Variety hosts 2026 10 Directors to Watch and Creative Impact Awards brunch
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) - Stars and filmmakers gathered Sunday morning at the Parker Hotel in Palm Springs for Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch and Creative Impact Awards brunch, held in conjunction with the Palm Springs International Film Festival.
The annual event, which takes place the day after the Palm Springs International Film Awards, recognizes established industry leaders alongside emerging filmmakers shaping the future of cinema.
This year’s Creative Impact Awards honored Dwayne Johnson with the Creative Impact in Acting Award, Teyana Taylor with the Creative Impact in Breakthrough Performance Award, and Guillermo del Toro with the Creative Impact in Directing Award.
Johnson was recognized for his performance as MMA fighter Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine. Taylor was honored for her recent work on screen and her growing impact in film, while del Toro was celebrated for his continued influence as a director and storyteller.
The brunch also highlighted Variety’s annual 10 Directors to Watch, a list that spotlights rising filmmakers from the United States and around the world. Two of the honorees were unable to attend due to travel issues.
The 2026 Variety 10 Directors to Watch honorees are:
- Akinola Davies Jr. — My Father’s Shadow
- Beth de Araujo — Josephine
- Jan-Ole Gerster — Islands
- Sarah Goher — Happy Birthday
- Dave Green — Coyote vs. Acme
- Chandler Levack — Mile End Kicks
- Harry Lighton — Pillion
- NB Mager — Run Amok
- Kristen Stewart — The Chronology of Water
- Walter Thompson-Hernández — If I Go Will They Miss Me
The event underscored the Palm Springs International Film Festival’s role as a platform for celebrating both influential figures in the film industry and the next generation of creative talent.
Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage of the Palm Springs International Film Festival.
