WINNERS Japan Indie Film Awards 2026

2026 May 22

WINNERS Japan Indie Film Awards 2026

Ndazkoh

By Tracey Cochrane

BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY, BEST INDIE DIRECTOR, BEST EDITING & BEST CAMERA OPERATOR (Category: International Documentary)

Maxwell

By Derek Martin

BEST NARRATIVE SHORT FILM OF THE YEAR, BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT, BEST INDIE DIRECTOR, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER & BEST INDIE PRODUCER

Looking for inspiration – Poszukiwanie inspiracji

By Michał Kucharski

BEST INTERNATIONAL ANIMATED SHORT FILM & BEST MOVIEMAKER (Category: Animation)

The Adventures of Rex and Daisy: Henry Does His Best

By Stephen Kelly

BEST EDUCATIONAL FILM 2026

Pints With Kelly

By Stephen Kelly

BEST ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY FEATURE & BEST ARTHOUSE DIRECTOR 2026 (Category: Documentary)

NeverWere: a Lycan Love Story

By Chris Ross Leong

BEST ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT OF THE YEAR & BEST PSYCHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CHARACTERS

Love is a Lonely Hunter

By Graciela Cassel

BEST INDIE SHORT FILM 2026 & BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT

The New Immigrant- Hong Kongers

By Vivian Tsang

BEST FIRST TIME FILMMAKER 2026, BEST YOUNG DIRECTOR & BEST EDITING (Category: Documentary)

Hot Afternoons Have Been in Montana

By Ken Kimmelman

BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILMMAKER 2026, BEST ORIGINAL EDITING, BEST INSPIRATIONAL FILM & BEST EXPERIMENTAL CINEMATOGRAPHY

Dancing with Spies @Goddess – novel

By Francis Billingsley

BEST INTERNATIONAL BOOK 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL WRITER

Planetary Rebellion

By Fabrizio Fuochi

BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC VIDEO 2026 & BEST FILMMAKER OF THE YEAR (Category: Music Video)

Pretty Little Lucy

By David Williamson

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

I Waited for You

By Jennifer Glee

BEST CINEMATIC VISION, BEST ORIGINAL FILMMAKER & BEST ORIGINAL EDITING

Freedoms Under Assault

By Jacob Comforty & Robert Arnove

BEST ARTHOUSE DOCUMENTARY FEATURE 2026, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST PRODUCER & BEST SOUND DESIGNER (Category: Indie Documentary Feature)

Tramóia

By Gleison Castro

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY SHORT 2026

Nossos Caminhos (Our Paths)

By Carla Di Bonito

BEST DRAMA 2026 & BEST STORYTELLING

Eyesolation

By Damiano Rossi

BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM 2026, BEST ORIGINAL EDITING & BEST ARTHOUSE DIRECTOR 

It’s the Gravy

By Cherie Kerr

BEST INTERNATIONAL COMEDY 2026

The Dead Ringer

By Suzanne Lutas

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE SCRIPT 2026 & BEST GLOBAL WRITER OF THE YEAR

Staycation

By Russell Emanuel

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

The Duchess

By C. Arnold Curry

BEST ORIGINAL DRAMA 2026, BEST CAST & BEST SCREENWRITER (Category: Drama)

American Money

By Timothy A McGhee

BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE FEATURE SCRIPT 2026, BEST SOCIAL SCRIPT & BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE SCREENWRITER

The Harmony Saga & Movement I – Disciple: Episode I of The Harmony Saga

By Timothy Brad Reinhold

BEST ORIGINAL SCRIPT & BEST EXPERIMENTAL ANIMATION

Out of control

By Bellopropello

BEST POETRY SHORT FILM 2026, BEST ORIGINAL ANIMATION & BEST INDIE FILMMAKER

The Aesthetics of Failure

By Lena Mattsson

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

Not Without Gloves

By Lena Mattsson

BEST SPRITUAL PROJECT 2026 & BEST VIDEO POETRY

The Rorschach Test

By Lena Mattsson

BEST EXPERIMENTAL SCREENPLAY 2026 & BEST POETRY SHORT FILM

Alta California

By Lynn Elliott

BEST GLOBAL SCREENWRITER 2026, HISTORICAL FEATURE SCRIPT 2026 & BEST INTERNATIONAL SCREENWRITER

Pirandello’s Wife

By Lynn Elliott

BEST BIOGRAPHICAL SCRIPT 2026 & BEST ORIGINAL DRAMA

Floating Eyes

By Daniel Arreola

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENWRITER 2026 & BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT SCRIPT

Cherished Viciousness

By Daniel Arreola

BEST INTERNATIONAL ORIGINAL DIRECTOR, BEST CINEMATIC VISION, BEST INTERNATIONAL SCREENPLAY & BEST INDIE SCREENWRITER 2026

Ashes of Freedom

By Daniel Arreola

BEST HUMAN RIGHTS INDIE SCRIPT

Case of Choice

By Daniel Arreola

BEST WRITING STYLE OF THE YEAR (Category: Short Script)

The Stones of Rome

By Sean Gregory Tansey

BEST INTERNATIONAL ACTOR 2026 & BEST HISTORICAL SHORT FILM

The Pathos of Hamlet

By Sean Gregory Tansey

BEST POETRY SHORT FILM 2026, BEST ORIGINAL ACTING, BEST EXPERIMENTAL CINEMATOGRAPHER & BEST EXPERIMENTAL ARTHOUSE DIRECTOR

Your Father, who sees in secret

By Danilo Del Tufo

BEST INDIE NARRATIVE SHORT 2026, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY & BEST INDIE PRODUCER

Zone

By Danilo Del Tufo

BEST INTERNATIONAL EXPERIMENTAL SHORT FILM OF THE YEAR & BEST FILMMAKER 2026

When Cassandra Venice speaks

By Hugo Teugels

BEST INSPIRATIONAL MOVIEMAKER 2026 & BEST EXPERIMENTAL CINEMATIC VISION

Precious the baby dragon

By Dr Dawn Menge

BEST INTERNATIONAL BOOK & BEST ARTHOUSE WRITER 2026