Palm Springs International Shortfest Unveils 2026 Winners — Film News in Brief

Jun 28, 2026 12:00pm PT The Palm Springs International Shortfest has unveiled its winners for 2026. The winners were announced at Sunday’s award ceremony. Honorees receieved $30,000 dollars in cash prizes, and five films were presented with Academy Award qualifying awards.

See the list of winners below: Oscar-Qualifying Awards:The winner of these awards may be eligible to submit their short to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for Oscar® consideration. Related Stories Greece Selected as the Country of Honor for the Next Edition of the Cannes Film Market Studiocanal Reveals Sales on Multiple Cannes Market Titles, Including 'The Midnight Library,' 'Words of Love,' 'Another Day' Best of the Festival Award — Winner received $5,000 cash prize.Jury: Dana Ledoux Miller (Moana 2); Gus Van Sant; Julia Aks (Jane Austen’s Period Drama); Kayla Foster (Your Monster) Popular on Variety Winner: Fruit (Singapore), Directed by Jen Nee LimSpecial Mention: Hyena (USA/China), Directed by Altay Ulan Yang Best Animated Short — Winner received a $1,000 cash prize.

Jury: John Kelly (Director at Dolphin’s Barn Pictures); Wilson Chapman (Animation Editor at IndieWire); William D. Caballero (Director/Producer at Colibri Creative Media) Winner: Fačuk (Croatia/Slovenia), Directed by Maida SrabovićSpecial Mention for Craft: Venezia Diorama (Belgium), Directed by Nicolas Piret Best Documentary Short — Winner received a $1,000 cash prize.Jury: Ash Cook (Founder, Video Store•Age); Micah Gottlieb (Artistic Director at Los Angeles Festival of Movies); Rebekah Louisa Smith (Film Festival Strategist at The Film Festival Doctor) Winner: Water Cooler (USA), Directed by Emma V.

F.Special Mention: Plumped (USA), Directed by Faye Tsakas, Nora DeLigter Best Live-Action Short Over 15 Minutes — Winner received a $1,000 cash prize.Jury: Jesy Odio (Production Manager at FUJIFILM); Maura Towey (Director of Development at Love & Squalor Pictures); Talia Shea Levin (Director, Writer, Producer) Winner: Marga en el DF (Mexico/USA/Dominican Republic), Directed by Gabriela OrtegaSpecial Mention: Concrete Kids (Lithuania), Directed by Saulius Baradinska Best Live-Action Short 15 Minutes and Under (Sponsored by SAGindie) — Winner received a $1,000 cash prize.

Jury: Alana Ford (Agent at Gersh); Mia McNiece (Senior Editor, News and Awards at Gold Derby); Peter Van Steemburg (Talent Manager at XYZ Films) Winner: We Were Here (India), Directed by Pranav BhasinSpecial Mention: Captive Audience (Singapore), Directed by Kew Lin Student Short Awards: Best Student International Short — Winner received a $1,000 cash prize.Jury: Adam Keresztes (Lead Shorts Programmer at Calgary International Film Festival); Séverine Tibi (Co-Founder, Producer at Sevana Films); Zegan Doyle (Programmer at AQUA Film Club, SXSW, Film Independent) Winner: Daddy’s Little Meatball (Australia/USA), Directed by Yael GrunseitSpecial Mention: Orla (Czech Republic/Slovakia) , Directed by Marie Lukáčová Best Student U.S.

Short, Best Student Animated Short & Best Student Documentary Short — Each winner received a $1000 cash prize, ties splitJury: Ambriehl Turrentine (Programming Manager at Denver Film); Edda Manriquez (Program Director, Femtastia Fest); Noah Baldwin (Executive Assistant/Internship Coordinator at Tremolo Productions) Student U.S. Short:Winner: Pankaja (USA/India), Directed by Anooya SwamySpecial Mention: Not Valid for Travel (USA), Directed by Jiaying Lin Student Animated Short:Winner: The Undying Pain of Existence (Germany), Directed by Oscar JacobsonSpecial Mention: Hunting (Switzerland), Directed by Lea Favre Student Documentary Short:Winner: Sole (USA), Directed by Haneol LeeSpecial Mention: California is Burning (USA), Directed by Bennett Curran Special Jury Awards: Vimeo Staff Pick Award — Winner received a $5,000 cash prize provided by Vimeo Winner: A Crime Across Four Landscapes (USA), Directed by Aidan Weaver Best International Short — Each winner received a $1,000 cash prize.

Jury: Ernie Quiroz (Film Programmer Santa Barbara, the Loft, Phoenix Art Museum); Irene Suico Soriano (Short Film Programmer at Sundance Film Festival); Eleanor Wilson (Writer/Director) Winners: Agapito (Philippines/France), Directed by Arvin Belarmino and Kyla RomeroSpecial Mention: The Last Song (Spain), Directed by María Lorente-Becerra Best U.S. Short — Winner received a $1,000 cash prize.

Jury: Steven Snyder (Producer at Cienega Films); Hayley Marie Norman (Filmmaker); Daniel Cardone (Senior Manager, Nonfiction Programs & Fiscal Sponsorship at Film Independent) Winner: See You, Soon (USA), Directed by Jay Pendarvis Jr.Special Mention for Linus the dog: XOLO (USA), Directed by Matthew Serrano Best Comedy Short — Each winner received a $1,000 cash prize.Jury: Max Geschwind (Media Finance Coordinator at CAA); Rika Dharmesh Bhakta (Independent Producer); Alex Huston Fischer (Writer/Director).

Winners: We Were Here (India), Directed by Pranav BhasinSpecial Mention for Ensemble: Borderline (Norway/