A splash of Utah-based poetic serendipity rolled into the final award ceremony during the last Sundance Film Festival in Park City when Abby Ellis’ “The Lake” received the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Impact for Change.
The film itself is about Utah and follows the efforts of two scientists and a politician to save the Great Salt Lake.
Producer Fletcher Keyes, who was born and raised in Park City, thanked the film’s team and remembered the Ray’s space used to be a Sports Authority sporting goods store.
“As someone who grew up in Park City, I bought my first pair of skis in this room,” he said. “So it’s really meaningful to have this moment at the last Sundance and to feature our film here.”
Ellis also thanked Sundance.
“I’m pregnant and hormonal but so happy to be here,” she said. “It’s such an inspiration to be here with all of you. This last week has been inspiring to keep going.”
The film is already making waves in raising awareness about the Great Salt Lake, Ellis said.
“We think we helped to save the lake, the state of Utah and maybe the West,” she said.
Filmmaker Jennie Livingston, who was the U.S. Documentary Competition Jury chair, said her team saw 10 films, each of which addressed the current zeitgeist in its unique way, but also this film moved and encouraged the jury by “its vision of people working across political divides.”
“This environmental crisis story is a probing and provocative look at the interdependence of science and faith and the power of individuals and communities to avert disaster by working together,” she said.
Other top winners of the day included Itab Azzam and Jack MacInnes’ “One In a Million,” which won the Audience Award: World Cinema Documentary. Azzam and MacInnes were also given the Directing Award: World Cinema Documentary.
The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented to Beth de Araújo’s “Josephine,” which also won the Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic.
The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented to Liz Sargent for “Take Me Home.” The Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award: U.S. Documentary was presented to Matt Hixon for “Barbara Forever.”
The awards ceremony opened with words given by Amanda Kelso, Sundance Institute’s acting chief executive officer.
“You all look surprisingly awake for a morning awards show after nine days of films and afterparties,” she said. “So, if you’re here, awake and wearing real clothes, you’re already winning the day.”
Kelso also honored the Sundance founder, late Robert Redford, and his vision of creating space to celebrate artists and their power of independent storytelling.
“This has been such a meaningful festival where we’ve been able to celebrate his legacy,” she said. “Mr. Redford famously said, ‘Everyone has a story,’ which is also this year’s festival’s theme. And after the past nine days, I think it’s safe to say you all, as artists, have proven that point beautifully. Watching Mr. Redford’s legacy live on in our work has been truly fantastic.”
Kelso also thanked Utah, Summit County and Park City.
Sundance Film Festival Director Eugene Hernandez also addressed the audience before the ceremony.
“As we arrive at this morning’s ceremony, we’re entering this final weekend of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival,” he said. “At a time when our communities are speaking out and speaking up, we’re here to elevate vital artistic voices. Today, we celebrate and platform you, the artists. All of us are proud to create a festival that hosts, elevates and celebrates art through the most challenging moments.”
More than 16,000 features, shorts and episodic works were submitted, but only 150 were invited to this year’s festival, according to Hernandez.
“The odds were steep, but each of you were chosen by our programmers,” he said. “We salute your work, your passion and your creativity.”
He also thanked Sundance’s staff, seasonal workers and 1,400 volunteers.
Kim Yutani, the festival’s director of programming, also gave a short address.
“I know we’re here for an award ceremony, but just to reiterate, if you are in this festival, you are already a winner,” she said. “So thank you for being here and thank you for trusting us with your work.”
Below is the list of 2026 Sundance Film Festival awards, provided by the Sundance Institute.
Grand Jury Prizes
The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented to “Josephine” / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Beth de Araújo, Producers: David Kaplan, Josh Peters, Marina Stabile, Mark H. Rapaport, Crystine Zhang) — After 8-year-old Josephine accidentally witnesses a crime in Golden Gate Park, she acts out in search of a way to regain control of her safety while adults are helpless to console her. Cast: Mason Reeves, Channing Tatum, Gemma Chan, Philip Ettinger, Syra McCarthy, Eleanore Pienta. World Premiere. Available online for public.
Jury citation: For the depth and nuance of storytelling. For the delicate and elegant execution of a challenging subject matter. The skilled direction of performance from the cast. The humanistic view of the filmmaker and how they withheld judgment of those dealing with the impact of victimization. This filmmaker offered an empathetic view into the many different ways we as humans cope and try to set the wrongs right.
