The Life We Leave, Edie Arnold is a Loser, Mārama, The Garden We Dreamed, Shape of Momo, Lucky Lu, and Birds of War win top awards at the 52nd Seattle International Film Festival

SEATTLE – SIFF closed out its 52nd Seattle International Film Festival today, announcing the winners of the 2026 Juried Competition Awards & Golden Space Needle Audience Awards. The awards were presented at a ceremony held at The Vera Project on May 17, 2026.

The 11-day festival, which began May 7, screened 203 films from 71 countries and regions, including 71 narrative features and 98 shorts across 11 programs, and 34 documentaries. The Festival slate included 18 world premieres, 12 North American premieres, and 10 U.S. premieres. Nearly 49% of our filmmakers identify as women or nonbinary, 49% as BIPOC directors, and 19% as part of the LGBTQIA+ community. 62% of the feature films come from first- or second-time filmmakers, and 67% of the films currently do not yet have U.S. distribution and may not screen commercially in the United States.

“The films this year really reflected the global need for connection and understanding — to laugh, cry, and be engaged with films from around the world,” said SIFF Artistic Director Beth Barrett. “It has been an incredible 11 days; and with hundreds of filmmakers and thousands of patrons filling our theaters, it’s clear that it has never been more necessary to show up on behalf of the arts that enrich our lives.”

“I've been overjoyed to hear from the juries and our many, many audience members about the strength of this year's line-up. We've laughed, we've cried, and we have without a doubt achieved optimal cinelation,” said SIFF Festival Programming Manager Megan Leonard. “This, of course, made all of the decisions on who to award extremely competitive. It's a testament to the talent of all of the filmmakers who gave us the opportunity to present their works — we endlessly appreciate you all.”

The Festival holds two forms of competitions during its run, both juried and audience-based. Juried competitions evaluate films selected by Festival programmers and represent the best in their category from all over the world. Winners are chosen by a carefully selected jury of industry professionals and film lovers. The winner in each feature category is awarded $5,000 in cash, and $2,500 in each short film category.

SIFF holds five feature juried competition categories: The Official Competition, Documentary Competition, New American Cinema Competition (with the Dan Ireland Prize), New Directors Competition, Ibero-American Competition. The short film categories are: Live Action, Animation, and Documentary.

In addition to juried competitions, SIFF also hosts the Golden Space Needle Awards (GSNA). Films evaluated through the GSNAs are selected by SIFF audience members through post-screening ballots. Categories for the GSNAs are Best Film, Best Documentary, Best Director, Best Performance, Best Short Film, and the Lena Sharpe Award for Persistence of Vision. More than 20,000 votes were cast this year. 

This year the Golden Space Needle Award design has been created by M. Velasco, drawing inspiration from the Duwamish River — Seattle’s only river and a designated Superfund site. Having lived and worked along the Duwamish her entire life, she wanted the award to reflect both the creative passion of filmmakers and the ongoing story of restoration and renewal connected to the river itself. Through the piece, M. Velasco honors both Seattle’s creative community and the evolving landscape that continues to shape it.

GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD WINNERS

GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD - BEST FILM
Edie Arnold is a Loser, directed by Megan Rico, Kade Atwood (USA)

First runner-up: Happy Birthday, directed by Sarah Goher (Egypt)
Second runner-up: Meadowlarks, directed by Tasha Hubbard (Cree) (Canada)
Third runner-up: The Furious, directed by Kenji Tanagaki (Hong Kong/China)
Fourth runner-up: Mārama, directed by Taratoa Stappard (Māori) (Aotearoa New Zealand)

GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD - BEST DOCUMENTARY
The Life We Leave, directed by JJ Gerber (USA)

First runner-up: RADIOHEART: The Drive and Times of DJ Kevin Cole, directed by Peter Hilgendorf, Andrew Franks (USA)
Second runner-up: The Big Cheese, directed by Sara Joe Wolansky (USA)
Third runner-up: The Ascent, directed by Edward Drake, Scott Veltri, Francis Cronin (USA)
Fourth runner-up: American Doctor, directed by Poh Si Teng (USA/Palestine/Malaysia/Qatar)

GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD - BEST DIRECTOR
Ildikó Enyedi, Silent Friend (Germany/Hungary)


First runner-up: Megan Rico, Kade Atwood, Edie Arnold is a Loser (USA)
Second runner-up: Curry Barker, Obsession (USA)
Tie for Third runner-up: Jay Duplass, See You When I See You (USA) and Gregg Araki, I Want Your Sex (USA)

GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD - BEST PERFORMANCE
Inde Navarrette, Obsession (USA)

First runner-up: Siân Clifford, Lady (UK)
Second runner-up: Tecla Insolia, Primavera (Italy/France)
Third runner-up: Doha Ramadan, Happy Birthday (Egypt)
Fourth runner-up: Jasper Billerbeck, Amrum (Germany)
Very Special Mention for the hens in Hen (Germany) 

GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD - BEST SHORT FILM
The Gnawer of Rocks, directed by Louise Flaherty (Inuktitut) (Canada)

First runner-up: Scissors, directed by Hannah Alline (USA)
Second runner-up: Facing the Sun, directed by Mathew Cerf (USA)
Third runner-up: Sea Song, directed by An-Phuong Ly (USA)
Fourth runner-up: The Baker’s Hotline, directed by Emily Schuman, Dave Schuman (USA)

LENA SHARPE AWARD FOR PERSISTENCE OF VISION
The Big Cheese, directed by Sara Joe Wolansky (USA)

This award is given to the female director's film that receives the highest votes in public balloting at the Festival. Lena Sharpe was co-founder and managing director of Seattle's Festival of Films by Women Directors and a KCTS-TV associate who died in a plane crash while on assignment. SIFF created this Award as a tribute to her efforts in bringing the work of women filmmakers to prominence.

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SIFF 2026 FEATURE COMPETITION AWARDS
SIFF confers five juried competition awards: SIFF Official Competition, Ibero-American Competition, New Directors Competition, New American Cinema Competition, and Documentary Competition. The winners in each juried competition receive $5,000 in cash. This year, we will also present the inaugural Dan Ireland Prize to a promising new U.S. director, to be given alongside the New American Cinema Jury award. The winner of the Dan Ireland Prize will receive $3,000 in cash.

SIFF 2026 OFFICIAL COMPETITION WINNER

The SIFF Official Competition Jury members were David Ansen (Lead Programmer of the Palm Springs International Film Festival, former film critic for Newsweek, former Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Film Festival from 2010-2014), Megan Griffiths (film and television writer/director, board member of Northwest Film Forum), Garineh Nazarian (founder and managing director of Venera Films).

GRAND JURY PRIZE
Mārama, d: Taratoa Stappard (Māori) (New Zealand 2025)

JURY STATEMENT: We, the Official Competition Jury, select Mārama as our winner for SIFF 2026. This film is a tremendous and heartbreaking representation of the horrors that have faced Indigenous communities worldwide. An exceptional gothic vision that hits every mark, from tone to story and composition. Mārama not only deserves this award based on its artistry, but also the lasting impact we know it will continue to make for its debut filmmaker and generations to come.

SPECIAL JURY MENTION FOR "FEEL BAD FILM OF THE YEAR"
Burn, d: Makoto Nagahisa (Japan 2026)

JURY STATEMENT: Makoto Nagahisa’s Burn plunges into the glitter-slick nightmare of Tokyo street life with the drive of a fairytale told against a ticking clock. Following fiery runaway Jurie through the brutal underworld of the Shinjuku arts district — where children are funneled into vicious cycles of exploitation and violence — this film never loses sight of the strange, colorful flashes that can keep even the most tortured among us alive. A corrosive yet hopeful collapse bottled into a vision that’s tastily toxic, Burn captures uniquely contemporary grief in style. 

