imagineNATIVE Festival Announces 2026 Festival Award Winners

The imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival’s Moon, Sun, Water and Land juries have selected winners across film, video, audio and digital media works in 17 different categories for the 2026 Awards Presentation.

A total of $75,500 in cash prizes is available to artists and filmmakers in recognition of their outstanding work, innovation and excellence.

Hosted on June 6 at the TIFF Lightbox, this year’s event was hosted by Saulteaux/Cree comedian Vance Banzo, and award medallions and lanyards were created by Tuscarora WoodWorks and Two Hearts Beadwork, respectively.

The recipients of the annual Awards Presentation have been selected by filmmakers and industry professionals from the festival’s independent programming team and juries, except two Audience Choice Awards voted by festival attendees.

August Schellenberg Award of Excellence

In addition to the existing categories, imagineNATIVE honoured Métis director, actor, writer, and producer Gail Maurice with the August Schellenberg Award of Excellence (Augie) at the ceremony. A two-time Canadian Screen Award nominee for her roles in Trickster and Night Raiders, and a filmmaker whose debut feature film, Rosie, was one of Toronto International Film Festival’s (TIFF) Top Ten films of 2022 and won the Audience Choice Feature Film Award at the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, Gail is a generational talent.

The Augie Award is presented in partnership with Joan Karasevich Schellenberg to honour her late husband, the legendary actor August Schellenberg and is supported by ACTRA National and individual donations.

imagineNATIVE continues in-person festivities until June 7, followed by the online festival from June 8 to 14 to open the door for audiences from around the world to stream many of the films from the 2026 official selection, including some of the award-winning works.

imagineNATIVE Festival Winners

The 2026 imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival award winners are:

Moon Jury Award	*Mangittatuarjuk* *(The Gnawer of Rocks)* Louise Flaherty
Indigenous Language Production Award	*Shaaghan Neekwaii* *(Two Old Women)* Princess Daazhraii Johnson
After Dark Award	*Klee* Gavin Baird
Live Action Short Award	*Jülapüin Yonna* *(The Dream of Dance)* Luzbeidy Monterrosa Atencio
Dramatic Feature Award	*Mārama* Taratoa Stappard
Outstanding Performance in a Feature	*Mārama* Ariāna Osborne
Outstanding Performance in a Short	*Gaza Bride 17* Saleh Bakri
Sun Jury Award	*AKI* Darlene Naponse
New Voice in Storytelling Award	*Are You Native?* Victoria Cheyenne
Documentary Short Award	*IXIM* *(el amor no tiene género)* Alex PV
Documentary Feature Award	*Aanikoobijigan* *[ancestor/great-grandparent/great-grandchild]* Adam Khalil, Zack Khalil
Innovation in Storytelling Award	*WAT WAS HIE?* Luke De Kock
Animated Short Award	*I Duok om I Bohuntung –* *The Owl and the Rainbow* Jo Luping
New Artist in Digital + Interactive Award	*Kinship Table, la taab di li vwaazayn* Robyn Adams
Digital + Interactive Award	*Toroa: Skycall* Atawhai Interactive
Experimental Audio Award	*Radiant Starlets (Original Soundtrack) \|* *DR3AM ON* Alexander Jeffrey Walker
Narrative Audio Award	*Words and Culture \|* *It Takes a Village* Kim Wheeler

For more information about the festival, please visit the imagineNATIVE website. The online ImagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival is now underway, if you’re feeling overwhelmed with the sheer choice of titles check out our picks here.