SXSW 2026 Winners: ‘Wishful Thinking’ with Lewis Pullman & Maya Hawke Wins Best Narrative Feature
SXSW Unveils 2023 Film & TV Festival Award Winners
South by Southwest (SXSW) has released the winners of its Film & TV Festival Jury and Special Awards, celebrating outstanding creativity and talent among filmmakers and designers in this year’s program.
The Narrative Feature award was won by Wishful Thinking, featuring performances by Lewis Pullman and Maya Hawke. Additionally, Susan Kent received the Special Jury Award for Performance for her work in The Snake.
“This week reminded me, once again, why we do this,” said Claudette Godfrey, Vice President of Film & TV. “The world has felt heavy. But inside our theaters, something extraordinary happened. Strangers became collaborators, audiences showed up with their whole hearts, and filmmaker after filmmaker reminded us exactly why we gather. We are so proud to celebrate this year’s jury and special award winners. Trust us, you’re going to be hearing a lot more from them.”
All projects presented at the Film & TV Festival will be eligible for category-specific Audience Awards, with voting concluding on Wednesday, March 18. The winners will be announced later this week.
Jury and Special Award Winners
Narrative Feature Competition
Winner: Wishful Thinking directed by Graham Parkes
“Taking audiences on a funny, wild, and surprisingly poignant ride, this film follows an electric couple who have a once-in-a-lifetime connection, but soon realize their combustible energy has drastic consequences to the outside world. Remarkable performances conjure grounded, rarely explored moments in everyday relationships while balancing dramedy with a genre twist in an impressive achievement that deserves high praise.”
Special Jury Award for Performance: Susan Kent, The Snake
“With a fearless attitude and a determined spirit, this actor won over the jury with her showstopping performance. Playing the film’s central character, a wild child looking to make better decisions after a lifetime of antagonism from her mother and a string of disappointing men, she holds little back while living out her character’s worst impulses. Yet she finds the tender, quiet moments for her character to rebuild her life away from anger. Her performance is a masterclass in how the right actor transforms a role and demands to be seen.”
Special Jury Award for Screenwriting: Robb Boardman, Cory Loykasek, Donny Divianian, and Frankie Quinones, Plantman & Blondie: A Dress Up Gang Film
“How perfect that a caper comedy about solitary men connecting with their neighbors is itself a tribute to collaboration. Together, four screenwriters assembled a script of impressive intricacy and ambition that’s at once serious about the crisis of social isolation while also being a super silly good time. The themes are universal; the jokes and callbacks are tight, specific, and hilarious. Best of all, every character in this gigantic ensemble gets a moment to shine. Now that’s teamwork.”
Documentary Feature Competition
Winner: Summer 2000: The X-Cetra Story directed by Ayden Mayeri
“Avidly weaving individual stories into a cohesive whole, this delightful and poignant ode to the creativity of childhood examines the bonds of its subjects and how growing up eroded them. Rather than stepping into an account with a predetermined conclusion, the viewer bears witness to how these four women navigate the thorny road to mending their relationships and reconnect with a part of themselves they had long neglected.”
Special Jury Award: The Last Critic directed by Matty Wishnow
“A charming, smart, intimate, and affectionate story with a likable down-to-earth subject. What makes it exceptional is how the director seamlessly builds out a larger context. Through the lens of his subject’s astonishingly long-lived career, the film becomes a wistful memory of old New York, an examination of the ways the media and music industries have changed over the years, and a celebration of a frequently misunderstood but vibrant and essential art form.”
Special Jury Award: Stormbound directed by Miko Lim
“An exquisite example of visual storytelling, this film takes audiences into the eye of the most terrifying hurricanes. The director, cinematographer, and the film’s protagonist used the camera to create a visceral experience that is unparalleled among this year’s competition.”
Short Film Competition
Narrative Short Competition Winner: Souvenir directed by Renée Marie Petropoulos
“Led by moving, raw performances, this film meets viewers in an intimate space. Layering the complexities of love, trust, and the vulnerability of being perceived, this short is a beautiful piece of storytelling that sheds light on the most intrinsic and intimidating aspects of relationships and girlhood.”
Special Jury Award: Supper directed by Savannah Braswell
“The Special Jury Award honors this project for refusing to be the film you expect and for surprising the audience with a twist that challenges our assumptions. In this digital era of parasocial relationships, this story meets us exactly where we are and dismantles our assumptions about true connection through a moving and generous lens.”
Documentary Short Competition Winner: In The Morning Sun directed by Serville Poblete
“This film thoughtfully captures the pull of returning to a place once called home. The beautifully crafted imagery reveals a family story full of humor, fear, and heart. With honesty and care, it balances the lightness of childhood with the weight of loss, shaping a film that feels intimate, clear, and deeply human.”
Special Jury Award: Eructation directed by Victoria Trow
“A fun, informative, breath of fresh air that is visually playful and encourages sonic curiosity. This film is a quirky character study that demonstrates ambition can be applied to even the most obscure pursuits. Delightful and surprising.”
