2026 Award Winners
The Woods Hole Film Festival is pleased to announce the winners of the 35th Woods Hole Film Festival.
BEST OF THE FEST
Feature documentary LOS LOBOS NATIVE SONS by co-directors Doug Blush and Piero F. Giunti.
The IQ One World Award is presented annually by International Quorum of Motion Picture Producers — a unique global network of film and media experts. This year, Woods Hole Film Festival had the honor of presenting the award to two films that exemplify cinematic excellence and universal storytelling that fosters global understanding.
Runner-Up: THE BADDEST SPEECHWRITER OF ALL by Ben Proudfoot and Stephen Curry.
Winner: THE LAST PLACE ON EARTH by David Booth Gardner
David Booth Gardner, who accepted the award on behalf of the film stated: “It’s a testament to all of these people fighting to protect ecosystems we’ve never heard of that benefit all of us here. I think we all need to come together as one in unity to protect this fragile planet.”
SCREENPLAY COMPETITION WINNERS
Best Dramatic Feature Screenplay
✍️Salki (Hidden) by Hakan Ünal
Best Comedy Feature Screenplay
✍️Who Are These People by Isadora Deese
Best Dramatic Short Screenplay
✍️The Night Shift by Jacintha Charles
Best Comedy Short Screenplay
✍️Love on the Lift by Lisa Marie Tedesco
AUDIENCE AWARD WINNERS
Best Dramatic Feature
Winner: IT COMES IN WAVES by Fitch Jean
Runner Up: DANCING ON THE ELEPHANT by Julia Neill & Jacob Smith
2nd Runner Up: LITTLE AUDREY by Michael Mailer
Best Comedy Feature
Winner: MALLORY’S GHOST by Arabella Oz
Runner Up: HONEYJOON by Lilian T. Mehrel
2nd Runner Up: RUN AMOK by NB Mager
Best Documentary Feature
Winner: LOS LOBOS NATIVE SONS by Doug Blush & Piero F. Giunti
Runner Up: THE CYCLE OF LOVE by Orlando von Einsiedel
2nd Runner Up: BEST DAY EVER by Ben Knight & Berne Broudy
2nd Runner Up: LEAVING ANGOLA by Andrew Kukura
Best Documentary Short
Winner: THE BADDEST SPEECHWRITER OF ALL by Ben Proudfoot & Stephen Curry
Runner Up: OLD LADIES AGAINST UNDERWATER GARBAGE by Liz McGregor
2nd Runner Up: THE CORAL RESCUERS by Jason Spingarn-Koff
Best Dramatic Short
Winner: DRIVING LESSON by Gillian Gordon
Runner Up: THE SALE by Meera Angelica Joshi
2nd Runner Up: THE SWING by Yaz & Haz Al-Shaater
Best Comedy Short
Winner: THIS BLOWS by Talia Smith
Runner Up: MEETING YOUR MAKER by Gregory JM Kasunich
2nd Runner Up: SPICY BOB by Adam Yates
Best Animated Short
Winner: BEAST OF THE SEINE by Jon Portman
Runner Up: SOMETHING GREATER THAN YOU by Gordon LePage
JURY AWARD WINNERS
Best Documentary Feature
Winner: THE GREAT EXPERIMENT by Stephen Maing & Eric Metzgar
Runner Up: SAVING ETTING STREET by Dena Fisher & Amy Scott
2nd Runner Up: KIKUYU LAND by Andrew H. Brown & Bea Wangondu
Best Dramatic Feature
Winner: ISLE CHILD by Thomas Percy Kim
Runner Up: IT COMES IN WAVES by Fitch Jean
Best Comedy Feature
Winner: YESTERDAY ISLAND by Sam Voutas
Runner Up: THE PERIL AT PINCER POINT by Noah Stratton-Twine & Jake Kuhn
Best Documentary Short
Winner: A PICTURE OF MY FATHER by Jonathan Miller & Zach Russo
Runner Up: MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE by Alice Stone
2nd Runner Up: THE HARDEST WORKING MAN by Aaron Cassara
2nd Runner Up: THE BADDEST SPEECHWRITER OF ALL by Ben Proudfoot & Stephen Curry
Best Dramatic Short
Winner: DRIVING LESSON by Gillian Gordon
Runner Up: THE FRENCH LESSON by Tim L. Glover
2nd Runner Up: DEFNE by Hamdi Furkan Yıldırım
Best Comedy Short
Winner: MEETING YOUR MAKER by Gregory JM Kasunich
Runner Up: THIS BLOWS by Talia Smith
Best Animated Short
Winner: BEAST OF THE SEINE by Jon Portman
Runner Up: WHO’S WAITING FOR YOU? by Daniel Palala, María Lempicka & YUCA
Best Sound Design in a Short Narrative
Winner: OGUN ORU by Christopher Rucinski
Runner Up: UNTIL FUTHER NOTICE by Thato Rantao Mwosa
Film Festival Directors’ Choice Award Winners
Lifetime Achievement
THE BEND IN THE RIVER by Robb Moss
Emerging Filmmaker
A SAFE DISTANCE by Gloria Mercer
Fortitude in Filmmaking
THE LAST PLACE ON EARTH by David Booth Gardner
Best Adult Performance in a Feature Film
Amber Gray in HEARTWORM by Miriam Louise Arens & Mitchell Arens
Best Youth Performance in a Feature Film
Ethan Hwang in ISLE CHILD by Thomas Percy Kim
Best Adult Performance in a Short Film
Claudia Pereyra in MAMITA LINDA by Jose Duran
Best Youth Performance in a Short Film
Riley Vinson in THIS BLOWS by Talia Smith
Best Ensemble Cast
THE LEADER by Michael Gallagher
Best Cinematography in a Feature Documentary
KIKUYU LAND by Andrew H. Brown & Bea Wangondu
Best Cinematography in a Feature Narrative
THE PERIL AT PINCER POINT by Noah Stratton-Twine & Jake Kuhn
Best Cinematography in a Short Documentary
FJALLFERÐ by Jesse Smolan, Josh Fairmont & Ollie Smith
Best Cinematography in a Short Narrative
THE AXE FORGETS by John Christopher
