{"id":39020,"date":"2026-04-25T18:54:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T22:54:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/?p=39020"},"modified":"2026-04-25T19:05:29","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T23:05:29","slug":"filmmaker-award-winners-at-the-2026-florida-film-festival-theword","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/filmmaker-award-winners-at-the-2026-florida-film-festival-theword\/","title":{"rendered":"Filmmaker Award Winners at the 2026 Florida Film Festival
William Means\u2019\u00a0Slam Dunk: Wins Grand Jury Prize\u00a0and Audience Award for Best Narrative Film<\/span><\/small>"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Documentary Feature Winners<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Sharon Leise\u2019s SEIZED, <\/em><\/strong>Grand Jury Prize. Patrick Bresnan\u2019s FIRST THEY CAME FOR MY COLLEGE, Audience Award. <\/strong>Michael Borrelli\u2019s THE LAST DAYS OF BYRON BRAY,\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award for Best Short Film.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"JUNKIE\"\u00a0\"SEIZED\"\u00a0\"FIRST<\/div>\n
Junkie, Seized, First They Came For My College<\/em><\/div>\n

The 2026 Florida Film Festival has announced the filmmaker award winners during a ceremony at the Enzian Theater and following a 35th<\/sup> Anniversary edition of the popular film festival which combined salutes to beloved stars, screenings of highly anticipated films, and a concentration of films produced in Florida by local filmmakers, all taking place in the warm (literal and figurative) setting of Central Florida.<\/p>\n

Additional Jury Awards went to Brian Gersten\u2019s\u00a0Hollywood\u2019s Mermaid: The Esther Williams Story\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(Best Documentary Short), and Andy London, and Carolyn London\u2019s\u00a01981\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(Best Animated Short).\u00a0Films receiving Special Jury Awards included\u00a0Tatti Ribeiro\u2019s\u00a0Valentina\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(Narrative Feature) for \u201cresolute feature filmmaking\u201d, Blake Winston Rice\u2019s\u00a0Disc\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(Narrative Short) for \u201csurprising intimacy\u201d, and Madeline Engle and Joe Purtell\u2019s\u00a0Trapped\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(Documentary Short) for \u201cinnovation in Non-Fiction storytelling\u201d.<\/p>\n

Other films receiving Audience Awards included Costa Karalis\u2019\u00a0Frogtown\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(Best Florida Feature), Daniel Roher\u2019s\u00a0Tuner\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(Best International Feature), Justin Whittingham\u2019s\u00a0Welcome\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(Best Florida Short), Eric Jackowitz\u2019The Seeing Eye Dog Who Saw Too Much\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(Best Midnight Short), and Alexandra Strunin\u2019s\u00a0I Gaze at the Sky\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(Best International Short).<\/p>\n

Florida Film Festival Executive Director Wade Neal, said,\u00a0“This Florida Film Festival was my first as the new Executive Director, and it exceeded what was already very high expectations on my part for an exciting, well-curated, and outrageously fun film event. These award winners are wonderful representatives of the amazing films we screened and filmmakers we hosted throughout the fest.\u201d<\/p>\n

FFF Programming Director, Matthew Curtis, added, \u201cThere is always an additional expectation and anticipation during a film festival\u2019s big anniversary year. This one fulfilled that for our film fans, our staff, and a wonderful group of filmmakers. The fact that two of those films doubled up on awards \u2013 a first for us \u2013 seems very appropriate to cap the uniqueness of our 35th<\/sup>\u00a0edition.\u201d<\/p>\n

2026\u00a0 Florida Film Festival\u2019s Jurors<\/h3>\n

The Narrative Features Competition Jury\u00a0<\/u><\/strong>
\nBrian Andreotti (Co-Founder and Director of Acquisitions for Music Box Films)
\nAaron Koontz (FFF Alumni and Independent Spirit Award nominated filmmaker)
\nViolet Lucca (Film Critic and Author)<\/p>\n

The Documentary Competition Jury<\/u><\/strong>
\nBrian Bolster (5-Time FFF Alumni Director and Grand Jury Award Winner)
\nGrace Cheung (Director of Strategic Initiatives at Magnolia Pictures)
\nClint Worthington (Assistant Editor at\u00a0RogerEbert.com)<\/p>\n

Shorts Competition Jury<\/u><\/strong>
\nDwight Brown (Former Chairman of the New York Film Critics Circle)
\nRadha Mehta (Slamdance Award Winning director and FFF Alumni)
\nGuillermo Restrepo (Director of Publicity IFC Entertainment Group)<\/p>\n

