37th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival announces award winners

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) - The 37th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) announced this year’s juried award winners.

• Sirât Receives FIPRESCI Prize
• Happy Birthday Receives FIPRESCI First Feature Film Prize
• Nina Ye, Janel Tsai, Shi-yuan Ma and Milan Ondrík Receive FIPRESCI Acting Prizes
• Sentimental Value Receives FIPRESCI Screenplay Prize
• Natchez Receives Documentary Award
• 3670 Receives New Voices New Visions Award
• Runa Simi Receives Ibero-American Award
• Beloved Tropic Receives Desert Views Award
• Remaining Native Receives Young Cineastes Award

The Festival took place from January 2-12, 2026, and screened 178 films from 72 countries and territories, including 53 premieres. The lineup includes 44 of the International Feature Film Oscar® Submissions along with Talking Pictures, New Voices New Visions, Modern Masters, Queer Cinema, True Stories, World Cinema Now, and more.

The jury award categories included the FIPRESCI Prize for films in the International Feature Film Oscar® Submissions program; New Voices New Visions Award for unique viewpoints from first- and second-time directors; Best Documentary Award for compelling non-fiction filmmaking; the Ibero-American Award for the best film from Latin America; the Desert View Award (Local Jury) for a film that promote understanding and acceptance between people; and Young Cineastes Award for a film chosen by the Youth Jury.

FIPRESCI PRIZE
A special jury of international film critics reviewed 44 of the official submissions for the Academy Awards®International Feature Film category that were selected to screen at this year’s Festival. The films in competition were as follows:

● 100 Liters of Gold (Finland), dir. Teemu Nikki
● 2000 Meters to Andriivka (Ukraine), dir. Mstyslav Chernov
● A Poet (Colombia), dir. Simón Mesa Soto
● A Sad Beautiful World (Lebanon), dir. Cyril Aris
● A Useful Ghost (Thailand), dir. Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke
● All That’s Left of You (Jordan), dir. Cherien Dabis
● Belén (Argentina), dir. Dolores Fonzi
● Beloved Tropic (Panama), dir. Ana Endara
● Eagles of the Republic (Sweden), dir. Tarik Saleh
● Familia (Italy), dir. Francesco Costabile
● Father (Slovakia), dir. Tereza Nvotová
● Franz (Poland), dir. Agnieszka Holland
● Happy Birthday (Egypt), dir. Sarah Goher
● Hijra (Saudi Arabia), dir. Shahad Ameen
● Homebound (India), dir. Neeraj Ghaywan
● It Was Just an Accident (France), dir. Jafar Panahi
● Kokuhô (Japan), dir. Sang-il Lee
● Late Shift (Switzerland), dir. Petra Volpe
● Left Handed Girl (Taiwan), dir. Shih-Ching Tsou
● Little Trouble Girls (Slovenia), dir. Urška Djukić
● Magellan (Philippines), dir. Lav Diaz
● Mr. Nobody Against Putin (Denmark), dirs. David Borenstein & Pavel Talankin
● My Father’s Shadow (United Kingdom), dir. Akinola Davies
● No Other Choice (South Korea), dir. Park Chan-wook
● Orphan (Hungary), dir. László Nemes
● Palestine 36 (Palestine), dir. Annemarie Jacir
● Reedland (Netherlands), dir. Sven Bresser
● Sentimental Value (Norway), dir. Joachim Trier
● Sirât (Spain), dir. Oliver Laxe
● Sound of Falling (Germany), dir. Mascha Schilinski
● The Last Dance (Hong Kong), dir. Chan Mou Yin Anselm
● The Love That Remains (Iceland), dir. Hlynur Pálmason
● The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo (Chile), dir. Diego Cespedes
● The President’s Cake (Iraq), dir. Hasan Hadi
● The Sea (Israel), dir. Shai Carmeli-Pollak
● The Secret Agent (Brazil), dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho
● The Tale of Silyan (North Macedonia), dir. Tamara Kotevska
● The Things You Kill (Canada), dir. Alireza Khatami
● The Tower of Strength (Montenegro), dir. Nikola Vukčević
● The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia), dir. Kaouther Ben Hania
● Traffic (Romania), dir. Teodora Ana Mihai
● Under the Flags, The Sun (Paraguay), dir. Juanjo Pereira
● Young Mothers (Belgium), dirs. Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne

FIPRESCI Prize for Best International Feature Film: Sirât (Spain), Director Oliver Laxe

Jury Statement: “At a year when the competition featured such a strong presence for stories about children and their parents, this film thrillingly captured our attention with its portrait of a father’s devotion to his son and daughter, as well as the chosen family they encounter along the way. The techno beats by Kangding Ray make their quest exhilarating and enlightening, while the singular vision of director Oliver Laxe conjures an electric sense of aliveness as the journey ultimately asks us to confront death and the hereafter. Since Palm Springs is the ultimate film buff’s party in the desert where the mountains meet the sky, we feel it’s only appropriate to award the FIPRESCI Prize to Sirāt.”

FIPRESCI Prize for Best International First Feature Film: Happy Birthday (Egypt), Director Sarah Goher

Jury Statement: “The FIPRESCI Award for Best First Feature goes to Happy Birthday by Sarah Goher, for its endearing portrayal of contemporary Egypt through the eyes of a child who embraces life with instinctive freedom, unaware of the social boundaries that will soon confront her. With a gentle yet assured directorial hand that draws out a truly exceptional performance from young star Doha Ramadan, Goher’s first feature reaches beyond sentimentality to reconnect us with our own inner child, moving the viewer while quietly prompting reflection on the arbitrary hierarchies that shape—and constrain—the world we inhabit.”

FIPRESCI Prize for Best International Screenplay: Sentimental Value (Norway), Director. Joachim Trier

Jury Statement: “The FIPRESCI Award for Best International Screenplay goes to Sentimental Value, written by Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt — a tale where love, family, art, and memory infuse new meanings and make us dig deep into our choices, regrets, and mistakes. The film shares the big and small tragedies of our existence, often lived within the family house, yet approaches them with a pinch of humour and levity. Trier and Vogt show us the healing power of art at its finest, delivering a film that is moving and relatable, from Scandinavia to the world.”

FIPRESCI Prize for the Best Actress in an International Feature Film: Nina Ye, Janel Tsai, Shi-yuan Ma – Left-Handed Girl (Taiwan), Director Shih-Ching Tsou

Jury Statement: “To the powerful ensemble of Left-Handed Girl, Nina-Ye (I-Jing) and Shih-Yuan Ma (I-Ann), both in their feature acting debuts, d Janel Tsai (Shu-Fen) complement each other to create a cohesive family unit. Portraying three generations of women migrating to Taiwan to reconstruct their lives from the ground, their performances stand with admirable naturalism, immersing themselves in the relationship dynamics of the characters, while at the same time captivating the audience with subtle comedy and tenderness. A touching view of three different perspectives of women that made the perfect ensemble cast for this jury.”

FIPRESCI Prize for Best Actor in an International Feature Film: Milan Ondrík - Father (Slovakia), Director Tereza Nvotová

Jury Statement: “His performance captured our attention from the very first frame as a devoted father
who begins an ordinary day simply by bringing his daughter to daycare. However, when the father makes
a devastating discovery, this performance brings to life a palpable sense of grief. Ondrik poignantly
captures the consequences of contemporary workaholic culture and questions of burnout and mental
health while sensitively drawing attention to the reality of Forgotten Baby Syndrome and the many
families that are ripped apart by the tragic loss that Father powerfully conveys.”

The FIPRESCI jury members were Davide Abbatescianni (International Reporter, Cineuropa), Fran Romero (Director of Spanglish Cinema/Film Critic) & Patrick Mullen (Publisher).