2026 Entries:

Burn, d: Makoto Nagahisa (Japan 2026)
The Friend’s House is Here, d: Hossein Keshavarz, Maryam Ataei (Iran/USA 2026)
Lady, d: Samuel Abrahams (United Kingdom 2025)
Mārama, d: Taratoa Stappard (Māori) (New Zealand 2025)
Silent Friend, d: Ildikó Enyedi (Germany/Hungary 2025)
Sundays, d: Alauda Ruiz de Azúa (Spain 2025)

SIFF 2026 IBERO-AMERICAN COMPETITION
The SIFF Ibero-American Competition Jury members were Javier Fuentes Leon (Sundance Award-winning Film & TV Writer/Director), William Janowitz (Writer, Actor, and Academy Award®-nominated Producer of Train Dreams), Marina Vecchi (Head of Curation at the Seattle Latino Film Festival).

GRAND JURY PRIZE
The Garden We Dreamed, d: Joaquín del Paso (Mexico 2026)

JURY STATEMENT: The grand prize of the Iberoamerican jury goes to The Garden We Dreamed for its nuanced and moving take on the migrant story. A beautifully captured film of a family desperately looking for a home in the world of illegal logging, set in the wilderness of central Mexico, where the rough challenges of survival clash with rich otherworldly details.

SPECIAL JURY MENTION FOR BEST DIRECTION
The Red Hangar, d: Juan Pablo Sallato (Chile/Argentina/Italy 2026)

JURY STATEMENT: The special jury award for best direction goes to The Red Hangar. Sallato’s vision of a conflicted Air Force Captain is tense and elegiac and puts you smack in the middle of the harrowing events of the 1973 coup d'état in Chile.

2026 entries:

Balandrau, Where the Fierce Wind Blew, d: Fernando Trullols (Spain 2026)
The Condor Daughter, d: Alvaro Olmos Torrico (Quechua) (Bolivia 2025)
Fifteen, d: Jack Zagha, Yossy Zagha (Mexico/Argentina 2026)
The Garden We Dreamed, d: Joaquín del Paso (Mexico 2026)
It Would Be Night in Caracas, d: Mariana Rondón, Marité Ugás (Mexico/Venezuela 2025)
Iván & Hadoum, d: Ian de la Rosa (Spain/Germany/Belgium 2026)
Jaripeo, d: Efraín Mojica, Rebecca Zweig (Mexico/USA/France 2026)
The Red Hangar, d: Juan Pablo Sallato (Chile/Argentina/Italy 2026)

SIFF 2026 NEW DIRECTORS COMPETITION
The SIFF New Directors Competition Jury members were PoChu AuYeung (Programmer at Vancouver International Film Festival), Cole Wilder (Director of Exhibition at Northwest Film Forum), Emily Woodburne (Head of Distribution at Janus Films).

GRAND JURY PRIZE
Shape of Momo, d: Tribeny Rai (India/South Korea 2025)

JURY STATEMENT:  We’ve selected Shape of Momo as the winner of the New Directors jury prize for its unique sense of naturalism and nuanced exploration of intergenerational female agency in a rapidly developing world. By creating a lived-in and dynamic setting outside that of traditional or mainstream Indian cinema, Shape of Momo asks viewers to confront their personal responsibility for maintaining and honoring their culture and history while feeling empowered to make changes when needed.

2026 entries:

Becoming Human, d: Polen Ly (Cambodia 2025)
Cotton Queen, d: Suzannah Mirghani (Germany/France/Palestine/Egypt/Qatar/Saudi Arabia/Sudan 2025)
Happy Birthday, d: Sarah Goher (Egypt 2025)
Hijra, d: Shahad Ameen (Saudi Arabia/Iraq/Egypt/United Kingdom 2025)
Shape of Momo, d: Tribeny Rai (India/South Korea 2025)
Three of a Kind, d: Charlotte Brodthagen (Denmark 2026)
Trial of Hein, d: Kai Stänicke (Germany 2026)

SIFF 2026 NEW AMERICAN CINEMA COMPETITION
The SIFF New American Cinema Jury members were Mary Elder (Screenwriter & Novelist), Rebecca Fisher (VP of Publicity at Magnolia Pictures), Stephen “Dr.” Love (Emmy Award-winning Producer & Co-Founder of Invisible Collective).

