Official Guide to the Best Filmmakers of the Year

2026 March 20

Official Guide to the Best Filmmakers of the Year

Cherished Viciousness

By Daniel Arreola

BEST ORIGINAL FILMMAKER, BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT OF THE YEAR & BEST INDIE SCREENWRITER 2026

Ashes of Freedom

By Daniel Arreola

BEST INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS FEATURE SCRIPT 2026

Not Without Gloves

By Lena Mattsson

BEST EXPERIMENTAL DIRECTOR & INTERNATIONAL CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: EXPERIMENTAL)

The Aesthetics of Failure

By Lena Mattsson

BEST ORIGINAL CINEMATIC IDEA, BEST POETRY SHORT FILM & BEST DIRECTOR (Category: Inspirational Film)

The Rorschach Test

By Lena Mattsson

BEST ARTHOUSE PRODUCER 2026 & BEST ART FILM

The Dead Ringer

By Suzanne Lutas

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

Michelangelo and Me + Da Vinci and Me

By Colleen Fuglaar

BEST ORIGINAL PILOT TV 2026 & BEST INTERNATIONAL FANTASY OF THE YEAR

Alzati dal buio

By Don Pasquale Ferone

BEST EUROPEAN SONG OF THE YEAR, BEST INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS SONG, BEST SONG WRITER 2026 & BEST GUITARIST 2026

Eyesolation

By Damiano Rossi

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE FILMMAKER 2026 & BEST EXPERIMENTAL CINEMATIC VISION

Lambada The Dance Of Fate

By Kai Fischer

BEST INTERNATIONAL WRITER 2026 & BEST BIOGRAPHICAL SCRIPT 2026

When Cassandra Venice speaks

By Hugo Teugels

BEST ORIGINAL FANTASY OF THE YEAR & BEST EUROPEAN INDIE MOVIEMAKER

The New Immigrant- Hong Kongers

By Vivian Tsang

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

Shadow Docket

By Kevin B Ploth

BEST INTERNATIONAL SUPER SHORT FILM & BEST ORIGINAL CINEMATOGRAPHY

The Greenstone Narrated by Orson Welles

By Kevin Irvine

BEST ORIGINAL SHORT FILM & BEST EXPERIMENTAL IDEA 2026

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

By Monte Albers de Leon

BEST AMERICAN SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR

Doctor Hyphoteses

By Vicentini Gomez

BEST INTERNATIONAL SCREENWRITER 2026, BEST ORIGINAL ACTOR & BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE PRODUCER

Virulence

By Christopher Pennington

BEST FEATURE SCRIPT 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL WRITING STYLE

Borderline Justice

By Lynn Elliott

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

Pirandello’s Wife

By Lynn Elliott

BEST BIOGRAPHICAL FEATURE SCRIPT OF THE YEAR

Alta California

By Lynn Elliott

BEST AMERICAN SCREENPLAY 2026, BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE SCREENWRITER & BEST HISTORICAL SCRIPT

I Waited for You

By Jennifer Glee

BEST EXPERIMENTAL CINEMATIC VISION, BEST INDIE DIRECTOR 2026 & BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE ART FILM 2026

The Duchess

By C. Arnold Curry

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE DRAMA 2026, BEST INDIE FILMMAKER, BEST ACTOR, BEST ACTRESS & BEST STORYTELLING (Category: International Drama)

Wacko

By Matthew Roch

BEST INTERNATIONAL THRILLER 2026, BEST ORIGINAL DIRECTOR, BEST HORROR & BEST ORIGINAL CINEMATOGRAPHY