BEST DOCUMENTARY AWARD
The Documentary Award is presented to the director for the most compelling non-fiction filmmaking from among those selected to screen at the festival. The films in competition were as follows:

● 2000 Meters to Andriivka (Ukraine), dir. Mstyslav Chernov
● ASCO: Without Permission (USA), dir. Travis Gutiérrez Senger
● Cover-Up (USA), dir. Laura Poitras, Mark Obenhaus
● The Golden Spurtle (United Kingdom), dir. Constantine Costi
● Mr. Nobody Against Putin (Denmark), dirs. David Borenstein & Pavel Talankin
● Natchez (USA), dir. Suzannah Herbert
● Steal This Story, Please! (USA), dirs. Tia Lessin & Carl Deal
● The Tale of Silyan (North Macedonia), dir. Tamara Kotevska
● To the Victory! (Ukraine), dir. Valentyn Vasyanovych
● Yanuni (Austria), dir. Richard Ladkani

Best Documentary Award: Natchez (USA), Director Suzannah Herbert

Jury Statement: “Many of the documentaries in this year’s competition show history as an ever-evolving
site of contention. Natchez takes as its subject the bustling industry of Antebellum tourism on the
Mississippi, showing that the meaning of American history is anything but settled. Director Suzannah
Herbert’s striking visual style and sharp eye for detail result in a film that is both formally and intellectually stimulating.”

Best Documentary Award Special Mention: Yanuni (Austria), Director Richard Ladkani

Jury Statement: “This atmospheric and often-thrilling portrait of Indigenous chief Juma Xipaia deftly
balances the personal story of a tireless activist with the turbulent political context in which she works.”
The films were juried by Sky Sitney (Co-Founder and Festival Director, DC/DOX), Will Sloan (Writer and
Critic), & James Woolley (Executive Director, Miami Film Festival).

NEW VOICES NEW VISIONS AWARD
The New Voices New Visions Award focuses on films that the festival programming team felt represent the most distinctive new directors who have emerged in the last year. Each of the following ten films in competition represents the filmmaker’s debut or second feature:

● 3670 (South Korea), dir. Joonho Park
● Broken Voices (Czech Republic), dir. Ondřej Provazník
● Deaf (Spain), dir. Eva Libertad
● God Will Not Help (Croatia), dir. Hana Jušić
● Lucky Lu (Canada), dir. Lloyd Lee Choi
● Mad Bills to Pay (USA), dir. Joel Alfonso Vargas
● On the Sea (United Kingdom), dir. Helen Walsh
● Silent Rebellion (Switzerland), dir. Marie-Elsa Sgualdo
● The Nature of Invisible Things (Brazil), dir. Rafaela Camelo
● The Negotiator (Italy), dir. Alessandro Tonda

New Voices New Visions Award: 3670 (South Korea), Director Joonho Park

New Voices New Visions Special Mention: Deaf (Spain), Director Eva Libertad

The films were juried by Gabor Greiner (Head of Acquisitions, Films Boutique), Justin Decloux
(Writer/Podcaster/Filmmaker) & Abbey White (Contributor, The Hollywood Reporter)

Jury Statement: “This year's New Voices New Visions competition presented an exciting collection of new
additions to the cinematic canon, with refreshing narratives that lent themselves to new discoveries about
the human experience. But 3670's subversive and culturally distinctive take on the familiar coming out
narrative through the experience of its gay North Korean defector offered an illuminating, sensitive, and
relatable new chapter for queer and global cinema. This deftly layered cultural exploration offers new
glimpses into what it means to find ourselves, love, and self-acceptance in worlds full of danger and
uncertainty.”