The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented to “Nuisance Bear” / U.S.A., Canada (Directors: Gabriela Osio Vanden, Jack Weisman, Producers: Michael Code, Will N. Miller, Teddy Leifer) — A polar bear is forced to navigate a human world of tourists, wildlife officers and hunters as its ancient migration collides with modern life. When a sacred predator is branded a nuisance, it becomes unclear who truly belongs in this shared landscape. World Premiere. Available online for public.
Jury citation: This film tells an enormous story with great drama, beauty and verve, and powerfully confronts the realities of climate change, the tensions between Indigenous tradition and Western capitalist encroachment and the complexities of humanity’s relationship with the natural world. It also features a standout sequence that is, like the film itself, humorous, terrifying and unforgettable. Of all the documentaries we saw, this one was the least … polarizing. The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary goes to Nuisance Bear.
The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented to “Shame and Money” / Germany, Kosovo, Slovenia, Albania, North Macedonia, Belgium (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Visar Morina, Screenwriter: Doruntina Basha, Producers: Fabian Altenried, Sophie Ahrens, Kristof Gerega, Pia Hellenthal) — After losing their livelihood in a village, a Kosovar family is forced to move to the capital in pursuit of a place in a hypercapitalist society. Cast: Astrit Kabashi, Flonja Kodheli, Kumrije Hoxha, Fiona Gllavica, Alban Ukaj. World Premiere. Available online for public.
Jury citation: For his powerful and unique portrayal of human dignity in contemporary Kosovo that universally resonates. A sensitive filmmaker who masterfully draws the audience into the daily struggles of a family. For his deep empathy for his characters in a crucial moment in which they are beginning again, the World Cinematic Grand Jury Prize goes to Shame and Money.
The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented to “To Hold a Mountain” / Serbia, France, Montenegro, Slovenia, Croatia (Directors, Screenwriters, and Producers: Biljana Tutorov, Petar Glomazić, Producers: Quentin Laurent, Rok Biček) — In the remote highlands of Montenegro, a shepherd mother and daughter proudly defend their ancestral mountain from the threat of becoming a NATO military training ground, stirring memories of the violence that shattered their family. World Premiere. Available online for public.
Jury citation: This visually and emotionally stunning film transported us to a remote mountain top and into the most intimate moments of a family fighting to protect not only their land, but their way of life. The truest example of the power of cinema to make the personal political.
NEXT Innovator Award
The NEXT Innovator Award, presented by Adobe, was awarded to “The Incomer” / U.K. (Director and Screenwriter: Louis Paxton, Producers: Shirley O’Connor, Emily Gotto) — On a remote Scottish isle, siblings Isla and Sandy hunt birds and talk to mythical beings while fighting off outsiders. Their lives change when Daniel, an awkward official, arrives to relocate them. Cast: Domhnall Gleeson, Gayle Rankin, Grant O’Rourke, Emun Elliott, Michelle Gomez, John Hannah. World Premiere. Fiction. Available online for public.
Jury citation: This award goes to a boldly original comic fable that blends folklore with formal playfulness. Deadpan humor, animation, and myth collide — proof that fearless invention can be both uproarious and deeply humane.
Audience Awards
The Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic, presented by Acura, was awarded to “Josephine” / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Beth de Araújo, Producers: David Kaplan, Josh Peters, Marina Stabile, Mark H. Rapaport, Crystine Zhang) — After 8-year-old Josephine accidentally witnesses a crime in Golden Gate Park, she acts out in search of a way to regain control of her safety while adults are helpless to console her. Cast: Mason Reeves, Channing Tatum, Gemma Chan, Philip Ettinger, Syra McCarthy, Eleanore Pienta. World Premiere. Available online for public.
The Audience Award: U.S. Documentary, presented by Acura, was awarded to “American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez” / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: David Alvarado, Producers: Lauren DeFilippo, Everett Katigbak, Amanda Pollak) — Against political resistance and industry skepticism, Luis Valdez pushes Chicano storytelling from the fields to the film screen with Zoot Suit and La Bamba, crafting iconic works that challenge, celebrate, and expand America’s story. World Premiere. Available online for public.
