Here are the Jury Award winners for the 2026 Milwaukee Film Festival

The 2026 Milwaukee Film Festival is currently on Day 12, which means there are only a few days left before things wrap up on April 30. So get out there and see some films! Need help choosing those films? Perhaps you’d be interested in some award-winning selections…

On Sunday at Vier North, Milwaukee Film announced the Jury Award winners for MFF26. Categories included Emerging Fiction, Cream City Cinema, Kids’ Choice, and more. The Audience Awards will be tabulated and announced after the festival.

So without further ado, here are the 2026 Milwaukee Film Festival Jury Award winners, courtesy of Milwaukee Film! Congrats, all!

Luminaries Jury Award – $2,500
THE BLUE TRAIL, dir. Gabriel Mascaro

Luminaries Jury:
Gilberto Blasini-Caceres, UWM
Gavin Briscoe, Cartuna x Dweck
Marya E. Gates, film critic

Emerging Fiction Jury Award – $2,500
BLUE HERON, dir. Sophy Romvari

Special Mention:
If I Go Will They Miss Me?, dir. Walter Thompson-Hernández

Emerging Fiction Jury:
Colton Campbell, Art House Convergence
Bri LeRose, filmmaker
Grace Mitchell, filmmaker

Emerging Documentary Jury Award – $2,500
ALL OF THE ABOVE, dir. Allison Walsh

Special Mention:
TheyDream, dir. William David Caballero

Emerging Documentary Jury:
Paige Bethmann, MFF alum and 2025 Emerging Documentary Jury Award winner (Remaining Native)
Cayla Clements, POV
William Howell, MFF alum and 2025 Cream City Cinema Jury Award winner (Cycle)

Cream City Cinema Jury Award – $5,000 + in-kind production services valued at $23,600
BEYOND, dir. Michael Kleiman, Asia Johnson
PLACEHOLDER, dir. Jesse McLean
THICK & SWEET, dir. Yinan Wang

Special Mentions:
Fred’s Basement Bijou – dir. Michael T. Vollmann
Now! More! Yes! – dir. Max Hey

Cream City Cinema Jury:
Robert Daniel, film critic and associate editor at RogerEbert.com
Jonathan DeMaio, 1-2 Special
Kelly Young, Sundance Film Festival

Shorts Jury Award – $1,000
WE WERE HERE, dir. Pranav Bhasin

Special Mention:
Talk Me, dir. Joecar Hanna-Zhang
Callback, dir. Matthew Puccini

Shorts Jury:
Carlo Besasie, filmmaker
Alan LaFave, Hell’s Half Mile Film Festival
Dominique O’Neil, San Francisco Jewish Film Festival

Kids’ Choice Jury Award – $1,000
THE LEGEND OF THE HUMMINGBIRD, dir. Morgan Devos

Special Mentions:
Best Characters: The Naughty Seat, dir. David Johnson
Best Humor: Forever, dir. Théo Djekou, Pierre Ferrari, Cyrine Jouini, Pauline Philippart, Anissa Terrier
Most Inspiring: Mountain Roots, dir. Carrie McCarthy, Mark Pedri
Best Animation: Snow Bear, dir. Aaron Blaise

Abele Catalyst Award
MATTHEW G. HELMERICH