
NEW STAR FILM AWARDS ’26



Union
By Whitney Hamilton
BEST INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE FEATURE 2026, BEST COSTUME DESIGN, BEST ORIGINAL DIRECTOR, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY & BEST PRODUCER (Category: Narrative Feature)
No Mas
By Stephen Kelly
BEST INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE SHORT FILM 2026, BEST CAST, BEST FILMMAKER & BEST ORIGINAL EDITING (Category: Short Film)
French Broad
By Reid Barwick
BEST INTERNATIONAL PILOT TV & BEST SCREENWRITER 2026 (Category: TELEVISION SCRIPT)
Measure for Measure
By Phil Howe
BEST ORIGINAL SHORT FILM 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY SHORT
Fractures In Time
By Lesley Ann Albiston
BEST FEATURE SCRIPT 2026 & BEST INTERNATIONAL WRITING STYLE
The Legend Of The Bum-Barian
By Kel Owens
BEST ORIGINAL DIRECTOR 2026 (Category: Narrative Short), BEST CAST, BEST SOUNDTRACK, BEST SCREENPLAY (Category: International Narrative Short)
Christmas Card
By Kel Owens
BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE SHORT FILM, BEST ORIGINAL IDEA, BEST INTERNATIONAL MOVIEMAKER & BEST ORGINAL SCREENWRITER 2026 (Category: Indie Narrative Short Film)
The New Immigrant- Hong Kongers
By Vivian Tsang
BEST INTERNATIONAL FIRST TIME DIRECTOR 2026, BEST YOUNG PRODUCER & BEST INDIE DOCUMENTARY
Out of control
By Bellopropello
BEST SPIRITUAL SHORT FILM, BEST POETRY FILM, BEST ORIGINAL ANIMATION & BEST INDIE FILMMAKER
Eyesolation
By Damiano Rossi
BEST ARTHOUSE EXPERIMENTAL FILM 2026, BEST EDITING E BEST CAMERA OPERATOR
Omnipotent Resolution
By Uniqueness Heiress & Azia
BEST ORIGINAL MUSICAL 2026, BEST COSTUME DESIGNER, BEST DANCE FILM, BEST DIRECTOR & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: INDIE MUSIC VIDEO)
Cataclysm Down Under – Hero
By Akal Demir
BEST ARTHOUSE DIRECTOR 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL ARTHOUSE SCREENWRITER
Michelangelo and Me
By Colleen Fuglaar
BEST INTERNATIONAL FANTASY SCRIPT 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL SCREENWRITER
Solo il bene
By Don Pasquale Ferone
BEST EUROPEAN INDIE MUSIC VIDEO, BEST SONG WRITER & BEST INTERNATIONAL SINGER
Doctor Hypotheses 2 – The Breakdown
By Vicentini Gomez
BEST SCREENPLAY 2026 & BEST HUMAN RIGHTS SCRIPT
American Money
By Timothy A McGhee
BEST INTERNATIONAL WRITING STYLE 2026 (Category: FEATURE SCRIPT) & BEST INDIE SCREENWRITER
The Dead Ringer
By Suzanne Lutas
BEST ORIGINAL STORY 2026 & BEST ARTHOUSE WRITER 2026 (Category: FEATURE SCRIPT)
An Ever After Drama
By Michelle Lynn
BEST ARTHOUSE NARRATIVE SHORT 2026, BEST AMERICAN DIRECTOR 2026, BEST ACTRESS, BEST MAKE-UP & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER
Behind The Algorithm
By Michelle Lynn
BEST AMERICAN FEAURE SCRIPT 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA (Category: Screenplay)
Silver Lights: City of Dream
By Michelle Lynn
BEST INTERNATIONAL WRITER 2026 (Category: Feature Script)
I Waited for You
By Jennifer Glee
BEST INDIE DIRECTOR 2026 (Category: EXPERIMENTAL FILM) & BEST ARTHOUSE EXPERIMENTAL FILM
Staycation
By Russell Emanuel
BEST INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR 2026, BEST ARTHOSUE NARRATIVE FEATURE, BEST SCREENPLAY, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER, BEST CATING DIRECTOR & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA
Noise
By R. Scott MacLeay
BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM 2026 & BEST SOUNDTRACK
AMERICA BOXED IN
By Ian S. Williams & Casey Williams
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE 2026, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY & FILMMAKER (Category: International Documentary Feature)
Alta California
By Lynn Elliott
BEST HISTORICAL FEATURE SCRIPT 2026 & BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE SCREENWRITER
