Awards
Celebrate Indigenous Excellence
We are always excited to celebrate Indigenous achievements in film and media arts with generous support from our partners and individual donors.
Each year, the imagineNATIVE Awards Presentation showcases a selection of exceptional works from our Festival. Each recipient is selected by filmmakers and industry professionals from the Festival’s independent programming team and juries, with the exception of our two Audience Choice Awards which are voted on by attendees during the Festival.
Awards Presentation
Join us on June 6, 2026 at 2:00 PM at the TIFF Lightbox to honour Indigenous excellence in film and media arts at our annual Awards Presentation event.
We are always excited to celebrate Indigenous achievements in film and media arts with generous support from our partners and individual donors.
Each year, the imagineNATIVE Awards Presentation showcases a selection of exceptional works from our Festival. Each recipient is selected by filmmakers and industry professionals from the Festival’s independent programming team and juries, with the exception of our two Audience Choice Awards which are voted on by attendees during the Festival.
Please join us: Saturday, June 6 at 2 PM at the TIFF Lightbox (link or activation to purchase ticket)
2026 Awards
August Schellenberg Award of Excellence
with support from ACTRA National and Joan Karasevich
$2,500
Launched in partnership with Joan Karasevich Schellenberg to honour her late husband, legendary actor August (Augie) Schellenberg and the spirit of his work, this award is presented to gifted Indigenous actors from across Turtle Island based on the longevity and impact of their careers, as well as their professionalism and involvement in mentorship and community work.
Gail Maurice
Innovation in Storytelling Award in honour of Kent Monkman
with support from Kent Monkman and imagineNATIVE
$7,500
This category recognizes short films which push boundaries and deliver the unexpected with an inventive and unconventional approach to form, content, storytelling, or structure. This award is supported by, and named in honour of, Kent Monkman, a boundary-pushing artist and former imagineNATIVE board member.
WAT WAS HIE?
Luke De Kock
Animated Short Award
$2,500
This award recognizes short films which feature animation techniques such as claymation, kaleidoscopic effects, hand-drawn, computer, cutout, stop-motion, pixelation, pinscreen, camera multiple pass-imagery, and more.
I Duok om I Bohuntung –
The Owl and the Rainbow
Jo Luping
Documentary Short Award
with support from Blue Ant Media
$2,500
This category recognizes nonfiction short films that artistically engage with historical, cultural, social, economic, scientific, or other subjects based on fact.
IXIM (el amor no tiene género)
Alex PV
Documentary Feature Award in honour of Alanis Obomsawin
with support from TVO
$5,000
Awarded to a nonfiction feature length film that engages artistically with historical, cultural, social, economic, scientific, or other subjects based on fact,. this award is named in recognition of the legacy of renowned documentarian Alanis Obomsawin.
Aanikoobijigan [ancestor/great-grandparent/great-grandchild]
Adam Khalil, Zack Khalil
New Voice in Storytelling Award in honour of Jane Glassco and Ellen Monague
with support from the CJ Foundation in recognition of Jane Glassco
$5,000
This award honours an emerging filmmaker who has less than three years of experience in their practice, regardless of their age or their work’s genre or length, and has completed or is finishing at least one independent film or video work. This award is named in honour of Jane Glassco and Ellen Monague, two artists devoted to Indigenous issues and youth.
Are You Native?
Victoria Cheyenne
Experimental Audio Award
with support from the Canadian Music Centre
$2,500
This category recognizes excellence in works which push the boundaries of audio formats using experimental practices.
Radiant Starlets (Original Soundtrack) | DR3AM ON
Alexander Jeffrey Walker
Narrative Audio Award
with support from Meriläinen Müsic Inc.
$2,500
Awarded in recognition of an exceptional audio work such as a podcast, audio drama, radio play, or other narrative audio format.
Words and Culture | It Takes a Village
Kim Wheeler
New Artist in Digital + Interactive Award
with support from Humber Polytechnic Indigenous Education & Engagement
$2,500
This award recognizes innovation and excellence in digital and interactive media developed by an early career artist.
Kinship Table, la taab di li vwaazayn
Robyn Adams
Digital + Interactive Award
with support from imagineNATIVE
This award recognizes innovation and excellence in digital and interactive media developed by mid-career and established artists.
Toroa: Skycall
Atawhai Interactive
Live Action Short Award
with support from imagineNATIVE and Vtape
$7,500
A live action film that is 40 minutes or less including all credits and uses narrative storytelling and imagery created primarily through practical photographic techniques used to capture physical actors, props, sets, and locations. This does not include documentaries, animated works, music videos, or experimental works. The winner of this award is put forward to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to be considered for an Academy Award.
Jülapüin Yonna (The Dream of Dance)
Luzbeidy Monterrosa Atencio
Outstanding Performance in a Short
with support from Jigsaw Casting
$2,500
This award recognizes the outstanding performance of a lead actor in a dramatic short film.
Gaza Bride 17
Saleh Bakri
Outstanding Performance in a Feature
with support from Cherokee Film Commission
$2,500
This award recognizes the outstanding performance of a lead actor in a dramatic feature film.
Mārama
Ariāna Osborne
After Dark Award in honour of Jeff Barnaby
with support from Netflix
$2,500
Awarded to genre-bending films, this award honours the memory of Jeff Barnaby, a fearless auteur in genre filmmaking who often melded horror, sci-fi, and thrillers interchangeably and whose style defied the western gaze on Indigenous Peoples, hailing them as resilient and strong survivors and heroes.
Klee
Gavin Baird
Indigenous Language Production Award
with support from Indigenous Media Initiatives
$7,500
This award is for a film of any genre or length whose sole or primary language is an Indigenous language.
Shaaghan Neekwaii
(Two Old Women)
Princess Daazhraii Johnson
Sun Jury Award
with support from the Indigenous Screen Office
$2,500
Awarded in recognition of an outstanding work, regardless of length or genre, determined by imagineNATIVE’s Sun Jury.
AKI
Darlene Naponse
Moon Jury Award
with support from Kashif
$2,500
Awarded in recognition of an outstanding work, regardless of length or genre, determined by imagineNATIVE’s Moon Jury.
Mangittatuarjuk
(The Gnawer of Rocks)
Louise Flaherty
Dramatic Feature Award
with support from imagineNATIVE
$7,500
This award recognizes a feature length, live action film which uses narrative storytelling and imagery created primarily through practical photographic techniques to capture physical actors, props, sets, and locations.
Mārama
Taratoa Stappard
Audience Choice Feature Award
with support from BMO
$2,500
Awarded to the most popular feature film selected through audience voting during the Festival.
Mārama
Taratoa Stappard
Audience Choice Short Award
with support from BMO
$2,500
Awarded to the most popular short film selected through audience voting during the Festival.