The Audience Award: World Cinema Dramatic, presented by United Airlines, was awarded to “HOLD ONTO ME (Κράτα Με)” / Cyprus, Denmark, Greece (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Myrsini Aristidou, Producer: Monica Nicolaidou) — 11-year-old Iris learns her estranged father, Aris, is back in town for his own father’s funeral. Determined to know him, Iris tracks him down to a dilapidated shipyard, where he’s been keeping to himself. What begins as a stubborn attempt to reconnect slowly unfolds into a fragile bond. Cast: Christos Passalis, Maria Petrova. World Premiere. Available online for public.
The Audience Award: World Cinema Documentary, presented by United Airlines, was awarded to “One In A Million” / U.K. (Directors: Itab Azzam, Jack MacInnes, Producers: Raney Aronson-Rath, Will Anderson, James Bluemel, Andrew Palmer) — Filmed over 10 years, one girl’s epic journey from Syria to Germany and back again. She and her family navigate war, exile, and heartbreak in a foreign land, illuminating the complexities of the refugee experience. World Premiere. Available online for public.
The Audience Award: NEXT, presented by Adobe, was awarded to “Aanikoobijigan [ancestor/great-grandparent/great-grandchild]” / U.S.A., Denmark (Directors and Producers: Adam Khalil, Zack Khalil, Producers: Steve Holmgren, Grace Remington, Jacque Clark, Franny Alfano) — Trapped in museum archives, Ancestors bend time and space to find their way home. History, spirituality, and the law collide as tribal repatriation specialists fight to return and rebury Indigenous human remains, offering a revealing look at the still-pervasive worldviews that justified collecting them in the first place. World Premiere. Documentary. Available online for public.
Jury Awards for directing, screenwriting and editing
The Directing Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented to Josef Kubota Wladyka for “Ha-chan, Shake Your Booty!” / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: Josef Kubota Wladyka, Screenwriter: Nicholas Huynh, Producers: Kimberly Parker Zox, Mao Nagakura) — Haru and Luis love competing in Tokyo’s ballroom dance scene, but after tragedy strikes, Haru withdraws into isolation. When friends coax her back to the studio, she develops an infatuation with the new instructor. She must face what comes next as sparks fly. Cast: Rinko Kikuchi, Alberto Guerra, Alejandro Edda, YOU, Yoh Yoshida, Damián Alcázar. World Premiere. Available online for public.
Jury citation: For bringing us into a creative world that allowed us to explore love, loss and grief through dance with deep emotion and surprising joy and laughter. We will carry Rinko Kikuchi’s performance in our hearts and thank this film for reminding us that when magical realism works, it is truly a feat to behold.
The Directing Award: U.S. Documentary was presented to J.M. Harper for “Soul Patrol” / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: J.M. Harper, Producers: Sam Bisbee, Danielle Massie, Nasir Jones, Peter Bittenbender) — From deep behind enemy lines, a hidden chapter of American military history is uncovered, prompting the question of whether reckoning with the past can bring peace to those who lived it. The Vietnam War’s first Black special operations team reunites to tell their story. World Premiere. Available online for public.
Jury citation: With remarkable intelligence and resourcefulness, and an elegant attention to cultural context, this filmmaker achieves a skillful balance of archival footage, vivid re-enactments and troubling hallucinations. In doing so, he makes palpable the trauma of Black Americans who have never gotten due recognition for their sacrifices in war. The Directing Award: U.S. Documentary goes to J.M. Harper for Soul Patrol.
The Directing Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented to Andrius Blaževičius for “How to Divorce During the War” / Lithuania, Luxembourg, Ireland, Czech Republic (Director and Screenwriter: Andrius Blaževičius, Producer: Marija Razgutė) — In Vilnius in 2022, Marija has a revelation that she wants to divorce her husband, Vytas, right before Russia invades Ukraine. Forced to confront their crumbling relationship, they navigate the process of divorce as it collides with the ongoing war. Cast: Marius Repšys, Žygimantė Elena Jakštaitė, Amelija Adomaitytė, Indrė Patkauskaitė, Gintarė Parulytė. World Premiere. Available online for public.
Jury citation: For his immense talent and steady hand in a darkly comedic film about life in times of war, this director’s subtle observation holds a mirror to our contradictions without neglecting the humanity of his characters … the Directing Award goes to Andrius Blaževičius for How to Divorce During the War.
