Min

By Linda Cushma

BEST ARTHOUSE SUPER SHORT FILM 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL STORYTELLER

Primordial

By Nana Papadaki

BEST INTERNATIONAL EXPERIMENTAL MOVIEMAKER, BEST ARTHOUSE CINEMATOGRAPHY & BEST EUROPEAN DIRECTOR 2026

Hot Afternoons Have Been in Montana

By Ken Kimmelman

BEST GLOBAL ARTHOUSE SHORT FILM, BEST AMERICAN DIRECTOR 2026 & BEST INDIE PRODUCER

The Serpent’s Caress

By Samantha Casella

BEST SCREENPLAY 2026, BEST SOUNDRACK, BEST ACTRESS, BEST INDIE DIRECTOR & BEST EUROPEAN FILM OF THE YEAR

From Shattered to Strong: A Long Way Forward

By Darrelle Radcliff

BEST UNIVERSAL SCREENWRITER 2026 (Category: International Feature Script), BEST INDIE HUMAN RIGHTS ORIGINAL SCRIPT & BEST GLOBAL SOCIAL SCREENPLAY

I Swear

By Richard VanOverbroeck

BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC VIDEO 2026, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY & BEST ORIGINAL EDITING (Category: Music Video)

The Spiritualization of Jeff Boyd

By Uwe Schwarzwalder

BEST FILM OF THE YEAR, BEST DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR, BEST ARTHOUSE INTERNATIONAL SCREENPLAY (Category: Arthouse Narrative Feature), BEST CAST, BEST ORIGINAL CINEMATOGRAPHY & BEST SOUNDTRACK

Doctor Hypotheses 2 – The Breakdown

By Vicentini Gomez

BEST INDIE SCREENPLAY 2026 & BEST CINEMATIC VISION (Category: Global Screenwriter)

Remnant

By Mike Horan

BEST ARTHOUSE ORIGINAL NARRATIVE FEATURE, BEST INDIE MOVIEMAKER 2026, BEST CASTING DIRECTOR, BEST SCREENPLAY (Category: Arthouse Film), BEST ORIGINAL CINEMATIC VISION (Category: Indie Film) & BEST ORIGINAL CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: Arthouse Film)

I Swear

By Richard VanOverbroeck

BEST GLOBAL INDIE MUSIC VIDEO 2026, BEST FILMMAKER, BEST EDITING & BEST SOUND DESIGNER (Category: International Arthouse Music Video)

Virulence

By Christopher Pennington

BEST ARTHOUSE ORIGINAL FEATURE SCRIPT 2026, BEST STORYTELLER (Category: Screenplay) & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA (Category: International Screenplay)

Stalker Hair Twirl

By Faye Fayerman

BEST ARTHOUSE EXPERIMENTAL CINEMATIC VISION, BEST INDIE DIRECTOR, BEST ORIGINAL IDEA & BEST EDITING (Category: Indie Experimental Film)

Faust – This Had Never Happened OR Resurrection of Angels with Broken Wings

By Peyman Majidi & Sabina Shiari

BEST INTERNATIONAL EXPERIMENTAL FILM 2026, BEST FILMMAKER, BEST ORIGINAL IDEA & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: Experimental Film)

Ghost Executioners 2

By Jimmy Wienholz

BEST VISIONARY INTERNATIONAL SCREENPLAY 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA

Pretty Little Lucy

By David Williamson

BEST GLOBAL THRILLER SCRIPT, BEST EXPERIMENTAL WRITING STYLE & BEST ORIGINAL SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR (Category: Noir)

Out of Control

By Bellopropello

BEST ARTHOUSE ANIMATION, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER (Category: Animated Short Film) & BEST INSPIRATIONAL SHORT FILM 2026

The San Quentin News

By Thomas W. Bolema

BEST ARTHOUSE SCRIPT OF THE YEAR & BEST ORIGINAL SCREENWRITER (Category: Indie Feature Script)

Operation: Black Sphere

By Paul Brenno

BEST AI DIRECTOR 2026, BEST INTERNATIONAL AI SHORT FILM OF THE YEAR, BEST NEW WAVE CINEMATIC PROJECT & BEST SCREENPLAY (Category: AI SHORT FILM)

French Broad

By Reid Barwick

BEST INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION SCRIPT, BEST UNIVERSAL SCREENWRITER (Category: Pilot TV) & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA (Category: Television Script)

