imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival Announces 2026 Festival Award Winners
Mārama wins Best Dramatic Feature, and Aanikoobijigan wins Best Documentary Feature; Ariāna Osborne and Saleh Bakri win Outstanding Performance Awards
Toronto, June 6, 2026 – 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 will be awarded 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.
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.
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.
-30-
About imagineNATIVE:
imagineNATIVE is the world’s largest presenter of Indigenous screen content. The organization is recognized locally, nationally, and internationally for excellence and innovation in programming and as the global centre for Indigenous media arts. imagineNATIVE (legal entity: The Centre for Aboriginal Media) is a registered charity committed to creating a greater understanding of Indigenous peoples and cultures through the presentation of contemporary Indigenous-made media art including film, video, audio and digital media.
For additional information:
Alya Stationwala
Route 504 PR
alya@route504pr.com