The Mongrel
By Lynn Elliott
BEST ORIGINAL IDEA & BEST WRITING STYLE 2026 (Category: TELEVISION SCRIPT)
Thankful
By Earnest Diaz
BEST WRITER 2026 & BEST ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT
The Little Match-Seller
By Danilo Del Tufo
BEST DIRECTOR 2026 (Category: Animation) BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER & BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT
Tom and Luce
By Muxel Paule
BEST DRAMA 2026, BEST EDITING & BEST ORIGINAL MOVIEMAKER
The Stones of Rome
By Sean Gregory Tansey
BEST ARTHOUSE ACTOR 2026 & BEST SPIRITUAL SHORT FILM
The Pathos of Hamlet
By Sean Gregory Tansey
BEST INDIE POETRY SHPORT FILM 2026 & BEST INTERNATIONAL DRAMA SHORT
Hot Afternoons Have Been in Montana
By Ken Kimmelman
BEST EDITING (Category: EXPERIMENTAL FILM), BEST INDIE FILMMAKER 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL PRODUCER
Not Without Gloves
By Lena Mattsson
BEST ARTHOUSE FILMMAKER 2026, BEST ORIGINAL IDEA & BEST POETIC CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: EXPERIMENTAL FILM)
The Rorschach Test
By Lena Mattsson
BEST INTERNATIONAL EXPERIMENTAL SHORT FILM & BEST SOUND DESIGN
Precious the baby dragon
By Dr Dawn Menge
BEST INTERNATIONAL BOOK 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA 2026
Legends of the Land of Quails
By Dr Dawn Menge
BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE FILMMAKER 2026
Colombano e la 21esima Fetta
By Paolo Pier Luigi Guglielmetti
BEST FILM 2026, BEST ORIGINAL IDEA, BEST HISTORICAL FILM, BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE DIRECTOR & BEST CAST
The Duchess
By C. Arnold Curry
BEST INTERNATIONAL DRAMA 2026, BEST ORIGINAL WRINTING SYLE & BEST INDIE SCREENWRITER
The Dragonfly Dreaming Project
By Angelena Bonet
BEST ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY SHORT 2026 & BEST INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR (Category: Documentary Short)
Malibu Madam
By Phoebe Von Satis
BEST AMERICAN INDIE FEATURE SCRIPT 2026




You Are Here
By Dylan Brody
BEST ARTHOUSE NARRATIVE FEATURE 2026, BEST ORIGINAL DIRECTOR, BEST INDIE SCREENPLAY, BEST CASTING DIRECTOR & BEST INDIE PRODUCTION COMPANY
Colombano e la 21esima Fetta
By Paolo Pier Luigi Guglielmetti
BEST EUROPEAN ARTHOUSE FILM 2026, BEST ORIGINAL INDIE DIRECTOR & BEST SCREENPLAY (Category: Narrative Feature)
Eyesolation
By Damiano Rossi
BEST INDIE EXPERIMENTAL FILM 2026 & BEST EUROPEAN DIRECTOR 2026
Omnipotent Resolution
By Uniqueness Heiress & Azia
BEST DANCE FILM 2026, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY, BEST PRODUCER, BEST EDITING, BEST MAKE-UP (Category: Dance Film) & BEST SOUND DESIGN
An Ever After Drama
By Michelle Lynn
BEST ORIGINAL NARRATIVE SHORT 2026, BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE DIRECTOR 2026, BEST CASTING DIRECTOR, BEST INTERNATIONAL ACTRESS 2026 & BEST AMERICAN SCREENPLAY SHORT
Behind The Algorithm
By Michelle Lynn
BEST ORIGINAL ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT 2026
Roses are Blind
By Wendy White
BEST THRILLER 2026 & BEST AMERICAN DIRECTOR
TinMan
By Kevin Tudor
BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE NARRATIVE FEATURE 2026, BEST FILMMAKER, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER & BEST EDITOR (Category: Film)
Water
By Gary Beeber
BEST INDIE DOCUMENTARY FEATURE 2026 & BEST ARTHOUSE PRODUCER
Sinestesìa
By Gianni Salamone
BEST MUSIC VIDEO 2026, BEST DIRECTOR & BEST SOUND DESIGNER (Category: Indie Music Video)
Black Wolf
By Jamie Sutliff
BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE SHORT FILM 2026, BEST EDITING & BEST MOVIEMAKER (Category: Narrative Short Film)
Balkan Jazz
By Jacob Comforty
BEST BIOGRAPHICAL DOCUMENTARY 2026, BEST ORIGINAL FILMMAKER & BEST PRODUCER (Category: Indie Documentary)
