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EXCLUSIVE: NewFilmmakers Los Angeles has revealed nan winners of its 14th Annual Best of NFMLA Awards, honoring “some of nan astir breathtaking emerging voices successful independent cinema today.”
Nani Sahra Walker earned nan 2026 Best New Filmmaker Award, which comes pinch nan $2,500 Anthony Rhulen Grant (awarded successful representation of nan movie shaper known for The Butterfly Effect and Lucky Number Slevin). Walker received nan grant for her communicative characteristic debut, Shakti, which celebrated its Los Angeles premiere done NFMLA.
Shakti, astir a azygous mother “drawn into Kathmandu’s supernatural underworld of shamans and secrets” aft her mischievous girl falls ill, won 4 awards astatine nan prestigious Heartland Film Festival successful Indianapolis, including Best Premiere Narrative Feature and Best Director.
The NFMLA awards are selected by a assemblage of 29 intermezo manufacture professionals representing development, production, distribution, and imaginative disciplines crossed movie and television. Among nan jurors were Emmanuel Grinda, manager, International TV & Digital Distribution astatine Lionsgate, and Andrea Alarcón of nan Sundance Institute.
In a statement, prize victor Nani Sahra Walker said, “I americium profoundly honored to person nan Best New Filmmaker Award from NewFilmmakers LA. Shakti is simply a movie I spent years bringing to life, inspired by individual and corporate stories of resilience. I’ve ever believed that awesome cinema tin evoke compassion, and this nickname inspires maine to proceed telling stories that bring group together crossed cultures and experiences. I’m grateful to NFMLA for believing successful my activity and for fostering specified a generous imaginative community.”
This twelvemonth marked nan motorboat of a caller business betwixt nan Best of NFMLA Awards and Shine Global, which launched nan Shine Global Resilience Award “to admit and observe films and filmmakers that item nan resilience and spot of children successful nan look of adversity.” The prize went to nan Best International Short, Comedy nominee One Day directed by Yazmeen Kanji and Maryam Remtulla. The grant includes $2,500 on pinch support, amplification, and engagement done nan Shine Global squad and network.
Winners successful nan categories of Best Short Film Drama, Best Short Film Comedy, Best International Short Film Drama, Best International Short Film Comedy, and Best Feature Film will person a package of Entertainment Partners’ Movie Magic Scheduling and Budgeting software.
The winners of nan Best Feature Film and Best Documentary Feature Film awards will each person a Platinum Badge to nan American Film Market (AFM) that runs from November 10–15 successful Los Angeles. Courtesy of nan Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA), nan world waste and acquisition relation of nan independent movie and TV industry, nan badge provides premium entree to AFM, “where thousands of intermezo professionals stitchery annually to discover, finance and waste projects, forge partnerships, and style what’s adjacent for our industry.”
Scroll for nan afloat database of prizes for nan 14th Annual Best of NFMLA Awards.
Jurors Emmanuel Grinda and Andrea Alarcón said to nan value of nan excavation of 84 awards nominees crossed 16 categories. “It’s a privilege to admit and observe specified an unthinkable scope of emerging filmmaking talent from astir nan world,” said Grinda.
Noted Alarcón of assemblage duty, “I near emotion energized by nan singular operation of emerging world and U.S.-based nonfiction filmmakers and nan globally resonant stories they are bringing into nan world. Amidst nan difficult socio-political realities we are presently surviving through, I was struck by nan thoughtfulness,artistic ambition and immense bravery pinch which these filmmakers are approaching their work. It was a privilege to walk clip pinch these films, and I’m grateful to NFMLA for fostering a abstraction that champions emerging artists and taste dialogue.”
Here is nan afloat database of winners of nan 14th Annual Best of NFMLA Awards:
Best New Filmmaker
Nani Sahra Walker
Shine Global Resilience Award
One Day directed by Yazmeen Kanji and Maryam Remtulla
Best Feature Film
Surrender – Directed by Jess Dang and Produced by Jessica Olthof & Darren Haruo Rae
Best Documentary Feature Film
Moses – Directed by Fran Guijarro and Produced by Fran Guijarro, Juli Lopez & Diya Guha
Best Short Film, Documentary
Entre le Feu et le Clair de Lune – Directed by Dominic Yarabe and Produced by Dominic Yarabe & Carlo Nasisse
Honorable Mention:
Like a Spiral – Directed by Lamia Chraibi and Produced by Patricia Bergeron & Ghassan Fayad
Best Short Film, Comedy
Prawn Star – Directed by Mitch Deitz and Produced by Judy Febles
Best Short Film, Drama
Corpse Fishing – Directed by Jean Liu and Produced by Sarah Park
Best International Short Film, Comedy
Passarinho – Directed by Natalia García Agraza and Produced by Daniela Mosca
Best International Short Film, Drama
Nightfaces – Directed by Martin Winter, Stefan Langthaler and Produced by Alfie Ángel, Victoria Herbig, Stefan Langthaler & Martin Winter
Best Short Film, Animated
Flocky – Directed by Esther Casas Roura and Produced by Esther Casas Roura & Juan Carlos Concha
Best New Media & Experimental
The Fish Tank – Directed by Victoria Garza and Produced by Cecilia Chávez Hita
Best Screenplay
Vision – Written by Dan Parris & Theodore Simpson
Best Performance, Comedy
Ilhan Abdullahi, Unqualified
Best Performance, Drama
Sonja Romei, Nightfaces
Best Cinematography
Evan Weidenkeller, Dawn Every Day
Best Film Editing
Sean Puglisi, Street Smart: Lessons from a TV Icon
Best Sound Design
Dominic Yarabe & Shirley Yumeng He, Entre le Feu et le Clair de Lune
Best Score
David Melchor, Janis Ian: Breaking Silence
NFMLA is simply a year-round arts and civilization nonprofit dedicated to championing independent filmmakers and contented creators. Through nan NFMLA Monthly Film Festival and an expanding slate of acquisition programs, workshops, competitions, networking opportunities, and manufacture partnerships, NFMLA provides emerging artists pinch platforms for visibility, master development, and meaningful manufacture connection.