The 35th<\/sup>\u00a0Anniversary edition kicked off with an Opening Night presentation of Adam Carter Rehmeier\u2019s renegade road trip movie\u00a0Caroline, Caroline<\/em><\/strong>, and featured a gala Centerpiece presentation of Jorma Taccone\u2019s\u00a0Over Your Dead Body<\/em><\/strong>, with both filmmakers in attendance.<\/p>\n

The festival closed with a nod to the classics via a 75th<\/sup>\u00a0Anniversary screening of Alfred Hitchcock\u2019s\u00a0Strangers on a Train<\/em><\/strong>. Florida Film Festival\u2019s celebrated \u201cAn Evening With.. events were huge hits with the packed audiences, as well as fans outside the Enzian Theater, with Academy Award\u00ae-nominee Paul Giamatti and\u00a0Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Beverly Hills Cop<\/em>\u2019s Judge Reinhold delighting everyone with stories from their films and careers, and having fun posing for selfies and talking to people outside prior to the events in the theater.<\/p>\n

Also making special appearances were\u00a0Fallout<\/em>\u2019s\u00a0Johnny Pemberton<\/strong>, with his filmMermaid<\/em><\/strong>,\u00a0Justice Smith<\/strong>, with his film\u00a0Grampa<\/em><\/strong>, and Orlando\u2019s first African American Poet Laureate,\u00a0Shawn Welcome<\/strong>, with\u00a0Welcome<\/em><\/strong>, a documentary short film about his life.<\/p>\n

World premieres included\u00a0Ahmed Bouchalga\u2019s\u00a0The Call<\/em><\/strong>, Costa Karalis\u2019\u00a0Frogtown<\/em><\/strong>, Woodruff Laputka and Tehben Dean\u2019s\u00a0The Man Whom the Trees Loved<\/em><\/strong>, Randy Moore\u2019s\u00a0Return From Tomorrow,\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Alejandro Ruax and Saskia d\u2019Altena\u2019s\u00a0If You Really Love Me, Outlive Me,\u00a0<\/strong>Paul Oh\u2019s\u00a0Correspondence,\u00a0<\/strong>Justin Whittingham\u2019s\u00a0Welcome,\u00a0<\/strong>Ellie Foumbi\u2019s\u00a0Afufu,\u00a0<\/strong>Faryl Amadeus\u2019\u00a0Man in Motel<\/strong>, Jessica Li\u2019s\u00a0Peace Corps,\u00a0<\/strong>Michael Borrelli\u2019s\u00a0The Last Day of Byron Bray,\u00a0<\/strong>Timothy Jacob Elledge\u2019s\u00a0Neuman,\u00a0<\/strong>Brooke Trantor\u2019s\u00a0Nut Milk in May,\u00a0<\/strong>Sterling Hampton IV\u2019s\u00a0Study Hall,\u00a0<\/strong>Isabel Pask\u2019s\u00a0Scout\u2019s Honor,\u00a0<\/strong>Grant Swanson\u2019s\u00a0Iron Lake,\u00a0<\/strong>Syra McCarthy and Kyle Casey\u00a0Chu\u2019s\u00a0Betty St. Clair,\u00a0<\/strong>Austin Cauldwel\u2019s\u00a0Idyll,\u00a0<\/strong>Kyle Spleiss\u2019s\u00a0House Cat,\u00a0<\/strong>Justice Smith\u2019s\u00a0Grampa,\u00a0<\/strong>Stacey Torkelson\u2019s\u00a0In Lieu of Flowers,\u00a0<\/strong>Mary Pilon\u2019s\u00a0Screw Lucy,\u00a0<\/strong>Modar Kajo\u2019s\u00a0In God\u2019s Hands,\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Noah Engel\u2019s\u00a0Everything that Fell from the Mourning Dove’s Nest as She Built It\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>).<\/p>\n

Highly anticipated titles from filmmakers like Steven Soderberg (The Christophers<\/em><\/strong>), Kirk Jones (I Swear<\/em><\/strong>), Gregg Araki (I Want Your Sex<\/em><\/strong>), Ben Wheatley (Normal<\/em><\/strong>), Curry Barker (Obsession<\/em><\/strong>), Maude Apatow (Poetic License<\/em><\/strong>), Daniel Roher (Tuner<\/em><\/strong>), and Jeremy Workman (School For Defectors<\/em><\/strong>) were all screened for Central Florida film fans to see for the first time. Meanwhile, the film festival saw several screenings sell out, with record breaking audience numbers overall. Filmmakers participated in dedicated red carpets and press junkets throughout the festival\u2019s run, as well as numerous networking events which have become a hallmark of the film festival.<\/p>\n

