The 45th Vancouver International Film Festival announced its 2026 juried award winners Wednesday night, with “Nina Roza” taking the top prize, alongside “In the Heart of the South” and “How We Stand.” The festival closes Oct. 11.
Major Categories And Winners
The festival awarded prizes across six competitions, according to Variety:
- Summit Award: “Nina Roza,” directed by Geneviève Dulude-De Celles
- Horizon Award: “In the Heart of the South,” directed by Nyla Innuksuk
- Arbutus Award: “How We Stand,” directed by Marie Clements
- Tides Award: “Ceremony,” directed by Banchi Hanuse
- Vanguard Award: “Hear the Yellow,” directed by Banu Sıvacı
- Short Forum Award: “Pre-Parenting,” directed by Yu Yu
“Nina Roza,” directed by Geneviève Dulude-De Celles, follows a protagonist returning to his hometown for the first time in 28 years, drawn back by mystery surrounding a young artistic prodigy. The jury praised its “compassionate exploration of the immigrant experience, identity and belonging,” noting, “We all know what it’s like to long for home. We were all enamored by this film’s direction, authentic performances, stunning cinematography, and evocative music.”
“In the Heart of the South” features performances by Anna Lambe and Zorga Qaunaq. The jury praised its “polished cinematic approach” as a “strong example of Canadian cinema.”
Marie Clements’ “How We Stand”, which won the Arbutus Award for British Columbia filmmaking, tells the story of sisters separated by tragedy. The jury said it confronts “difficult and traumatic history by bringing it into vivid, real, human focus,” with “surrealist style, deft storytelling, heart, and powerful heroines” that “entertain, educate and demand self-reflection, as individuals, and as a society.”
What The Other Winners Explored
Banchi Hanuse’s “Ceremony” (Tides Award) documents the disappearance of ooligan fish from Bella Coola and the Nuxalk Nation’s efforts to protect and preserve its lands and waters. “Through beautiful cinematography and inventive storytelling, the film documents the strengths of community members consistently challenging the boundaries of imposed systems,” the jury said. Taiwan-based filmmaker Yu Yu won the Short Forum Award for the animated film “Pre-Parenting.”
Banu Sıvacı took the Vanguard Award for “Hear the Yellow,” which the jury praised for its “remarkable depth,” “originality” and “emotional precision.” The jury noted that through “bold character work and intelligent use of metaphor, it transports us into a vividly specific landscape while creating a powerful dialogue between rural and urban, and a family separated by time.”
Special Mentions
The festival also recognized standout films with special mentions across categories: Ian Bawa’s “Strong Son” (Summit), Nathan Donovan’s “Clubfoot” (Horizon), Carol Nguyen’s “Still Night, Burning House” (Tides), Hayley Gray and Kaayla Whachell’s “Send the Rain” (Arbutus), Samuel Urbina’s “That Shadow Fading” (Vanguard) and Kamal Aljafari’s “Going Home” (Short Forum).
What’s Next
The festival closes Oct. 11.
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