GRAND JURY PRIZE
Lucky Lu, d: Lloyd Lee Choi (USA/Canada 2025)

JURY STATEMENT: The film we chose tells a truly New American story about the challenging pursuit of the American dream in the gig economy. When a Chinese American bike delivery rider discovers that his bicycle has been stolen, his world is turned upside down. This story sheds a light on the American experience by bringing visibility to one man's emotional journey as he struggles to provide a safe landing to his wife and child when they arrive in America. The film seems to have leveraged resources, bringing out profound performances and opening a gritty, sometimes rusty door to the American experience that's all-too relatable in these urgent times. The New American jury is pleased to announce its selection of Lucky Lu as best film.

2026 Entries:

April X, d: Michel K. Parandi (USA/Romania 2025)
Crystal Cross, d: Richie James Follin (Cherokee) (USA 2025)
Edie Arnold is a Loser, d: Megan Rico, Kade Atwood (USA 2026)
Hot Water, d: Ramzi Bashour (USA 2026)
Lucky Lu, d: Lloyd Lee Choi (USA/Canada 2025)
Valentina, d: Tatti Ribeiro (USA 2025)

SIFF 2026 DAN IRELAND PRIZE
In 2026, SIFF presented the inaugural Dan Ireland Prize to a promising new U.S. director, to be given alongside the New American Cinema Jury award. This support is provided by Harry Gregson-Williams, and originated as part of the Louisiana International Film Festival to honor SIFF Founder and LIFF Artistic Director, and accomplished filmmaker, Dan Ireland.

The SIFF Dan Ireland Prize Jury members were Mary Elder (Screenwriter & Novelist), Rebecca Fisher (VP of Publicity at Magnolia Pictures), Stephen “Dr.” Love (Emmy Award-winning Producer & Co-Founder of Invisible Collective). 

GRAND JURY PRIZE 
Hot Water, d: Ramzi Bashour (USA 2026) 

JURY STATEMENT: In the spirit of the legacy of Dan Ireland, a filmmaker whose films embodied empathy for eccentric characters who learn more about the world from each other, and as a director who had a gift for bring out great performances from talent, the jury feels that this film best embraces these qualities. It tells a road trip story between a mother from Beirut and her very American son. Viewers are drawn into their conflict, their predicament, and their deep love for each other. From the midwest to the Rockies to the Redwoods, the story harnesses the sweeping American landscape to tell a quietly epic story. The New American jury is pleased to announce its selection of Hot Water as the recipient of this prize. 

From Harry Gregson-Williams: Dan Ireland directed the very first film I scored, Whole Wide World - he took a chance on me, and from that moment became hugely influential to me not only as a mentor, but as a dear friend.... I hope this prize goes a little way towards guiding Ramzi down a path that leads to creative satisfaction & success. Danny would be purring with pride at the prospect!

SIFF 2026 DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
The SIFF Documentary Jury members were Max Geschwind (Media Finance at CAA), Lu Mukerjee (Director of the Documentary Lab fellowship at Firelight Media), Jeffrey Winter (Co-Executive Director at The Film Collaborative).

GRAND JURY PRIZE
Birds of War, d: Janay Boulos, Abd Alkader Habak (United Kingdom/Syria/Lebanon 2026)

JURY STATEMENT: This deeply human story confronts violence and loyalty, in a way that feels both intimate and epic in scale, as it immerses us in the realities of living in war. For its emotional impact, remarkable ambition and cinematic confidence in depicting the unlikely love story between a war journalist and activist in the midst of devastation during a years-long conflict, we're awarding the grand jury prize to Birds of War. 

