Pauline Adamek
AFI FEST 2026 PRESENTED BY CANVA ANNOUNCES GRAND JURY AWARD WINNERS
The American Film Institute (AFI) announced today the Grand Jury Prize winners and Special Mentions for the 40th edition of AFI FEST presented by Canva.
The Grand Jury Prize winners for Live Action Short, Documentary Short and Animated Short will be eligible for consideration in the 100th Academy Awards® for Best Live Action Short, Best Documentary Short and Best Animated Short.
This year’s Live Action jury included film programmer Mike Dougherty, filmmaker Giulia Grandinetti and film journalist Mia Lee Vicino. This year’s Documentary jury included award-winning documentary filmmaker Kristy Guevara-Flanagan, Educational Programs Manager for the Palm Springs International Film Festival Natali Hopkins and filmmaker Nick Stachurski. This year’s Animation jury included curator Martine Joelle McDonald, stop-motion animator Kenzie Sutton and actress and producer Kelly Marie Tran.
Grand Jury Prize – Live Action Short Film
FREE ELIZA (NOTES ON AN ANATOMICAL IMPERFECTION) by Alexandra Matheou
Jury Statement: “We were incredibly moved by FREE ELIZA’s sensitive and ironic exploration of a microcosm of society, seen through the eyes of a woman superficially judged as ‘imperfect’ by those around her due to her inability to smile. Is her anatomical flaw a cage, or is it the first true step toward courageous authenticity?”
Grand Jury Prize – Animated Short Film
LIVING WITH A VISIONARY by Stephen P. Neary
Jury Statement: “Stephen P. Neary’s LIVING WITH A VISIONARY skillfully adapts the life-affirming, heartbreaking and ephemeral vision John shared with his beloved partner, Diana. Each thoughtful wash of color and tender detail reveals the gifts of a passionate curator and mother as shared reality and memories slip further away from daily view. Neary directs a poignant narrative of care in motion, inviting us to reflect on the sanctuary of deep intimacy set against the early isolation of Covid-19 that will resonate for generations to come.”
Grand Jury Prize – Documentary Short Film
A WOMAN’S PLACE IS EVERYWHERE by Fanny Texier
Jury Statement: “With remarkable intimacy and emotional generosity, A WOMAN’S PLACE IS EVERYWHERE makes the bonds between women — and the spaces they create for one another — deeply felt. Its sensitive filmmaking gives grief and resilience equal room, leaving us with an expansive understanding of what it means to make a home.”
Special Jury Mentions
Special Jury Mention for Audacity of Vision – Live Action Short
THE BOVINE COMEDY by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke
Jury Statement: “An unmistakably queer film with boundless imagination, a wicked sense of humor and a virtuosic balance between tenderness and provocation. THE BOVINE COMEDY delighted us with its wholly original depiction of a not-too-distant future where class warfare and worker exploitation rages on in increasingly absurd ways.”
Special Jury Mention for Cinematography – Live Action Short
A BREACH WITHIN by Jean-François Leblanc
Jury Statement: “A BREACH WITHIN’s cinematographer Vincent Biron’s supremely confident camerawork is instrumental in delivering an immersive, spellbinding thriller that breathlessly portrays complex action and emotion through luxurious long takes and a particularly impressive 360-degree opening shot.”
Special Jury Mention for Screenwriting – Live Action Short
NOBODY SAID ANYTHING by Tamara Todorović
Jury Statement: “NOBODY SAID ANYTHING is an intelligent, observant script that, through nuanced subtext, trusts its audience to understand that its anger cannot be expressed in easily digestible terms, but nonetheless packs a deeply felt emotional punch.”
Special Jury Mention for Uniqueness of Expression – Live Action Short
MUTRION by Marco Cavazzin
Jury Statement: “MUTRION is an exploration of male vulnerability and the boundaries of a volatile friendship that excited us with the unpredictability of its narrative and formal choices, and its actors’ skillful portrayals that communicate deeply with furtive glances, body language and emotionally charged silences.”
Special Jury Mention for Craft – Animated Short
EMULSION by Shiyu (Shino) Tang
Jury Statement: “Shiyu Tang’s EMULSION demonstrates masterful craft and endless creativity. As figures in the piece merge and transform, Tang explores both conflict and interconnectivity — all while maintaining a magical sense of whimsy that will keep the viewer enthralled. It is a captivating, sensory journey that invites warmth, wonder and inspiration for animators and audiences.”
Special Jury Mention for Story – Animated Short
TRADING CARDS by Radheya Jang
Jury Statement: “Radheya Jang’s TRADING CARDS thoughtfully centers a mesmerizing search for self-reflection, belonging and purpose, unfolding with a haunting, universal curiosity. Skillfully structured as a game of chance, the story explores tenderness and vulnerability with precision and discernment. The moving visual language and framing cleverly invites audiences to celebrate their own evolving journey.”
