Posted by Jessica J. Rowlands’ directorial debut, Rise, was named Best Indie Short of the Year, while Malka received the award for Best Drama Short and Boatlift 9/11 earned three awards recognizing its direction, performance, and editing.
Independent Shorts Awards International Film Festival announced the winners of its 2026 Annual Awards during a ceremony held on September 19 at Regal LA LIVE in Los Angeles.
The culmination of the festival’s 8th annual edition, the Awards Show followed a full day of screenings across three auditoriums, an Industry Panel, a cocktail reception, and red carpet photocall and press interviews.
This year’s program brought together 71 nominated films from 27 countries, selected from an annual cycle that received 3,409 submissions representing 73 countries.
A total of 39 awards were presented across 27 films. The award-winning productions represented 13 countries: Australia, Czechia, France, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, UK, USA, and Zimbabwe.
EXPLORE THE COMPLETE LIST OF 2026 ANNUAL AWARD WINNERS
“Rise” Emerges as the Most Awarded Film of the Year
The Zimbabwean drama Rise, written and directed by Jessica J. Rowlands, led the evening with five awards, including the festival’s highest distinction, Best Indie Short of the Year.
Rowlands was also named Best First Time Female Director, while Tongayi Chirisa received Best Supporting Actor, Sikhanyiso Ngwenya was recognized as Best Young Actor, and cinematographer Jacques Naudé won Best Cinematography.
Inspired by true events and filmed in Zimbabwe, Rise follows a charismatic boy living on a rubbish dump who seeks the help of a withdrawn boxing coach. Hoping to learn how to defend himself, the boy gradually forms an unexpected bond with the man, creating a story about mentorship, trust, resilience, and the possibility of finding strength in a world that has left someone behind.
The film was inspired by the experiences of Tobias Mupfuti, founder of the Victoria Falls Boxing Academy, whose work has provided vulnerable children with boxing instruction, shelter, education, and support.
Rowlands’ directorial debut previously made history as the first Zimbabwean film selected for the Tribeca Festival and the first to qualify for Academy Award consideration. At the Independent Shorts Awards, its achievements across directing, acting, and cinematography established Rise as the defining film of the 2026 Annual Awards.
“Malka” Named Best Drama Short of the Year
Malka, directed by Stacey Maltin, received three awards, including Best Drama Short of the Year.
Maltin was named Best Female Director, while Seth Bisen-Hersh received Best Original Score.
Earlier in its festival run, Malka won Best Narrative Short at Cinequest, qualifying it for consideration in the Live Action Short Film category at the 98th Academy Awards.
Starring Tovah Feldshuh, Malka follows a Holocaust survivor who begins experiencing visions of the atrocities she witnessed while attending a present-day family seder. As past and present converge, she must rediscover the hope that once enabled her to survive.
The film’s three awards recognize its emotionally layered treatment of memory, inherited trauma, family, and survival, as well as Maltin’s direction and the role of music in connecting its different periods and emotional realities.
Three Awards for “Boatlift 9/11”
Historical drama Boatlift 9/11 also concluded the evening with three awards.
Dale Fabrigar was named Best Male Director, Preslea Elliott received Best Supporting Actress, and Radu Ion won Best Editing.
Set during the September 11 attacks, the film revisits the spontaneous maritime evacuation of Lower Manhattan, during which civilian boats transported hundreds of thousands of people away from the disaster zone.
Anchored by the relationship between an experienced tugboat captain and her daughter, Boatlift 9/11 combines personal sacrifice with an ambitious reconstruction of one of the day’s most significant rescue operations. Its three awards recognize the film’s direction, dramatic performance, and feature-caliber technical craftsmanship.
Multiple Awards Across Drama, Comedy, Action, and Performance
Four additional films earned two awards each.
The Czech production Disconnected received Best Action Short, with Vít Hradil also named Best First Time Male Director.
The Australian apocalyptic satire Have a Great Apocalypse won Best Dark Comedy Short, while François Theurel received Best Original Story.
Mr. Fleischmann received Best Thriller Short, while Walter Koenig was named Best Actor for his performance in the film.
You Don’t Say, directed by Juliet Colyer, won Best Women Short and Best Ensemble Cast for OvaJean Seimens, Elizabeth Ann Townsend, Dodie Brown, Juliet Colyer, and Leesa Neidel.
Niamh Blackshaw received Best Actress for her performance in the British drama Hide. Katrin York was named Best Student Female Director for Breaking the Tide, while Lilian Baculard received Best Student Male Director for the French production Twist.
Among the genre winners, Mother from Poland was named Best Student Short, Ukraine’s Night Shift received Best Documentary Short, and Russian production Don’t Call Me Anymore won Best Romantic Short.
Other international recipients included Ireland’s The Assassination of Michael D. Higgins for Best Comedy Short, Germany’s Moloch for Best Sci-Fi Short, Latvian production Untethered Souls for Best Experimental Short, and French production Hopscotch for Best Children Short.
Additional genre and format winners included An Iris Wild for Best Crime Short, Lovebug for Best Fantasy Short, The Geisha and The Gunfighter for Best Western Short, The Apricot for Best Animation Short, Notice Me for Best LGBTQ Short, Egoli – Place of Gold for Best Microfilm, Rooms for Best Screendance Short, and Wide Awake for Best Music Video.
Scarlett Roselynn received Best Young Actress for her performance in Serenity’s Song, while Franc Bruneau and Mickaël Etrillard were named Best Acting Duo for Spare!
Recognizing Independent Filmmaking Across Borders
The 2026 winners reflect the breadth of filmmaking represented throughout the Independent Shorts Awards annual cycle—from intimate character studies and historical dramas to animation, documentary, comedy, action, dance, and experimental cinema.
Twenty-seven films received awards, while the complete annual nominee class brought together stories and creative teams from across five continents.
Independent Shorts Awards congratulates all nominees, award recipients, filmmakers, cast members, and creative professionals recognized during the 8th annual edition.
The festival also extends its appreciation to its audience, jury, staff, volunteers, venue team, and official partners for supporting another international celebration of independent short film at Regal LA LIVE.
Explore all 39 awards, along with the winning films, images, and trailers, on the official 2026 Annual Award Winners page.
Official photo and video coverage from the 2026 Annual Awards will be published in the coming days.
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