SPECIAL JURY MENTION
The Seoul Guardians, d: Jong-woo Kim, Shin-Wan Kim, Chul-Young Cho (South Korea 2026)

JURY STATEMENT: This film reminds us that while democracy flounders in many countries including our own,  there are millions around the globe who resist autocracy and keep hope alive. For its depiction of individual empowerment brought about by community struggle, we award a Special Jury Prize for Courage and Democracy to The Seoul Guardians.

2026 Entries:

American Doctor, d: Poh Si Teng (USA/Palestine/Malaysia/Qatar 2026)
Birds of War, d: Janay Boulos, Abd Alkader Habak (United Kingdom/Syria/Lebanon 2026)
Bucks Harbor, d: Peter Muller (USA 2026)
Kikuyu Land, d: Andrew H. Brown (Huron-Wyandot), Bea Wangondu (Kikuyu) (Kenya/USA 2026)
Nuisance Bear, d: Gabriela Osio Vanden, Jack Weisman (USA/Canada/United Kingdom 2026)
The Seoul Guardians, d: Jong-woo Kim, Shin-Wan Kim, Chul-Young Cho (South Korea 2026)
To Hold a Mountain, d: Biljana Tutorov, Petar Glomazić (Serbia/France/Montenegro/Slovenia 2026)
Yo (Love is a Rebellious Bird), d: Anna Fitch, Banker White (USA 2026)

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2026 SIFF SEATTLE CRITICS AWARD
Obsession, directed by Curry Barker (USA)

The Seattle Film Critics Society polled all accredited media for their favorite new release feature films that played the 52nd Seattle International Film Festival. 75 different films appeared on member ballots as favorites, but there was widespread consensus at the top of the list. We are thrilled to present the 2026 SIFF Seattle Critics Award to Curry Barker’s Obsession. 

SFCS STATEMENT: The SFCS Board of Directors thanks SIFF for its ongoing partnership and for providing accredited media the opportunity to present a critics award as part of the annual festival. The films selected this year reflect deeply personal and, at times, provocative works, with storytelling that left a lasting impact on Seattle-area critics. Curry Barker’s Obsession has emerged as the movie of the moment, captivating audiences with its unpredictable twists, turns, and surprises.

About SFCS: With a membership of area critics, the Seattle Film Critics Society is dedicated to supporting local productions and festivals, enhancing public education, awareness, and appreciation of cinema, and strengthening the bonds of critical dialogue as it pertains to the cinematic arts. SFCS seeks to highlight the best films produced each year–both by the major studios and independent filmmakers–and share our love of cinema with Seattle-area residents.

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SIFF 2026 SHORT FILM JURY AWARDS
Every short film in the Seattle International Film Festival is eligible for both the Golden Space Needle Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize. Our Shorts Competition jurors will choose winners in the Live Action, Animation, and Documentary categories. Each Grand Jury Prize winner will receive $2,500; winners may also qualify to enter their respective films in the Short Film category of the Academy Awards® for the concurrent season without a theatrical run.

The SIFF Short Film Juries were:
Live Action: Marcus Baker (Founder of Seattle Film Society), Laura Henneman (Assistant Director of Industry Relations at the Sundance Institute), Jas Keimig (Curator of Unstreamable, Local Arts Writer)

Documentary / Animation: Amman Abbasi (Academy Award®-nominated Producer and Independent Spirit Award-nominated Director), Lucas Marchi (Animator and Professor at Cornish School of the Arts), Jason Reid (Award-winning Documentary Producer & Director).

LIVE ACTION SHORT

GRAND JURY PRIZE
Scouts Honor, Isabel Pask (USA)

JURY STATEMENT: Scouts Honor takes us on an impeccably-paced comedic romp through capitalism, deception… and girl scout cookies. Two teenage girls’ urgent quest to earn money for once in a lifetime concert tickets gives way to a tender truth that what they ultimately value is each other.