IBERO-AMERICAN AWARD
The Ibero-American Award is presented to the best film from Latin America, Spain or Portugal selected to screen at the festival. The award aims to highlight the creativity seen in modern Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American films. The films in competition were as follows:

• Beloved Tropic (Panama), dir. Ana Endara
• The Condor Daughter (Bolivia), dir. Álvaro Olmos Torrico
• Deaf (Spain), dir. Eva Libertad
• Drunken Noodles (USA/Argentina), dir. Lucio Castro
• It Would Be Night in Caracas (Mexico/Venezuela), dirs. Mariana Rondón & Marité Ugás
• Maspalomas (Spain), dirs. Jose Mari Goenaga & Aitor Arregi
• A Poet (Colombia), dir. Simón Mesa Soto
• Runa Simi (Peru), dir. Augusto Zegarra
• Sundays (Spain), dir. Alauda Ruiz de Azúa
• Under the Flags, The Sun (Paraguay), dir. Juanjo Pereira

Ibero-American Award: Runa Simi (Peru), Director Augusto Zegarra

Ibero-American Special Mention: It Would Be Night in Caracas (Mexico/Venezuela), Directors Mariana Rondón & Marité Ugás

The films were judged by Sabrina Aviles (Founder/Executive Director, CineFest Latino Boston), Mariana Mijares (Writer & Journalist) & Javier Fuentes-León (Filmmaker).

Jury Statement: “We chose Runa Simi because it reminds us of the importance of being seen, and of
preserving language, identity, and community. In its center is a remarkable protagonist, one who inspires
not only future generations, but also future leaders. The film speaks to the universal need to express
oneself and to claim a place on equal footing with the stories traditionally told by major Hollywood
studios, in this case Disney. In the current state of the world, it is deeply moving to encounter a story that
does not sugarcoat struggle yet still offers hope—reminding us of the power to fight for the causes that
truly matter.”

DESERT VIEWS AWARD
Awarded by the Desert Views Jury made up of locals to a film that, in the spirit of neighborliness, promotes understanding and acceptance among people. The films in competition were as follows:

• Beloved Tropic (Panama), dir. Ana Endara
• The Tale of Silyan (North Macedonia), dir. Tamara Kotevska
• Tow (USA), dir. Stephanie Laing
• Yanuni (Austria), dir. Richard Ladkani

Desert Views Award Winner: Beloved Tropic (Panama), Director Ana Endara

The films were judged by Anne Grey (Rancho Mirage), Margaret Merciera (Palm Desert), Ed Motznik (Palm
Springs), Lucinda Perez (Indio), Peet Smith (Joshua Tree) and Kathryn Tomasino (Palm Springs).

Jury Statement: “As a jury, we were deeply moved by the film, Beloved Tropic. Set against a stunning, lush landscape, the film’s natural backdrop mirrors the richness of Mercedes’ inner life, illustrating both abundance and fragility as her world slowly starts to shift. Ultimately, Beloved Tropic honors the quiet strength required to love and care for someone through their memory’s unraveling. It affirms that even in fragmentation, connection endures, and that caring for one another is the truest expression of community.”

YOUNG CINEASTES AWARD
The Young Cineastes jury is composed of high school students with a passion for cinema. The films in competition were as follows:

• Remaining Native (USA), Director Paige Bethmann
• She Dances (USA), dir. Rick Gomez
• Speak. (USA), dir. Jennifer Tiexiera, Guy Mossman
• The Condor Daughter (Bolivia), dir. Álvaro Olmos Torrico

Young Cineastes Award Winner: Remaining Native (USA), Director Paige Bethmann

The films were judged by Sophia Alejandre (Indio High School), Pauline Amariah Brack (Indio High School), Ryan Blayse C. Bromley (Palm Springs High School), Carolina Cruz-Herrera (Indio High School), Carolina Ava Hyatt (Shadow Hills High School), Lillian Lorraine Lynd (Palm Desert High School), Bethany Mikrut (Palm Desert High School), Ella Rauschenberg (Yucca Valley High School) and Luiz Valdez (Shadow Hills High School).

Jury Statement: “We, the young Cineastes jury members, selected Remaining Native as the winner because of the compelling storytelling and cinematography. This story had aspects that nearly every teen could relate to, from making and achieving goals to learning about your own heritage.”

Save the Date - Palm Springs ShortFest is scheduled to return June 23-29, 2026