I Waited for You
By Jennifer Glee
BEST DIRECTOR, BEST ORIGINAL STORY, BEST EDITOR, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER & BEST INDIE PRODUCER (Category: Indie Experimental Film)
Virulence
By Christopher Pennington
BEST SCREENWRITER 2026 (Category: FEATURE SCRIPT) & BEST PSYCHOLOGICAL DEPTH OF THE CHARACTERS
On My Special Day
By Leilani Amour Arenzana
BEST ORIGINAL NARRATIVE SHORT 2026, BEST CAST, BEST INDIE FILMMAKER & BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY SHORT
Time Boun
By Tommy Anderson
BEST ORIGINAL WRITING STYLE & BEST ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT 2026
Grandi cose
By Don Pasquale Ferone
BEST ORIGINAL SONG WRITER, BEST ARTHOUSE MUSIC VIDEO & BEST SINGER
Out of control
By Bellopropello
BEST EXPERIMENTAL ANIMATION, BEST INDIE PRODUCER, BEST ARTHOUSE EDITING & BEST ARTHOUSE FILMMAKER
Legends of land of Quails House & Precious the baby dragon
By Dr Dawn Menge
BEST INTERNATIONAL WRITER 2026 (Category: BOOK), BEST WRITING STYLE & BEST ORIGINAL BOOK
We are Rivers
By Graciela Cassel
BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY SHORT 2026, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST STORYTELLING & BEST INDIE PRODUCER (Category: Documentary Short)
Doctor Hyphoteses
By Vicentini Gomez
BEST ORIGINAL ACTING 2026 & BEST INTERNATIONAL ORIGINAL SCREENWRITER
The New Immigrant- Hong Kongers
By Vivian Tsang
BEST INTERNATIONAL FIRST TIME DIRECTOR 2026 & BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE DOCUMENTARY
Whispers in the Walls
By Ioannis Koutroubis
BEST ORIGINAL FEATURE SCRIPT & BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE SCREENWRITER 2026
Katabasis
By Samantha Casella
BEST EUROPEAN NARRATIVE FEATURE 2026, BEST ARTHOUSE MOVIEMAKER & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
AMERICA BOXED IN
By Ian S. Williams & Casey Williams
BEST ORIGINAL EDITING, BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FEATURE 2026 & BEST HUMAN RIGHTS DOCUMENTARY
Cataclysm Down Under – Hero
By Akal Demir
BEST INDIE MOVIEMAKER 2026, BEST ARTHOUSE SCREENWRITER & BEST ORIGINAL INDIE PRODUCER
Thankful
By Earnest Diaz
BEST INTERNATIONAL SCREENPLAY 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL WRITER
Sheldon Mashugana gets Stooged
By Dean Morgan
BEST ACTOR 2026, BEST ORIGINAL COMEDY, BEST SCREENPLAY E BEST DIRECTOR (Category: International Comedy)
Ndazkoh
By Tracey Cochrane
BEST INDIE DOCUMENTARY 2026, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST PRODUCER & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA (Category: International Arthouse Documentary)
The Dead Ringer
By Suzanne Lutas
BEST INDIE SCREENPLAY, BEST ORIGINAL INDIE SCREENWRITER & BEST ORIGINAL CHARACTERS
American Money
By Timothy A McGhee
BEST WRITER 2026, BEST ARHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT & BEST SOCIAL SCRIPT
Staycation
By Russell Emanuel
BEST PICTURE 2026, BEST ORIGINAL NARRATIVE FEATURE 2026, BEST SCREENPLAY (Category: Narrative Feature), BEST INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR, BEST CAST & BEST COSTUME DESIGN
The Little Match-Seller
By Danilo Del Tufo
BEST INTERNATIONAL ANIMATED SHORT FILM 2026, BEST ARTHOUSE DIRECTOR (Category: Animation) & BEST EXPERIMENTAL CINEMATOGRAPHY
Noise
By R. Scott MacLeay
BEST AMERICAN EXPERIMENTAL FILM 2026, BEST ORIGINAL FILMMAKER, BEST PRODUCER & BEST INSPIRATIONAL FILM
Antiquarius
By Jacek Krawczyk
BEST ORIGINAL NARRATIVE SHORT FILM 2026, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER & BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE DIRECTOR (Category: International Narrative Short Film)
Brothers of Babylon
By Gabriel Womack
BEST INTERNATIONAL SCREENPLAY 2026 & BEST AMERICAN INDIE SCREENWRITER
Am I a painter?/Czy jestem malarzem?