The Directing Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented to Itab Azzam and Jack MacInnes for “One In A Million” / U.K. (Directors: Itab Azzam, Jack MacInnes, Producers: Raney Aronson-Rath, Will Anderson, James Bluemel, Andrew Palmer) — Filmed over 10 years, one girl’s epic journey from Syria to Germany and back again. She and her family navigate war, exile, and heartbreak in a foreign land, illuminating the complexities of the refugee experience. World Premiere. Available online for public.
Jury citation: Elegantly exploring the ideas of freedom and the importance of home in the aftermath of war, this film impressed us with its sense of scale and decade-long directorial commitment to its subjects. It is a beautiful synthesis of one family’s migration across multiple countries as they seek refuge from societal upheaval.
The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented to Liz Sargent for “Take Me Home” / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Liz Sargent, Producers: Apoorva Guru Charan, Minos Papas) — Anna, a 38-year-old Korean adoptee with a cognitive disability, cares for her aging parents in a fragile balance of meeting one another’s needs. When a Florida heat wave shatters their family and Anna’s routine, her future is uncertain until she creates a world where she can thrive. Cast: Anna Sargent, Victor Slezak, Ali Ahn, Marceline Hugot, Shane Harper. World Premiere. Available online for public.
Jury citation: For modeling a different way to tell a story. This is a movie that embraced the truth of the moment on set, necessitating the filmmaker be fully present to shift, reflect and trust her vision in order to capture the miracle that she did.
The Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award: U.S. Documentary was presented to Matt Hixon for “Barbara Forever” / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Brydie O’Connor, Producer: Elijah Stevens) — An archive-driven exploration of the life, work, and legacy of iconic, pioneering lesbian filmmaker Barbara Hammer. World Premiere. Available online for public.
Jury citation: Drawing on an artist’s deep archive of original work and forming exquisite connections between history and biography, art and life, this intimate and expansive portrait gives a pioneering figure in queer experimental filmmaking her rightful due. The Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award: U.S. Documentary goes to Matt Hixon for Barbara Forever.
Special Jury Awards
A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Debut Feature was presented to “Bedford Park” / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Stephanie Ahn, Producers: Gary Foster, Chris S. Lee, Nina Yang Bongiovi, Theresa Kang, Son Sukku) — Haunted by an abusive childhood, Audrey, a Korean American woman in her 30s, faces her emotional past. When her mother’s car accident brings her back to her parents’ home, she meets the man responsible for the accident. Their relationship builds, passions ignite, and they form a loving connection. Cast: Moon Choi, Son Sukku, Won Mi Kyung, Kim Eung Soo, Jefferson White. World Premiere. Available online for public.
Jury citation: For inviting us into a world we’ve never seen depicted on film, and daring to share the very personal, the filmmaker upended all of our assumptions of a story told with depth and skill.
A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast was presented to “The Friend’s House is Here” / U.S.A., Iran (Directors, Screenwriters, and Producers: Hossein Keshavarz, Maryam Ataei) — In Tehran’s underground art scene, two young women build a blissful world of freedom and sisterhood. But when their creative circle is exposed, they must fight to save each other. Cast: Mahshad Bahram, Hana Mana, Farzad Karen, Zohreh Pirnia. World Premiere. Available online for public.
Jury citation: For delivering performances that each of us could find ourselves in, revealing a story that is frighteningly universal. The ensemble injects the world with gravity, love, and humor, and shows us the way community and connection are often our key to survival.
A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Journalistic Excellence was presented to “Who Killed Alex Odeh?” / U.S.A. (Directors: Jason Osder, William Lafi Youmans, Producer: Dawne Langford, William Lafi Youmans, Jason Osder, Daniel J. Chalfen) — The assassination of a beloved Palestinian American activist in Southern California ignites a 40-year quest for justice, revealing the roots of a dangerous political movement that thrives today. World Premiere. Available online for public.
Jury citation: This engrossing and surprising true-crime saga begins as an investigation into an unsolved murder and, with great procedural rigor, excavates a nefarious history about America’s role in suppressing justice for a Palestinian American family. The Special Jury Award: Journalistic Excellence goes to Who Killed Alex Odeh?