Special Jury Mention for Direction – Animated Short
THE END by Niki Lindroth von Bahr
Jury Statement: “May we all carry the audacity, humor and sheer delight of Niki Lindroth von Bahr’s THE END into every new beginning we dare to imagine. Bold, clever and expansive in execution, the film embraces the wisdom and curiosity of absurdism. The vignettes highlight the gift of caught moments and remind us that life on this world, or any other, offers an invitation to grow, explore and appreciate differences and unexpected connections at every turn. Directed with incredible precision across timing, stylization and clarity of voice, it is an absolute triumph and call to tell bold, specific stories that only you can tell.”
Special Jury Mention for World Building – Animated Short
SABA by Liron Topaz
Jury Statement: “In SABA, Liron Topaz combines beautiful animation with undeniably efficient world-building. It is a moving piece that conveys grief in a new light, successfully pulling its audience into its story, invoking intense emotion. Its impact is only heightened by the creative choice to lean into the compelling visual language with minimal dialogue. A narrative generous in spirit, and visual landscape that lingers warm in heart, Topaz has built an exceptional care-driven world that was a true pleasure to experience.”
Special Jury Mention for Craft – Documentary Short
LISTEN by Taliesin Black-Brown
Jury Statement: “For its exceptional command of sound and image, creating a sensory experience that asks us to listen as closely as we look. Each element works in concert with remarkable sensitivity, giving LISTEN its quiet emotional power.”
Special Jury Mention for Social Impact – Documentary Short
WATER COOLER by Emma V.F.
Jury Statement: “An urgent act of witnessing whose restraint makes its impact all the more devastating. WATER COOLER confronts us with the normalization of cruelty and leaves us questioning what we allow ourselves to accept.”
Special Jury Mention for Storytelling – Documentary Short
BUCKSKIN by Mars Verrone
Jury Statement: “For an assured, deeply personal approach to storytelling that trusts the emotional resonance of small moments. BUCKSKIN’s filmmaker moves gracefully between intimacy and historical reflection, allowing each to deepen our understanding of the other.”
Special Jury Mention for World Building – Documentary Short
A WOLF IN THE SUBURBS by Amélie Hardy
Jury Statement: “For creating a distinct cinematic world through a precise balance of humor, atmosphere and observational detail. In A WOLF IN THE SUBURBS, the familiar becomes wonderfully strange, drawing us into a world whose seemingly small tensions take on unexpected weight.”
This year’s festival lineup included 158 films across 6 Red Carpet Premieres, 12 Special Screenings, 13 Luminaries selections, 18 Discovery titles, 16 World Cinema selections, 17 documentaries, 3 After Dark films, 4 Guest Artistic Director presentations, 45 films in the Short Film Competition, and 24 films from the AFI Conservatory Showcase presented by AMC Global Media.
AFI Alumni with films at AFI FEST are BEDFORD PARK executive producer Bryan Hwang and production designer Javiera Varas; BEING HEUMANN director/co-writer/producer Siân Heder; IVÁN & HADOUM co-producer Hubert Toint; JOSEPHINE’s director/writer/producer Beth de Araújo, producer Joshua Beirne-Golden, producer Marina Stabile, co-editor Anisha Acharya and co-editor Oliver Harwood; A LONG WINTER editor Jonathan Alberts; THE MAN I LOVE executive producer Christopher Taylor and editor Affonso Gonçalves; MOUSE co-cinematographer Nate Hurtsellers; MY BROTHER’S KILLER cinematographer Michael Marius Pessah; POSSIBLE LOVE cinematographer Kim Ji-yong; RAY GUNN co-writer Matthew Robbins; STEALING MAGIC producer Diane Becker, executive producer Matthew Testa and co-producer Gabriela Gonzalez and WILDWOOD cinematographer Caleb Deschanel.
Guests at the festival included Stephanie Ahn, Shamier Anderson, Beth de Araújo, Maryam Ataei, Awkwafina, Sean Baker, Angela Bassett, Emily Bear, Peter Berg, Albert Berger, Manuel Betancourt, Anna Biller, Thora Birch, Andrew Bird, Brad Bird, Buzz Bissinger, Paul Boche, Lola Bond, Dan Braun, Ben Burtt, PJ Byrne, David Canfield, Marco Capalbo, Tantoo Cardinal, Gemma Chan, Moon Choi, Chloe Coleman, Brent Comer, Carol Connors, Bill Conti, Larry David, Tamra Davis, Eugenio Derbez, Matt Dillon, Fanny Drew, Geneviève Dulude-De Celles, Daniel Durant, Jay Duplass, Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo, Ava DuVernay, Ari Emanuel, Ezra Emanuel, Toby Emmerich, Peter Farrelly, David Fincher, Jean Firstenberg, Tom Francis, Rachael Fung, Nicholas Galitzine, Gabriel Andrés Gallegos, Peter Gamble, Alejandra García, John Gilroy, Tony Gilroy, Andi Gladwin, Brian Grazer, Kumudini Shrestha Gurung, Alex Gyner, Lance Hammer, Steve Happi, J.M. Harper, Siân Heder, Carolyn Hepburn, Werner Herzog, Jon Huertas, Jack Ingram, Anthony Ippolito, Taqiyeddine Issaad, Marc Evan Jackson, Joshua Jackson, Abbi Jacobson, Stephan James, Forouzan Jamshidnejad, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Jake Johnson, Kathleen Kennedy, Hossein Keshavarz, Travis Knight, Barbara Kopple, Troy Kotsur, Katherine