGINAL CINEMATOGRAPHY & BEST INSPIRATIONAL SHORT FILM

A Tale Of Two Tailes

By Camy De Mario

BEST FANTASY, BEST GLOBAL FILMMAKER, BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA

The Dead Ringer

By Suzanne Lutas

BEST ARTHOUSE SCREENPLAY OF THE YEAR & BEST INTERNATIONAL ORIGINAL STORY 2026

Novice

By Vincenzo Amoruso

BEST GLOBAL YOUNG ACTOR, BEST EUROPEAN POETRY SHORT FILM 2026 & BEST VISIONARY CINEMATOGRAPHER

Precious the baby dragon

By Dawn Menge

BEST CHILDREN BOOK 2026, BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE BOOK 2026, BEST VISIONARY WRITER

Brothers of Babylon

By Gabriel Womack

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT 2026, BEST ORIGINAL IDEA & BEST INDIE WRITER

Plandemic: Tribunal

By Chris Ross Leong

BEST SCREENPLAY 2026, BEST ORIGINAL THRILLER & BEST ORIGINAL WRITER 2026

Eyesolation

By Damiano Rossi

BEST MOVIEMAKER 2026 (Category: Inspirational/Experimental Film), BEST SOUND & BEST VISIONARY CINEMATOGRAPHER

Kev Franzi – Works 80 Years in the Film Industry HD

By Dianne Lang

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE FILMMAKER, BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT 2026 & BEST EDITING (Category: Documentary)

Out of Control

By Bellopropello

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE PROJECT (Category: Animation), BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT, BEST VISIONARY MOVIEMAKER (Category: Animation) & BEST ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK

Scachs d’Amor

By Daniel Arreola

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY SHORT 2026, BEST INTERNATIONAL WRITER & BEST WRTING STYLE OF THE YEAR

Doctor Hyphoteses

By Vicentini Gomez

BEST ACTING, BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE SCREENWRITER & BEST ORIGINAL CINEMATIC VISION (Category: Actor/Screenwriter)

An Ever After Drama

By Michelle Lynn

BEST GLOBAL NARRATIVE SHORT FILM 2026, BEST DIRECTOR 2026, BEST ACTRESS, BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT OF THE YEAR, BEST WRITING STYLE, BEST SOUNDTRACK & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Behind The Algorithm

By Michelle Lynn

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE SCRIPT & BEST PSYCHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CHARACTERS

Whispers of Love

By Michelle Lynn

BEST ROMANCE SCRIPT 2026 & BEST AMERICAN FEATURE SCRIPT OF THE YEAR

Pretty Little Lucy

By David Williamson

BEST ORIGINAL SUSPENSE, BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE THRILLER SCRIPT & BEST AMERICAN SCREENWRITER 2026

Stalker Hair Twirl

By Faye Fayerman

BEST VISIONARY INDIE DIRECTOR, BEST EXPERIMENTAL STORYTELLING & BEST ORIGINAL STORY

Pirandello’s Wife

By Lynn Elliott

BEST PSYCHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CHARACTERS, BEST INTERNATIONAL BIOGRAPHICAL FEATURE SCRIPT OF THE YEAR & BEST SOCIAL SCREENPLAY

Alta California

By Lynn Elliott

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE SCRIPT 2026 & BEST HISTORICAL SCRIPT

The New Immigrant- Hong Kongers

By Vivian Tsang

BEST ARTHOUSE DIRECTOR (Category: Indie Documentary), BEST DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR, BEST INTERNATIONAL FIRST TIME DIRECTOR 2026, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER & BEST EDITING 

American Money

By Timothy A McGhee

BEST GLOBAL FEATURE SCRIPT 2026, BEST VISIONARY WRITER & BEST INTERNATIONAL WRITING STYLE

My heads f*cked

By Fabia Maria Cerra

BEST INDIE SCREENPLAY 2026 & BEST VISIONARY INDIE SCRENNWRITER 2026

In 2 Minds

By Fabia Cerra

BEST ARHOUSE BOOK/MANUSCRIPT OF THE YEAR & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA

The Duchess

By C. Arnold Curry

BEST INTERNATIONAL MOVIEMAKER (Category: Drama), BEST STORYTELLING & BEST ORIGINAL ACTING (Category: International Drama)

The Beauty in a Restless Mind

By Lena Mattsson

BEST ORIGINAL ARTHOUSE DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR & BEST INTERNATIONAL ART FILM 2026

The Aesthetics of Failure

By Lena Mattsson

BEST INDIE DIRECTOR, BEST INTERNATIONAL CINEMATOGRAPHY 2026 (Category: Experimental), BEST EUROPEAN SHORT FILM & BEST EUROPEAN INDIE PRODUCER

Not Without Gloves

By Lena Mattsson

BEST INTERNATIONAL POETRY SHORT 2026, BEST EXPERIMENTAL EDITING & BEST VIDEO POETRY

The Rorschach Test

By Lena Mattsson

BEST EXPERIMENTAL ACTING &  BEST FILMMAKER SCREENPLAY 2026

The Pathos of Hamlet

By Sean Gregory Tansey

BEST EXPERIMENTAL ACTING, BEST INDIE ART FILM & BEST SPIRITUAL SHORT FILM 2026

The Stones of Rome

By Sean Gregory Tansey

BEST ORIGINAL INDIE ACTOR & BEST HISTORICAL SHORT FILM 2026

My Hollywood Circus

By Roger Paradiso

BEST INDIE BOOK 2026, BEST INDIE WRITING STYLE & BEST ORIGINAL ARTHOUSE WRITER

Secrets of the Forbidden City

By Pamela PerryGoulardt

BEST VISIONARY SUPER SHORT FILM 2026, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY, BEST SCREENPLAY & BEST SOUND (Category: Super Short Film)

Amen-Amen-Amen: A Story of Our Times

By Tom Gallagher

BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FEATURE 2026, BEST DIRECTOR 2026,  BEST EDITING & BEST CAMERA OPERATOR

Scachs d’Amor

By Daniel Arreola

BEST VISIONARY WRITER, BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT SCRIPT 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL CINEMATIC VISION (Category: Arthouse Short Script)

Urban Eats MTL

By Ioannis Koutroubis

BEST WEB/TV SERIES OF THE YEAR, BEST GLOBAL SCREENWRITER & BEST WRITING STYLE (Category: International Web/TV Series)

Eyesolation

By Damiano Rossi

BEST INTERNATIONAL EXPERIMENTAL SHORT FILM 2026, BEST ORIGINAL ART FILM & BEST INDIE DIRECTOR 2026  

Cate and the Garden Bandits: The Musical

By Betsy Coffeen, published by Story Monsters Press

BEST INTERNATIONAL MUSICAL 2026, BEST SOUND DESIGNER & BEST ORIGINAL STORY OF THE YEAR

Plandemic: Tribunal

By Chris Ross Leong

BEST GLOBAL FEATURE SCRIPT 2026, BEST ORIGINAL IDEA & BEST VISIONARY SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR

Vertigo

By Sylvie Kay

BEST INTERNATIONAL MUSIC VIDEO & BEST CHOREOGRAPHER 2026

Mix Art Clic

By Sylvie Kay

BEST GLOBAL MUSICAL SHORT 2026 & BEST EUROPEAN FILMMAKER

American Money

By Timothy A McGhee

BEST ORIGINAL CHARACTERS, BEST INDIE FEATURE SCRIPT 2026 & BEST INTERNATIONAL SCREENWRITER

The Duchess

By C. Arnold Curry

BEST GLOBAL DRAMA 2026, BEST ORIGINAL SCREENWRITER & BEST INDIE SCREENPLAY (Category: International Drama)

Brothers of Babylon

By Gabriel Womack

BEST SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR (Category: Global Feature Script), BEST SCREENPLAY 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL STORY

Kev Franzi – Works 80 Years in the Film Industry HD

By Dianne Lang

BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY SHORT 2026, BEST VISIONARY EDITING & BEST FILMMAKER OF THE YEAR (Category: International Documentary Short)

Disclosure from a Cloakroom

By Carol Dorn

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT 2026, BEST PSYCHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CHARACTERS & BEST GLOBAL SCREENWRITER

Precious the baby dragon

By Dawn Menge

BEST FANTASY (Category: Book), BEST FAIRY TALE OF THE YEAR & BEST ORIGINAL WRITER (Category: International Book)

Not Without Gloves

By Lena Mattsson

BEST EUROPEAN EXPERIMENTAL SHORT FILM, BEST POETRY SHORT FILM, BEST EXPERIMENTAL DIRECTOR & BEST INSPIRATIONAL SHORT FILM 2026

The Aesthetics of Failure

By Lena Mattsson

BEST ART FILM 2026 & BEST EXPERIMENTAL CINEMATOGRAPHY

The Rorschach Test

By Lena Mattsson

BEST INDIE MOVIEMAKER, BEST ARTHOUSE EDITOR & BEST ORIGINAL EDITING

Alta California

By Lynn Elliott

BEST AMERICAN SCREENWRITER 2026, BEST HISTORICAL FEATURE SCRIPT 2026 & BEST INTERNATIONAL CINEMATIC VISION

Pirandello’s Wife

By Lynn Elliott

BEST BIOGRAPHICAL SCRIPT 2026 & BEST WRITER (Category: Drama Script)

Borderline Justice

By Lynn Elliott

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY 2026 & BEST INTERNATIONAL WRITING STYLE (Category: Feature Script)

Novice

By Vincenzo Amoruso

BEST GLOBAL ACTOR OF THE YEAR, BEST EXPERIMENTAL SHORT FILM & BEST ORIGINAL ACTING

Hot Afternoons Have Been in Montana

By Ken Kimmelman

BEST AMERICAN DIRECTOR 2026, BEST EXPERIMENTAL CINEMATOGRAPHY, BEST EXPERIMENTAL EDITING, BEST INDIE PRODUCER & BEST ORIGINAL CINEMATIC VISION

The Dead Ringer

By Suzanne Lutas

BEST INDIE SCREENPLAY OF THE YEAR & BEST INTERNATIONAL VISIONARY WRITER 2026

Staycation

By Russell Emanuel

BEST INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE FEATURE 2026, BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY (Category: NARRATIVE FEATURE), BEST INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR, BEST EDITING, BEST ACTING, BEST SOUNDTRACK, BEST CAST (Category: Film) & BEST PRODUCTION COMPANY

AMERICA BOXED IN

By Ian S. Williams & Casey Williams

BEST ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY FEATURE 2026, BEST ORIGINAL EDITOR, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: Documentary) & BEST ORIGINAL STORY

An Ever After Drama

By Michelle Lynn

BEST ARTHOUSE NARRATIVE SHORT FILM 2026, BEST INDIE DIRECTOR 2025, BEST ACTRESS, BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT, BEST MAKE-UP ARTIST, BEST SOUND DESIGNER & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Behind The Algorithm

By Michelle Lynn

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE SCRIPT & BEST AMERICAN SCREENWRITER 2026

The Silver Slipper Club

By Michelle Lynn

BEST INTERNATIONAL SONG OF THE YEAR & BEST SONG WRITER 2026

Whispers of Love

By Michelle Lynn

BEST ROMANCE SCRIPT 2026 & BEST ARTHOUSE SCREENPLAY OF THE YEAR

The Pathos of Hamlet

By Sean Gregory Tansey

BEST EXPERIMENTAL ACTING, BEST INDIE ART FILM 2026 & BEST INSPIRATIONAL SHORT FILM

The Stones of Rome

By Sean Gregory Tansey

BEST ORIGINAL INDIE ACTOR & BEST HISTORICAL SHORT FILM 2026

Hito

By Danilo Del Tufo

BEST VISIONARY DIRECTOR 2026, BEST STORYTELLING & BEST ORIGINAL CINEMATOGRAPHER

Out of Control

By Bellopropello

BEST INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION 2026, BEST EXPERIMENTAL CINEMATOGRAPHER, BEST ARTHOUSE DIRECTOR, BEST EDITING & BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT (Category: Animated Short Film)

Pretty Little Lucy

By David Williamson

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE SCRIPT OF THE YEAR, BEST GLOBAL SCREENWRITER 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA

I Waited for You

By Jennifer Glee

BEST EXPERIMENTAL PROJECT 2026, BEST INDIE DIRECTOR 2026 & BEST INTERNATIONAL ART FILM 2026

The New Immigrant- Hong Kongers

By Vivian Tsang

BEST FIRST TIME DIRECTOR 2026, BEST INTERNATIONAL YOUNG SCREENWRITER, BEST ORIGINAL EDITING & BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE DOCUMENTARY

Ritratto temporale IV – Teresa

By Ilaria Pezone

BEST EUROPEAN DOCUMENTARY SHORT 2026 & BEST GLOBAL INDIE DIRECTOR (Category: Documentary Short)

Following the special events organized during the Cannes Film Festival, and as preparations continue for the upcoming international events of the season, WILD FILMMAKER is proud to announce its independent special event, taking place alongside the Toronto International Film Festival this September.
Over the past few years, WILD FILMMAKER has strengthened its international presence by providing filmmakers from around the world with a significant platform for promotion and visibility. Directors within our network have received critical acclaim, been featured in some of the world’s leading magazines, and earned selections at major international film festivals, further establishing their presence within the global arthouse cinema landscape.
Toronto, traditionally regarded as the city hosting the most important event marking the beginning of the new international film season and the first major North American film event after the summer, provides the ideal setting for the second edition of Neon on Contemporary Cinema, the biennial event promoted by WILD FILMMAKER and dedicated to celebrating excellence in contemporary independent cinema.
Beyond celebrating creative talent, the event also serves as an important meeting point between filmmakers and the film industry.
Selected filmmakers will have the opportunity to showcase their works to producers and industry professionals, fostering new collaborations and opening up concrete opportunities for international development.

Below is the list of this year’s outstanding filmmakers, all eligible for NEON on Contemporary Cinema:

AnayaMusic Kunst

Arnold Curry

Aurélie Latona

Camy De Mario

Carla Di Bonito

Carol Dorn

Casey Williams

Charli Brown

Christopher Pennington

Colleen Fuglaar

Daniel Arreola

Daniel Smith

Danilo Del Tufo

David Williamson

Dianne Lang

Dr Dawn Menge

Earnest Diaz

Fabrizio Fuochi

Faye Fayerman

Gabriel Womack

Gary Beeber

Gleison Castro

Harold Brown

Ian S. Williams

Jacek Krawczyk

L. Scooter Morris

L. S. Strange

Laura Calderini

Lena Mattsson

Lesley Ann Albiston

Lynn Elliott

Margaret Bihong Sha

Marie Bryan

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