SPECIAL JURY MENTION
Nobody Knows the World, Roddy Dextre (Peru)

JURY STATEMENT: Nobody Knows the World immerses us in the day-to-day experience of a young character forced to make adult choices much too early in life. For its confident visual storytelling, striking images, and gesture towards hope despite profound grief, the Special Jury Mention is awarded to Nobody Knows The World.

DOCUMENTARY SHORT

GRAND JURY PRIZE
Still Standing, directed by Victor Tadashi Suarez, Livia Albeck-Ripka (USA)

JURY STATEMENT: In the aftermath of the 2025 Altadena wildfire, this doc follows the new challenges homeowners face as they deal with unsafe conditions, health concerns, and denied insurance claims as they try to move home. Beautifully shot, with striking compositions, evocative music, and thoughtful storytelling, the film offers a powerful and deeply human perspective on the aftermath of tragedy.

SPECIAL JURY MENTION: STANDOUT HEARTWARMING TALE
The Baker’s Hotline, directed by Emily Schuman, Dave Schuman (USA)

JURY STATEMENT: A heartwarming story of finding connection through a shared love of bread, flour and a phone.

SPECIAL JURY MENTION: SPIRIT OF SEATTLE
Dick’s-A-Thon, directed by Dylan Young (USA)

JURY STATEMENT: An absurd tradition born out of a heart wrenching and deeply personal story, Dick’s-A-Thon tells a tale of the pinnacle of what it means to be a Seattleite. Running, mountaineering, community, and Dicks burgers come together to make a fantastic narrative of what makes us love this city, and the silly ways we can support each other when dealing with loss.

ANIMATION SHORT

GRAND JURY PRIZE
With Tapes and Toasts in the Car, directed by Kiana Naghshineh (Germany/France)

JURY STATEMENT: This film beautifully interweaves silly moments, the fear of death, and unexpected existential advice from an almost 70 year old cosmonaut mutt.

SPECIAL JURY MENTION: BEST TRADITIONAL LEGEND
Gnawer of Rocks, directed by Louise Flaherty (Inuktitut) (Canada)

JURY STATEMENT: Beautiful stop motion animation using puppets tells the indigenous folklore story in its native language of Mangittatuarjuk, the Gnawer of Rocks. This film was masterfully executed with edgy horror animation that had a surprising ending.

SPECIAL JURY MENTION: MOST VISIONARY WORLD-BUILDING
Acid City, directed by Jack Wedge, Will Freudenheim (USA)

JURY STATEMENT: Set in a city surrounded by a vast acidic ocean, this inventive film follows residents sharing their lives through the lens of a documentary crew embedded within the world itself. With striking animation, immersive voiceover, and impressive world-building, the film creates a rich and cinematic atmosphere filled with memorable imagery and beautiful colors. Its originality and visual ambition make it a compelling and unique work. 

SPECIAL JURY MENTION: STANDOUT EXPERIMENTAL STORYTELLING
Paper Trail, directed by Don Hertzfeldt (USA)

JURY STATEMENT: A truly unique experience, Paper Trail tells the life story of a man not through the actions they take, but through the marks they leave behind.

Press inquiries, materials, and interview requests can be made at press@siff.net.

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About SIFF: 

Beginning in 1976 with the annual Seattle International Film Festival, then expanding into year-round programming, SIFF is a 501c3 cultural arts organization dedicated to the creation of vibrant experiences and spaces that champion film discovery and arts education. SIFF envisions a thriving arts ecosystem where film discovery encourages a more empathetic, joyful, and connected world.

In its four theaters, SIFF offers year-round screenings, Film Talks, and a series of spotlight festivals throughout the year. SIFF also serves the community through educational programs and SIFFsupports, a partnership program that hosts and provides technical support to a variety of special screenings and festivals.

For showtimes and event updates, visit siff.net.