By Michał Kucharski
BEST SHORT FILM 2026 (Category: ANIMATION), BEST FILMMAKER, BEST SOUND DESIGNER & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA
Not Without Gloves
By Lena Mattsson
BEST EUROPEAN FILMMAKER 2026, BEST ORIGINAL CINEMATOGRAPHY & BEST EXPERIMENTAL SCREENPLAY
The Rorschach Test
By Lena Mattsson
BEST EXPERIMENTAL CINEMATIC VISION 2026, BEST ACTRESS & BEST ARTHOUSE DIRECTOR
Alta California
By Lynn Elliott
BEST HISTORICAL FEATURE SCRIPT 2026 & BEST INTERNATIONAL SCREENWRITER
The Mongrel
By Lynn Elliott
BEST ORIGINAL PILOT TV 2026
PIRANDELLO’S WIFE
By Lynn Elliott
BEST BIOGRAPHICAL SCRIPT 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL WRITER (Category: Drama Script)
Eye of the Storm
By Brooke Wolff
BEST AMERICAN DOCUMENTARY 2026, BEST INTERNATIONAL FILMMAKER & BEST INTERNATIONAL STORYTELLING
Bagliori – Flashes of Light
By Mattia Paone
BEST INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE SHORT FILM 2026, BEST INDIE SCREENPLAY SHORT 2026 & BEST INDIE PRODUCER
The Duchess
By Arnold Curry
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILMMAKER 2026, BEST PRODUCER & BEST DRAMA
The Stones of Rome
By Sean Gregory Tansey
BEST EXPERIMENTAL SHORT 2026 & BEST ACTING 2026
The Pathos of Hamlet
By Sean Gregory Tansey
BEST POETRY SHORT FILM 2026, BEST EDITING, BEST DIRECTOR & BEST EDITING (Category: Indie Experimental Short Film)
Potato Family
By Lori Hamilton
BEST DIRECTOR (Category: Indie Animated Short Film), BEST ARTHOUSE ANIMATION & BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE MOVIEMAKER 2026
Mecca
By Monte Albers de Leon
BEST AMERICAN INDIE SCREENWRITER


Sixty-Minute Shakespeare Series: Hamlet
Adapted by Professor Emeritus Cass Foster
BEST FEATURE SCRIPT 2026
Water
By Gary Beeber
BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FEATURE 2026, BEST ORIGINAL EDITING, BEST FILMMAKER, BEST PRODUCER & BEST CAMERA OPERATOR (Category: Documentary Feature)
Going Home
By TerryLee WHETSTONe
BEST MUSIC VIDEO 2026, BEST FILMMAKER & BEST PRODUCER (Category: Music Video)
Eyesolation
By Damiano Rossi
BEST ARTHOUSE EXPERIMENTAL SHORT FILM 2026 & BEST INDIE MOVIEMAKER
It Happened One Night In Space
By Pamela PerryGoulardt
BEST SUPER SHORT FILM 2026, BEST INDIE DIRECTOR & BEST SCREENPLAY SUPER SHORT
Omnipotent Resolution
By Uniqueness Heiress & Azia
BEST MUSICAL 2026, BEST FILMMAKER, BEST COSTUME DESIGNER, BEST DANCE FILM & BEST EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC VIDEO
The Duchess
By C. Arnold Curry
BEST ARTHOUSE DRAMA 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL IDEA
Legends of land of Quails House & Precious the baby dragon
By Dr Dawn Menge
BEST ORIGINAL BOOK 2026 & BEST INTERNATIONAL WRITER
