The Nashville Film Festival is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2026 Film, Screenwriting, and Pitch Competitions. From bold narratives to inventive craft and unforgettable performances, this year’s lineup showcased the depth and range of independent filmmaking at its finest.
This year’s winners were selected by juries made up of acclaimed filmmakers, seasoned industry professionals, and devoted scholars, who brought their insight and passion to the task of selecting winners across fourteen diverse film competition categories. See the full jury list here.
The winners were announced at the 2026 Film & Screenwriting Competition Award Ceremony on September 27, 2026, and our congratulations go out to each of them — their films reflect the artistry, courage, and vision that make contemporary cinema so vital. Audiences can catch these juried award winners back on the big screen as part of our “Best of the Fest” series, happening Monday, September 28, 2026.
2026 Film Competition
Click on the winners below to learn more about each film.
2026 Screenwriting Competition
2026 Pitch Competition
Congratulations to the winners of the 4th Annual Nashville Film Festival Pitch Competition! During the festival, 8 finalists in both the feature and episodic categories faced off in a live Pitch Competition before a panel of industry judges, who crowned these deserving winners.