To find more information on the Florida Film Festival, please go to:\u00a0https:\/\/floridafilmfestival.com\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The 2026 Florida Film Festival Award Winners<\/h2>\n
Grand Jury Awards<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

Best Narrative Feature<\/u>
\nJunkie<\/em><\/strong>
\nDirector: William Means<\/p>\n

Special Jury Award \u2013 Narrative Feature<\/u>
\nValentina<\/em><\/strong>
\nDirector: Tatti Ribeiro<\/p>\n

Best Documentary Feature<\/u>
\nSeized<\/em><\/strong>
\nDirector: Sharon Liese<\/p>\n

Best Narrative Short<\/u>
\nThe Last Day of Byron Bray<\/em><\/strong>
\nDirector: Michael Borrelli<\/p>\n

Special Jury Award \u2013 Narrative Short<\/u>
\nDisc<\/em><\/strong>
\nDirector: Blake Winston Rice<\/p>\n

Best Documentary Short<\/u>
\nHollywood\u2019s Mermaid: The Esther Williams Story<\/em><\/strong>
\nDirector: Brian Gersten<\/p>\n

Special Jury Award \u2013 Documentary Short<\/u>
\nTrapped<\/em><\/strong>
\nDirectors: Madeline Engle, Joe Purtell<\/p>\n

Best Animated Short<\/u>
\n1981<\/em><\/strong>
\nDirectors:\u00a0\u00a0Andy London, Carolyn London<\/p>\n

Audience Awards<\/strong><\/div>\n

Best Narrative Feature<\/u>
\nJunkie<\/em><\/strong>
\nDirector: William Means<\/p>\n

Best Documentary Feature<\/u>
\nFirst They Came for My College\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>
\nDirector: Patrick Bresnan<\/p>\n

Best Florida Feature<\/u>
\nFrogtown<\/em><\/strong>
\nDirector: Costa Karalis<\/p>\n

Best International Feature<\/u>
\nTuner<\/em><\/strong>
\nDirector: Daniel Roher<\/p>\n

Best Short Film<\/u>
\nThe Last Day of Byron Bray<\/em><\/strong>
\nDirector: Michael Borrelli<\/p>\n

Best Florida Short<\/u>
\nWelcome<\/em><\/strong>
\nDirector: Justin Whittingham<\/p>\n

Best Midnight Short<\/u>
\nThe Seeing Eye Dog Who Saw Too Much\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>
\nDirector: Eric Jackowitz<\/p>\n

Best International Short<\/u>
\nI Gaze at the Sky\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>
\nDirector: Alexandra Strunin<\/p>\n

About the Florida Film Festival<\/strong>
\nThe Florida Film Festival (FFF) is an Oscar\u00ae-qualifying festival that has been showcasing the best in independent, documentary, and international cinema since 1992. Presented by Enzian Theater in Maitland, Florida, the 10-day event features 160+ films, filmmaker Q&As, panel discussions, and world-class special events. FFF is one of only a handful of festivals in the U.S. that qualifies in all three Academy Award\u00ae short film categories: Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film, and Documentary Short Subject.<\/p>\n

About the Primary Sponsor \u2013 Full Sail University<\/strong>
\nFull Sail University\u202fis an award-winning educational leader for those pursuing careers in entertainment media and emerging technologies. Founded in 1979, Full Sail has received numerous accolades throughout its over 45-year history, including most recently being named to TheWrap\u2019s 2025 \u201cTop 50 U.S. Film Schools\u201d list as well as being named one of the \u201c30 Best Film Schools in the U.S. and Canada\u201d in 2025 by MovieMaker Magazine.<\/p>\n

Full Sail University is a graduate and undergraduate degree-granting institution offering on-campus and online degree programs in areas related to Art & Design, Business, Film & Television, Games, Media & Communications, Music & Recording, Sports, and Technology. With over 100,000 graduates worldwide, Full Sail alumni have worked on countless award-winning projects with individual recognition including Oscar\u00ae, Emmy\u00ae, Grammy\u00ae, Addy\u00ae, and The Game Award honors.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“This Florida Film Festival was my first as the new Executive Director, and it exceeded what was already very high expectations on my part for an exciting, well-curated, and outrageously fun film event,” said Florida Film Festival Executive Director Wade Neal. “These award winners are wonderful representatives of the amazing films we screened and filmmakers we hosted throughout the fest.\u201d<\/p>\n

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