The Little Match-Seller
By Danilo Del Tufo
BEST ORIGINAL FILMMAKER 2026 & BEST ARTHOUSE ANIMATION
Nossos Caminhos (Our Paths)
By Carla Di Bonito
BEST INTERNATIONAL WRITER 2026 (Category: Drama Script)
The New Immigrant- Hong Kongers
By Vivian Tsang
BEST FIRST TIME DIRECTOR 2026, BEST INDIE DOCUMENTARY & BEST ARTHOUSE CINEMATOGRAPHER
Credo
By Don Pasquale Ferone
BEST POETRY SONG, BEST EUROPEAN SINGER & BEST INTERNATIONAL SONG WRITER
Planetary Rebellion
By Fabrizio Fuochi
BEST EUROPEAN ARTHOUSE MUSIC VIDEO 2026, BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE FILMMAKER & BEST ORIGINAL CINEMATIC VISION (Category: Music Video)
The Arcangel Of Death
By Vincenzo Amoruso
BEST ORIGINAL ACTING 2026 & BEST EUROPEAN ORIGINAL SHORT FILM
American Money
By Timothy A McGhee
BEST SCREENPLAY 2026, BEST ORIGINAL SCREENWRITER (Category: Feature Script) & BEST CHARACTERS
Cataclysm Down Under – Hero
By Akal Demir
BEST DIRECTOR 2026, BEST SCREENPLAY & BEST SPIRITUAL FILM
Colombano e la 21esima Fetta
By Paolo Pier Luigi Guglielmetti
BEST INDIE NARRATIVE FEATURE 2026, BEST HISTORICAL SCREENPLAY & BEST INDIE CINEMATOGRAPHER
Staycation
By Russell Emanuel
BEST INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR 2026, BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE 2026, BEST ORIGINAL EDITOR, BEST SCREENPLAY & BEST SOUNDTRACK
The Aesthetics of Failure
By Lena Mattsson
BEST POETRY FILM 2026 & BEST EUROPEAN INDIE DIRECTOR
Not Without Gloves
By Lena Mattsson
BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILMMAKER, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY & BEST INSPIRATIONAL PROJECT
The Rorschach Test
By Lena Mattsson
BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE EDITOR, BEST CINEMATIC ATMOSPHERE & BEST SOUND DESIGN
Alta California
BEST SOCIAL FEATURE SCRIPT & BEST INTERNATIONAL WRITER 2026
“Only You Can Save Her,” pilot teleplay of series THE BOY WHO EARNED HIS MAGIC
By Lynn Elliott
BEST TELEVISION SCRIPT 2026
Uncle Franco’s Birthday Suit
By Lynn Elliott
BEST AMERICAN FEATURE SCRIPT
The Stones of Rome
By Sean Gregory Tansey
BEST EXPERIMENTAL ACTOR 2026 & BEST HISTORICAL SHORT FILM 2026
The Pathos of Hamlet
By Sean Gregory Tansey
BEST ORIGINAL SHORT FILM 2026 & INTERNATIONAL ACTING
The Lost Village
By Roger Paradiso
BEST INTERNATIONAL ORIGINAL DIRECTOR 2026
Cassandra Venice
By Hugo Teugels
BEST EUROPEAN CINEMATOGRAPHER 2026 & BEST EDITOR
Bagliori – Flashes of Light
By Mattia Paone
BEST SHORT FILM 2026, BEST EUROPEAN SCREENWRITER & BEST INDIE MOVIEMAKER
AMERICA BOXED IN
By Ian S. Williams & Casey Williams
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE 2026 & BEST INDIE DIRECTOR

