Farewell, Park City. And thanks for the high-elevation nosebleeds memories! SAGindie gathered on the mountain for the final Utah edition of the Sundance Film Festival (also the first fest since the death of Sundance founder Robert Redford), which took place from January 22 to February 1, 2026.
Before the fest departs next year for Boulder, Colorado, there was one last hurrah of film screenings, panels, and parties. While bidding farewell to the town that has hosted the festival for over 40 years, attendees could see not only the slate of new projects being unveiled for the first time, but also a few “greatest hits” from festivals past (including House Party, Saw, Half Nelson, and Little Miss Sunshine).
Also a greatest hit from Sundances of yore, SAGindie hosted our 29th annual gatherings for actors and filmmakers, offering a bit of food and shelter from the cold, plus a chance to mingle with fellow creatives. We want to thank the hosts of our 29th Annual Actors Only Brunch, Ali Ahn, Danielle Brooks, Tatiana Maslany, Rob Morgan, and Will Price; and the hosts of our 29th Annual Filmmakers Luncheon, Stephanie Ahn, Josephine Decker, PJ McCabe, Walter Thompson-Hernandez, David Wain, and Cathy Yan.
A special thanks to Cafe Terigo, our brunch venue for nearly three decades. Thanks for the hospitality, the coffee, and the bacon.
See the SAGindie staff’s favorite films of Sundance ’26, plus our most fond memories of Park City. Also, check out which films took home Sundance Awards below.
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Darrien’s Favorites:
My favorite was Josephine, which won the Audience Award [and Grand Jury Prize]. I am a sucker for a fantastic child actor.
My favorite and least favorite moment was looking around at the end of our last Filmmaker reception and thinking about how many great producers and directors we’ve had over the years. One of my favorites was Joel Schumacher.
Eliza’s Favorites:
My favorite narrative film was The Only Living Pickpocket in New York, and my favorite doc was Barbara Forever.
None of my favorite memories from Park City are fit to print.
Colin’s Favorites:
Favorite Sundance ’26 Movie was Hanging by a Wire.
As for favorite memories of Park City, well, I somehow ended up front row at both a Taylor Dayne concert and a Machine Gun Kelly concert, so if that doesn’t show you the unexpected ways that Sundance in Park City could bring diverse experiences into your life, I don’t know what does.
Shefali’s Favorites:
My favorite features were Hot Water (in person) and Bedford Park (online). Shorts were Pankaja (narrative), Hugs (animated), and The Boys and the Bees (documentary). Also really liked Bait (episodic)!
Favorite memories from Park City: definitely Cafe Terigo and our events every year and all the staff there because they are so kind! And hanging out with the cat at Dolly’s Bookstore (although he hid this year because of the crowds lol).
Michael’s Favorites:
My two favorite Park City moments:
- Winning an award for our short film at Slamdance and then partying or brains out (with stolen wine) at a tiny shared hotel room on Main St.
- Every SAGinde brunch, but most especially the one where my 4-year-old chatted it up with Alden Ehrenreich.
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2026 Sundance Film Festival Winners:
Grand Jury Awards – Dramatic
- U.S. Grand Jury Prize – Dramatic: Josephine
- Directing Award – U.S. Dramatic: Josef Kubota Wladyka, Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!
- Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award – U.S. Dramatic: Liz Sargent, Take Me Home
- U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Debut Feature: Stephanie Ahn, Bedford Park
- U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast: The Friend’s House is Here
- World Cinema Grand Jury Prize – Dramatic: Shame and Money
- Directing Award – World Cinema Dramatic: Andrius Blaževičius, How to Divorce During the War
- World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Creative Vision: Filipiñana
- World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting Ensemble: Lady
- NEXT Innovator Award: The Incomer
- NEXT Special Jury Award for Creative Expression: TheyDream
Grand Jury Awards – Documentary
- U.S. Grand Jury Prize – Documentary: Nuisance Bear
- Directing Award – U.S. Documentary: J.M. Harper, Soul Patrol
- Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award – U.S. Documentary: Matt Hixon, Barbara Forever
- U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Impact for Change: The Lake
- U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Journalistic Excellence: Who Killed Alex Odeh?
- World Cinema Grand Jury Prize – Documentary: To Hold a Mountain
- Directing Award – World Cinema Documentary: Itab Azzam and Jack MacInnes, One In A Million
- World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Civil Resistance: Everybody to Kenmure Street
- World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Journalistic Impact: Birds of War
Grand Jury Awards – Shorts
- Short Film Grand Jury Prize: The Baddest Speechwriter of All
- Short Film Jury Award – U.S. Fiction: Crisis Actor
- Short Film Jury Award – International Fiction: Jazz Infernal
- Short Film Jury Award – Non-Fiction: The Boys and the Bees
- Short Film Jury Award – Animation: Living with a Visionary
- Short Film Special Jury Award for Creative Vision: Paper Trail
- Short Film Special Jury Award for Acting: Noah Roja and Filippo Carrozza, The Liars
Audience Awards
- Audience Award – U.S. Dramatic: Josephine
- Audience Award – U.S. Documentary: American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez
- Audience Award – NEXT: Aanikoobijigan
- Audience Award – World Cinema Dramatic: Hold Onto Me
- Audience Award – World Cinema Documentary: One In A Million
Additional Awards
- Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize: In the Blink of an Eye
- Sundance Institute/Amazon MGM Studios Producers Award – Nonfiction: Dawne Langford, Who Killed Alex Odeh?
- Sundance Institute/Amazon MGM Studios Producers Award – Fiction: Apoorva Guru Charan, Take Me Home
- Sundance Institute/Adobe Mentorship Award – Nonfiction: Flavia de Souza
- Sundance Institute/Adobe Mentorship Award – Fiction: Mollie Goldstein
- Sundance Institute/NHK Award: Leo Aguirre, Verano
- Gayle Stevens Award: Nori Huntsman
CONGRATS TO THE 2026 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL AWARD-WINNERS. SEE YOU NEXT YEAR IN BOULDER!
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