A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Impact for Change was presented to “The Lake” / U.S.A. (Director and Producer: Abby Ellis, Producer: Fletcher Keyes) — An environmental nuclear bomb looms in Utah. Two intrepid scientists and a political insider race the clock to save their home from unprecedented catastrophe. World Premiere. Available online for public.
Jury citation: This environmental-crisis story is a probing and provocative look at the interdependency of science and faith, and the power of individuals and communities to avert disaster by working together. We were moved and encouraged by its vision of people working across political divides. A Special Jury Award: Impact for Change goes to The Lake.
A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Creative Vision was presented to “Filipiñana” / Singapore, U.K., Philippines, France, Netherlands (Director and Screenwriter: Rafael Manuel, Producers: Jeremy Chua, Alex Polunin, Bianca Balbuena, Bradley Liew, Nadia Turincev, Omar El Kadi) — Tee girl Isabel feels strangely drawn to Dr. Palanca, the president of the country club where she works. However, after piecing together a violent picture of what lies beneath the club’s pristine surface, she realizes that what began as an innocent infatuation is actually rooted in a sinister shared history. Cast: Jorrybell Agoto, Carmen Castellanos, Teroy Guzman, Carlitos Siguion-Reyna, Isabel Sicat, Nour Houshmand. World Premiere. Available online for public.
Jury citation: With stunning visual command and sensitivity to the setting, the filmmaker thoughtfully evokes a world where characters languish. Through its static form, the filmmaker highlights insidious tension between luxury and labor. The special jury award for Creative Vision goes to Filipiñana.
A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting Ensemble was presented to “LADY” / U.K., Nigeria (Director and Screenwriter: Olive Nwosu, Producer: Alex Polunin) — In the sprawling African metropolis of Lagos, a fiercely independent young cab driver meets a band of radiantly reckless sex workers whose sisterhood pulls her into danger and joy, setting her on a journey toward her own transformation. Cast: Jessica Gabriel’s Ujah, Amanda Oruh, Tinuade Jemiseye, Binta Ayo Mogaji, Seun Kuti, Bucci Franklin. World Premiere. Available online for public.
Jury citation: For a film full of depth and texture and with a rhythm all its own, with an electric ensemble cast that brings life and humor and insight to a story about day-to-day challenges and finding safety in unexpected friendships, the special jury award for Acting Ensemble goes to… LADY.
A World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Journalistic Impact was presented to “Birds of War” / U.K., Syrian Arab Republic, Lebanon (Directors, Screenwriters, and Producers: Janay Boulos, Abd Alkader Habak, Producer: Sonja Henrici) — The love story of a London-based Lebanese journalist and a Syrian activist and cameraman as told through 13 years of personal archives across revolutions, war and exile. World Premiere. Available online for public.
Jury citation: By turning the camera on themselves, the co-directors follow the arc of their own love story as the vehicle for a deeply moving narrative about the complexity of revolution and war. This film showcases the power of journalism through emotion and vulnerability; enduring, bearing witness, and telling one’s own story oftentimes has the most impact.
A World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Civil Resistance was presented to “Everybody To Kenmure Street” / U.K. (Director and Producer: Felipe Bustos Sierra, Producer: Ciara Barry) — In May 2021, a U.K. Home Office dawn raid triggers one of the most spontaneous and successful acts of civil resistance in recent memory. In Scotland’s most diverse neighborhood, hundreds of residents rush to the streets to stop the deportation of their neighbors. World Premiere. Available online for public.
Jury citation: Not your typical social issue film, this documentary utilizes a touch of humor and a wide diversity of perspectives to call upon people to stand up for their neighbors. In a time when xenophobia and authoritarianism are on the rise, the power of collective action here is a global rallying cry.
The NEXT Special Jury Award for Creative Expression was awarded to “TheyDream” / U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter, and Producer: William David Caballero, Screenwriters and Producers: Erin Ploss-Campoamor, Elaine del Valle, Producer: Brad Jones) — After 20 years of chronicling his Puerto Rican family, a director and his mother face devastating losses. Through tears and laughter, they craft animations that bring their loved ones back to life, discovering that every act of creation is also an act of letting go. World Premiere. Documentary. Available online for public.
Jury citation: For fully exploring multiple filmmaking techniques blending craft and emotion to tell a personal story of those often overlooked … more importantly with loving humor and brutal honesty.
For information about the Sundance Film Festival, visit festival.sundance.org.