EXCLUSIVE: NewFilmmakers Los Angeles has introduced the winners of its 14th annual Better of NFMLA Awards, honoring “among the most fun rising voices in impartial cinema right now.”
Nani Sahra Walker received the 2026 Finest New Filmmaker Award, together with the $2,500 Anthony Rhulen Scholarship (awarded in reminiscence of the movie producer recognized for The butterfly impact And Slevin fortunate quantity). Walker obtained this honor for his first narrative function movie, Shakthiwhich celebrated its premiere in Los Angeles through NFMLA.
Shakthia couple of single mom “drawn into the supernatural world of shamans and secrets and techniques of Kathmandu” after her mischievous daughter falls sick, received 4 awards on the prestigious Heartland Movie Competition in Indianapolis, together with greatest narrative function and greatest director.
The NFMLA Awards are chosen by a jury of 29 leisure trade professionals representing the disciplines of movie and tv growth, manufacturing, distribution and artistic. Jurors included Emmanuel Grinda, head of worldwide tv and digital distribution at Lionsgate, and Andrea Alarcón of the Sundance Institute.
Crystal Mountain Films
In an announcement, winner Nani Sahra Walker stated: “I’m deeply honored to obtain the Finest New Filmmaker award from NewFilmmakers LA. Shakthi is a movie that I spent years bringing to life, impressed by private and collective tales of resilience. I’ve all the time believed that nice cinema can encourage compassion, and this recognition conjures up me to proceed telling tales that carry folks collectively throughout cultures and experiences. I’m grateful to NFMLA for believing in my work and fostering such a beneficiant artistic group.
This yr marked the launch of a brand new partnership between the Better of NFMLA Awards and Shine World, which launched the Shine World Resilience Award “to acknowledge and rejoice movies and filmmakers that showcase kids’s resilience and power within the face of adversity.” The prize was awarded to the very best worldwide quick movie, nominated in a comedy. A day directed by Yazmeen Kanji and Maryam Remtulla. This honor contains $2,500 in addition to assist, amplification and engagement by way of the Shine World staff and community.
Winners within the Finest Drama Quick Movie, Finest Comedy Quick Movie, Finest Worldwide Drama Quick Movie, Finest Worldwide Comedy Quick Movie and Finest Characteristic Movie classes will obtain a bundle of Leisure Companions’ Film Magic planning and budgeting software program.
Winners of the Finest Characteristic Movie and Finest Characteristic Documentary awards will every obtain a platinum badge on the American Movie Market (AFM) which runs November 10-15 in Los Angeles. Courtesy of the Impartial Movie & Tv Alliance (IFTA), the worldwide commerce affiliation for the impartial movie and tv trade, the badge supplies privileged entry to the AFM, “the place 1000’s of leisure professionals come collectively every year to find, finance and promote tasks, forge partnerships and form the way forward for our trade.”
NFMLA
Scroll down for the total record of awards from the 14th Annual Better of NFMLA Awards.
Jurors Emmanuel Grinda and Andrea Alarcón spoke concerning the high quality of the group of 84 nominees in 16 classes. “It’s a privilege to acknowledge and rejoice such an unimaginable array of rising filmmaking expertise from around the globe,” Grinda stated.
Jury member Alarcón stated, “I got here away energized by the outstanding mixture of rising worldwide and U.S.-based filmmakers and the globally resonant tales they carry to the world. Amid the troublesome sociopolitical realities we at present navigate, I used to be struck by the thoughtfulness, creative ambition, and immense braveness with which these filmmakers strategy their work. It was a privilege to spend time with these movies, and I’m grateful to the NFMLA for fostering an area that defends rising artists and cultural dialogue.
Right here is the total record of winners from the 14th Annual Better of NFMLA Awards:
Finest New Filmmaker
Nani Sahra Walker
Shine Prize for World Resilience
A day directed by Yazmeen Kanji and Maryam Remtulla
Finest Characteristic Movie
Give up – Directed by Jess Dang and produced by Jessica Olthof and Darren Haruo Rae
Finest Documentary Characteristic
Moses – Directed by Fran Guijarro and produced by Fran Guijarro, Juli Lopez and Diya Guha
Finest quick movie, documentary
Between Fireplace and Moonlight – Directed by Dominic Yarabe and produced by Dominic Yarabe & Carlo Nasisse
Honorable point out:
Like a spiral – Directed by Lamia Chraibi and produced by Patricia Bergeron & Ghassan Fayad
Finest quick movie, comedy
Shrimp star – Directed by Mitch Deitz and produced by Judy Febles
Finest Quick Movie, Drama
Corpse fishing – Directed by Jean Liu and produced by Sarah Park
Finest Worldwide Quick Movie, Comedy
little fowl – Directed by Natalia García Agraza and produced by Daniela Mosca
Finest Worldwide Quick Movie, Drama
Nocturnal faces – Directed by Martin Winter, Stefan Langthaler and produced by Alfie Ángel, Victoria Herbig, Stefan Langthaler and Martin Winter
Finest Animated Quick Movie
Flocked – Directed by Esther Casas Roura and produced by Esther Casas Roura and Juan Carlos Concha
Finest New Media and Experimental
The aquarium – Directed by Victoria Garza and produced by Cecilia Chávez Hita
Finest screenplay
Imaginative and prescient – Written by Dan Parris and Theodore Simpson
Finest Efficiency, Comedy
Ilhan Abdullahi, With out reservation
Finest Efficiency, Drama
Sonja from Rome, Nocturnal faces
Finest Cinematography
Evan Weidenkeller, Daybreak each day
Finest Movie Enhancing
Sean Puglisi, Road Sensible: classes from a tv icon
Finest sound design
Dominic Yarabe and Shirley Yumeng He, Between Fireplace and Moonlight
Finest score
David Melchior, Janis Ian: Breaking the Silence
NFMLA is a year-round arts and cultural nonprofit group devoted to selling impartial filmmakers and content material creators. By means of the month-to-month NFMLA Movie Competition and a rising array of instructional packages, workshops, competitions, networking alternatives and trade partnerships, NFMLA supplies rising artists with platforms for publicity, skilled growth and significant trade connections.