Mallen Kupferer, Dion Labriola, Van Lathan Jr., Lucien Laviscount, Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Pierre Le Gall, Phil Lord, Jack MacInnes, Ruth Madeley, Tara Mallen, Sarah Mannering, Frank Marshall, Manuela Martelli, Rachel Mason, Tim Matheson, Marlee Matlin, Valentina Maurel, Ayden Mayeri, Pat McAfee, Nami Melumad, Jesse Merlin, Chris Miller, Melanie Miller, Lauren Miller Rogen, Tom Morello, Sarah Mowaswes, M. David Mullen, Leah Nelson, Ray Nicholson, Laura Nikolov, Sophie Okonedo, Kelly O’Sullivan, Rudy Pankow, Pedro Pascal, Karen Pittman, Scott Porter, Samantha Quan, Kaya Ralls, Mason Reeves, Jason Reitman, Dione Roach, AnnaSophia Robb, Brandon Roberts, Seth Rogen, Barry Rothbart, Mark Ruffalo, Ira Sachs, Arian Saleh, Markus Schleinzer, Kiki Seto, Abinash Bikram Shah, Molly Shannon, Erik Shirai, Bill Skarsgård, Penelope Spheeris, Frank Stallone, LaKeith Stanfield, Kai Stänicke, Amandla Stenberg, Ilya Stewart, Quentin Tarantino, Alex Thompson, Michael Patrick Thornton, Guillermo del Toro, Gabriela Osio Vanden, Jack Weisman, Dominic Asmall Willsdon, Irwin Winkler, Sandra Wollner, Edgar Wright, Billy Zane, Florian Zeller and the U.S. Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon.
Canva returned as the Presenting Sponsor for AFI FEST 2026. The festival’s Corporate Partners included Official Water Partner FIJI Water; Premium Sponsor Apple Original Films; Primary Media Partner Los Angeles Times; Festival Sponsors Amazon MGM Studios, AMC Global Media, AT&T, Netflix and Northern Trust; Premium In-Kind Partner Panavision and Sustaining Partner Stella Artois. Returning partners included American Airlines and International Documentary Association and new sponsors included Metro, SAG-AFTRA Federal Credit Union and The Ankler, along with new hotel partners Loews Hollywood Hotel, Palihotel, Sheraton Universal Hotel, The Garland, Moxy & AC Hotels Downtown Los Angeles and Four Seasons Los Angeles.
To learn more about AFI FEST, visit FEST.AFI.com.
AFI is a nonprofit, donor-powered organization. Join AFI’s Premiere Circle to support the American Film Institute and enjoy access to FEST passes and exclusive one-of-a-kind opportunities at AFI FEST. To learn more, email Advancement@AFI.com.
About the American Film Institute (AFI)
The American Film Institute (AFI) is a nonprofit organization with a mandate to champion the moving image as an art form. Established in 1967, AFI launched the first comprehensive history of American film and sparked the movement for film preservation in the United States. In 1969, AFI opened the doors of the AFI Conservatory, a graduate-level program to train narrative filmmakers. The Conservatory, which counts Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Ari Aster, Deniese Davis, Affonso Gonçalves, Susannah Grant, Matthew Libatique, David Lynch and Rachel Morrison as Alumni, is ranked one of the top film schools in America. AFI’s enduring traditions include the AFI Life Achievement Award, which honors the masters for work that has stood the test of time; AFI AWARDS, which celebrates the creative ensembles of the most outstanding screen stories of the year; and scholarly efforts such as the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and the AFI Archive that preserve film history for future generations. AFI exhibition programs include AFI FEST presented by Canva and year-round exhibition at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Maryland. AFI Movie Club is a destination for movie lovers from around the world to celebrate and engage with the art form every day. Other pioneering programs include workshops aimed at elevating emerging storytellers and technology, including AFI DWW+ and the AFI Cinematography Intensive Workshop. Read about all of these programs and more at AFI.com.
About AFI FEST presented by Canva
Celebrating its 40th edition, AFI FEST presented by Canva is a world-class event, showcasing the best films from across the globe. This year’s edition took place in Los Angeles from October 21-25, 2026. With an innovative slate of programming, the five-day festival presents screenings, panels and conversations, featuring both master filmmakers and new cinematic voices. AFI FEST includes high-profile films with Q&As featuring the films’ cast and crew and a robust lineup of fiction and nonfiction features and shorts, providing a one-of-a-kind experience for movie fans. Additional information is available at FEST.AFI.com.
About Canva
Launched in 2013, Canva is the world’s leading all-in-one platform for visual communication and collaboration. Built to empower everyone to design, the company serves the creative and design needs of enterprises, small businesses, consumers and students in more than 190 countries worldwide.
Whether you’re a novice taking your first steps in design, or a creative professional seeking powerful tool, Canva ensures users have what they need to transform an idea into something beautiful. Underpinned by the world’s most comprehensive library of designer-made content, Canva is powered by a suite of products and proprietary AI tools which elevate how individuals and teams create, collaborate and communicate with ease.