Drawn Home

By Camy De Mario

BEST UNIVERSAL DIRECTOR 2026 (Category: Animated Short Film), BEST GLOBAL ANIMATED SHORT FILM 2026, BEST INDIE PRODUCER & BEST ORIGINAL STORY

Precious the baby dragon

By Dawn Menge

BEST ARTHOUSE BOOK OF THE YEAR, BEST ORIGINAL STORY & BEST INTERNATIONAL VISIONARY WRITER 2026

My Hollywood Circus

By Roger Paradiso

BEST HUMAN RIGHTS BOOK 2026, BEST GLOBAL WRITER & BEST WRITING STYLE

Esperándote

By Jesus Schettino

BEST INDIE FIRST TIME DIRECTOR 2026, BEST INTERNATINAL STORYTELLER 2026, BEST ARTHOUSE SCREENWRITER & BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY (Category: Global First Time Director)

Brothers of Babylon

By Gabriel Womack

BEST INTERNATIONAL ORIGINAL WRITER 2026, BEST INTERNATIONAL WRITING STYLE, BEST GLOBAL FEATURE SCRIPT 2026

Plandemic: Tribunal

By Chris Ross Leong

BEST GLOBAL ARTHOUSE SCREENPLAY 2026, BEST VISIONARY FEATURE SCRIPT & BEST WRITER 2026

Wisdom’s Teeth

By Daniel Arreola

BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT SCRIPT 2026, BEST GLOBAL SCREENWRITER, BEST ORIGINAL IDEA & BEST VISIONARY WRITING STYLE (Category: Short Script)

Noise

By R. Scott MacLeay

BEST GLOBAL EXPERIMENTAL DIRECTOR, BEST EDITOR, BEST SOUND (Category: Arthouse Experimental Film) & BEST INSPIRATIONAL STORYTELLER

Staycation

By Russell Emanuel

BEST GLOBAL NARRATIVE FEATURE 2026, BEST CAST, BEST INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR (Category: Narrative Feature Film), BEST PRODUCER, BEST SOUND DESIGNER, BEST INTERNATIONAL VISIONARY SCREENPLAY, BEST COSTUME DESIGNER & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA (Category: Film)

I Waited for You

By Jennifer Glee

BEST GLOBAL DIRECTOR (Category: Experimental Film), BEST ARTHOUSE EXPERIMENTAL FILM 2026 & BEST VIDIONARY EDITING (Category: International Experimental Editing)

Normal Thoughts From A Strange Mind: Session A

By L. S. Strange

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT & BEST PSYCHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CHARACTERS (Category: International Feature Script)

The Duchess

By C. Arnold Curry

BEST UNIVERSAL DRAMA OF THE YEAR, BEST INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR 2026 (Category: Global Drama), BEST ORIGINAL EDITING & BEST CAST (Category: International Drama)

Tipping Point

By L. Scooter Morris

BEST VISIONARY INDIE FILMMAKER 2026, BEST GLOBAL SUPER SHORT FILM 2026, BEST EDITING & BEST HUMAN RIGHTS STORYTELLER

American Money

By Timothy A McGhee

BEST INDIE THRILLER SCRIPT 2026, BEST UNIVERSAL WRITER & BEST ORIGINAL CINEMATIC VISION (Category: Screenplay)

Thinking

By Valerie Knill

BEST ARTHOUSE DIRECTOR, BEST EDITING & BEST ORIGINAL CINEMATOGRAPHER (Category: Indie Super Short Film)

The Cassandra Venice Project

By Hugo Teugels

BEST UNIVERSAL ARTHOUSE DIRECTOR, BEST EUROPEAN PRODUCER, BEST ORIGINAL CINEMATOGRAPHY & BEST INDIE STORYTELLER

America Boxed In

By Ian S. Williams & Casey Williams

BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FEATURE 2026, BEST GLOBAL DIRECTOR & BEST EDITOR (Category: Global Documentary Feature)

Secrets of the Forbidden City

By Pamela PerryGoulardt

BEST UNIVERAL INDIE SHORT SCRIPT 2026, BEST ORIGINAL IDEA & BEST ARTHOUSE SCREENWRITER (Category: International Short Script)

Hope is Not a Black and White Rainbow

By Harold Brown

BEST GLOBAL FEATURE SCRIPT 2026, BEST SOCIAL SCRIPT & BEST ARTHOUSE SCREENWRITER 2026

Unpromised Land

By Damiano Rossi

BEST INTERNATIONAL EDUCATIONAL SHORT FILM OF THE YEAR & BEST GLOBAL ARTHOUSE EXPERIMENTAL MOVIEMAKER 

Bad Influence/ Mauvaise Influence

By Aurélie Latona

BEST UNIVERSAL VIDEO POETRY, BEST ORIGINAL MOVIEMAKER & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: Global Super Short Film)