Animated Short Competition Winner: Paper Trail directed by Don Hertzfeldt
“Starting, as an artist must, on a blank page, the filmmaker takes us on an extremely intimate journey in an entirely novel way. To watch the protagonist grow across a lifetime – through nothing but his scribbles – is visceral, nostalgic, and emotional. It’s impossible for the audience not to be transported into their own memories, hopes, and fears.”
Special Jury Award: Hag directed by Anna Ginsburg
“The one word that all the jurors kept repeating for this short was VOICE. This story is both relatable and totally bonkers in the best way, thanks to the craftsmanship and auteurship of the filmmaker. Its zany, high-wire humor is matched by sharp deliberate creative choices that never lose sight of character.”
Midnight Short Competition Winner: Tongue directed by Lim Da Seul
“Offering a sharp, satirical taste of a wife suffering under the nonstop talking of her mansplaining husband, the director pulls us fully into the wife’s unique point of view without her uttering a single word, relying instead on an impressive score, meticulous sound design, and expert acting. The film demands our attention, marking Lim as a vital new voice whose transition into feature filmmaking cannot come soon enough.”
Special Jury Award: Man Eating Pussy directed by Emily Lawson
“For this special Avant-garde prize, we honor a work of uncompromising audacity that ventures far out to deliver a vision as imaginative as it is unapologetic. A conceptually bold, daring, and visceral short that lingers long after the credits roll.”
Texas Short Competition Winner: Forcefield of Love directed by Liz Moskowitz and Riley Engemoen
“This film captivates through the vibrancy of its characters and an innovative, imaginative approach to storytelling. Balancing intimacy, truth, and authenticity, it reveals a deeply human search for unconditional, nonjudgmental love that we can all aspire to.”
Special Jury Award for Standout Ensemble: Stalin Boys directed by Ora DeKornfeld and Bianca Giaever
“Within this distinctive coming-of-age story, a group of inspiring students navigates an evolving educational landscape with imagination and courage. What emerges is something boldly outside the box yet deeply personal—an exploration of identity through art that reflects a generation eager to learn beyond the limits of textbooks.”
Music Video Competition Winner: Rawayana and Bomba Estereo – Fogata directed by Paola Ossa
“Through its nuanced, artistic approach, this video conveys a sense of emotion that’s powerful and sincere. A gorgeous narrative unfolds through the director’s choice of shots, cinematography, and sound design.”
Special Jury Award: Doechii – Anxiety directed by James Mackel
“This music video is an example of every element of filmmaking firing on all engines. Every choice is intentional, working brilliantly with the song’s theme of navigating neurosis born from mental chaos.”
Independent TV Pilot Competition Winner: In My Blood from Showrunner and Director Alex Bendo
“Driven by precise storytelling, stellar cinematography, and visceral sound design, this genre-bending pilot takes us on a gruesome journey exploring obsessive nature in pursuit of perfection.”
Special Jury Award: Son of a Bikram from Showrunners and Screenwriters Ash T and Johnny Rey Diaz
“This unique spin on cultural identity crisis immerses viewers in a surreal universe where you should never meet your heroes.”
XR Experience Competition Winner: Body Proxy by Danny Cannizzaro and Samantha Gorman
“This project impressed the jury with its exemplary use of AI in service of innovative storytelling.”
Special Jury Award: The Forgotten War by Hayoun Kwon
“Through embodiment and testimony, this project reminds us that war leaves every body marked and every nation with wounds that can remain open for generations.”
Special Awards
Agog Immersive Impact Award: A Long Goodbye directed by Kate Voet and Victor Maes
“This project moved the jury with its hauntingly beautiful portrayal of love and memory at the edge of disappearance.”
Green Lens Award: Plantman & Blondie: A Dress Up Gang Film directed by Robb Boardman
“A refreshingly creative reflection on connection, responsibility, and what it means to care for the world around us.”
Janet Pierson Champion Award: Benjamin Wiessner
“This award highlights someone with an independent spirit, a collaborative nature, and a valiant supporter of the independent film ecosystem.”
NEON Auteur Award: The Peril at Pincer Point directed by Jake Kuhn and Noah Stratton-Twine
“Miraculously, this film feels like it’s willing itself into existence as you’re watching it.”
Redbreast Unhidden Award: We Were Here directed by Pranav Bhasin
“A clever and funny perspective on the everyday infiltration of technology into our lives, capturing the balance between the absurd, the alarming, and the all-important power of imperfect love.”
SXSW Best of Texas Award: Stages directed by Ryan Booth
“Ryan Booth’s Stages is both a heartfelt tribute to what it takes to endure in an often unforgiving industry and a moving portrait of life as an artist in and around Texas.”
Vimeo Staff Pick: Mantis Stream! Like & Subscribe directed by Lincoln Robisch and Sarah Maerten (CLUSTERFUCK!)
“A disturbing downward spiral into the underworld of the internet, this film is a heart attack, a kink-fest, and a funeral for our attention span.”
The Jury Awards recognized projects across various categories, including Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature, Short Films, Independent TV Pilots, Music Videos, Poster Design, and XR Experience Awards. Special Awards highlighted projects that inspire creativity and reflect vital themes in today’s world.