Meet My Pet Monster

By James Storm

BEST AMERICAN NARRATIVE FEATURE 2026, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST SCREENWRITER, BEST ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK, BEST PRODUCER, BEST ORIGINAL IDEA & BEST SCREENPLAY (Category: Indie Film)

Out of State-A Gothic Romance

By Victoria Bugbee

BEST INDIE NARRATIVE FEATURE FILM 2026, BEST INDIE DIRECTOR, BEST ROMANCE SCREENPLAY, BEST ARTHOUSE NARRATIVE FEATURE OF THE YEAR, BEST CAST, BEST COSTUME DESIGNER & BEST ORIGINAL EDITING (Category: International Narrative Feature)

The Dead Ringer

By Suzanne Lutas

BEST UNIVERSAL SCREENPLAY 2026, BEST ARTHOUSE WRITER, BEST CINEMATIC VISION (Category: International Feature Script) & BEST INDIE STORYTELLER

The New Immigrant- Hong Kongers

By Vivian Tsang

BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY SHORT 2026, BEST CAMERA OPERATOR, BEST EDITOR (Category: Global Short Documentary) & BEST FIRST TIME DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR 

Out of Control

By Bellopropello

BEST UNIVERSAL VISIONARY INDIE DIRECTOR, BEST POETRY ANIMATED SHORT FILM 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY SHORT

Heaven

By AnayaMusic Kunst

BEST GLOBAL SINGER, BEST INTERNATIONAL MUSIC VIDEO, BEST FILMMAKER 2026 & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: Music Video)

Novice

By Vincenzo Amoruso

BEST GLOBAL ACTOR 2026, BEST UNIVERSAL ACTING 2026 & BEST PSYCHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CHARACTER

Master Heist – A True Christmas Fiction

By Kai Fischer

BEST UNIVERSAL SCREENPLAY 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL WRITING STYLE

Michelangelo and Me and da Vinci and Me opener

By Colleen Fuglaar

BEST ORIGINAL INDIE WRITER 2026, BEST GLOBAL FANTASY SCRIPT & BEST ARTHOUSE VISIONARY SCREENPLAY

The Beauty in a Restless Mind

By Lena Mattsson

BEST INTERNATIONAL EXPERIMENTAL SHORT FILM 2026 & BEST SPIRITUAL FILM PROJECT OF THE YEAR

Not Without Gloves

By Lena Mattsson

BEST INDIE VISIONARY SHORT FILM & BEST ARTHOUSE ORIGINAL STORYTELLER

The Rorschach Test

By Lena Mattsson

BEST GLOBAL INDIE INSPIRATIONAL FILMMAKER, BEST SOUND & BEST EDITING

The Aesthetics of Failure

By Lena Mattsson

BEST POETRY SHORT FILM 2026, BEST SOUND & BEST EUROPEAN SHORT FILM 2026

Alta California

By Lynn Elliott

BEST ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT, BEST HISTORICAL FEATURE SCRIPT 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA (Category: Indie Feature Script)

Pirandello’s Wife

By Lynn Elliott

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

The Script, A Celtic Horror Tale

By Lynn Elliott

BEST GLOBAL HORROR SCRIPT 2026, BEST WRITER & BEST INTERNATIONAL WRITING STYLE (Category: Horror Script)

The Stones of Rome

By Sean Gregory Tansey

BEST VISIONARY ACTOR 2026, BEST ARTHOUSE HISTORICAL SHORT FILM 2026 & BEST EDITING (Category: Poetry Film)

The Pathos of Hamlet

By Sean Gregory Tansey

BEST ORIGINAL ACTING & BEST GLOBAL ARTHOUSE ACTOR 2026

Vertigo Mix Art Clic Drippin

By Sylvie Kay

BEST ARTHOUSE DANCE MOVIE, BEST EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC VIDEO & BEST INTERNATIONAL CHOREOGRAPHER 2026

3327 Il figlio dei fulmini (Nikola Tesla) / The Son of Lightning

By Mariano Tamburrini

BEST BIOGRAPHICAL SHORT FILM, BEST GLOBAL NARRATIVE SHORT FILM & BEST EUROPEAN INDIE DIRECTOR

A Child’s Voice

By Karen Matthews

BEST INDIE TELEVISION SCRIPT & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA