Award Winners

2024 Award Winners

Audience Award Winners

Narrative Feature: Bob Trevino Likes It
Documentary Feature: Luther: Never Too Much
Narrative Short: Irma
Documentary Short: Makayla’s Voice

Programmers’ Award Winners

Narrative Feature: We Shall Not Be Moved
Documentary Feature: The Bitter Pill
Narrative Short: Evanescence
Documentary Short: Roommates

Achievement in Acting Award: Mikey Madison
Recognizes the craft, creativity, preparation, and dedication behind the exceptional performance of an actor.

Achievement in Animation Award: Adam Elliot
Recognizes the visual, narrative, and world-building achievement of an animation filmmaker.

Achievement in Screenwriting Award: Jack Huston
Recognizes the achievement of an exceptionally talented, creative, and compelling screenwriter.

Craft Award: Kalina Ivanov
Recognizes a distinguished and outstanding practitioner of behind-the-scenes film craft (Art Direction, Casting, Cinematography, Costume, Editing, Production Design, Sound Mix and Design).

Chronicler Award: Dawn Porter
Recognizes a documentary filmmaker who has demonstrated excellence, creative vision, and significant achievement in non-fiction filmmaking.

Directorial Achievement Award: Alex Ross Perry
Celebrates the achievement of an accomplished director whose vision and talent have moved cinema forward.

Governor Gerald L. Baliles Founder’s Award: Ellen Casey Wagner & Paul Wagner
Named for the Founder of the Virginia Film Festival, and 65th Governor of Virginia. Recognizes excellence in Virginia filmmaking and honors an exceptional filmmaker who has roots in Virginia or prominently spotlights Commonwealth locales, history, and culture in their work.

Impresario Award: NEON
Recognizes a groundbreaking individual or company in the entertainment industry who has nurtured new forms of film distribution, built audience engagement, and pushed the cinema-going experience forward.

NEON Founder and CEO Tom Quinn to accept award on the company’s behalf. The award is accompanied by a tribute highlighting new NEON films throughout the Festival: Anora, The End, Men of War, The Seed of a Sacred Fig, and Presence.

Virtuoso Award: Lamorne Morris
Recognizes the achievement of a remarkably talented, innovative, and multi-faceted actor for a noteworthy film performance during this season.

2023 Award Winners

Audience Award Winners

Narrative Feature: Origin
Documentary Feature: American Symphony
Narrative Short: Dreams of Home
Documentary Short: Black Godfather of Scuba

Programmers’ Award Winners

Narrative Feature: American Fiction
Documentary Feature: No Ordinary Campaign
Narrative Short: For the Moon
Documentary Short: 1-15-41

Visionary Award: Ava DuVernay
Honors an artist whose filmography has changed the course of modern cinema.

Directorial Achievement Award: Matthew Heineman
Recognizes the achievement of an exceptionally talented, creative, and compelling director.

Breakthrough Director Award: Cord Jefferson
Celebrates a director who have achieved excellence with their directorial debut.

Changemaker Award: Nikki Giovanni
Recognizes an artist who has been a force for positive change, both within the entertainment industry and beyond.

Chronicler Award: Nicole Newnham
Recognizes a documentary filmmaker who has demonstrated excellence, creative vision, and significant achievement in non-fiction filmmaking.

Craft Award: Kazu Hiro
Recognizes a distinguished and outstanding practitioner of behind-the-scenes film craft (Art Direction, Casting, Cinematography, Costume, Editing, Production Design, Sound Mix and Design).

Governor Gerald L. Baliles Founder’s Award: Ricardo Preve
Named for the Founder of the Virginia Film Festival, and 65th Governor of Virginia. Recognizes excellence in Virginia filmmaking and honors an exceptional filmmaker who has roots in Virginia or prominently spotlights Commonwealth locales, history, and culture in their work.

2022 Award Winners

Audience Award Winners

Narrative Feature: Living
Documentary Feature: Dani’s Twins
Narrative Short: Night Ride
Documentary Short: Stranger at the Gate

Programmers’ Award Winners

Narrative Feature: Karaoke
Documentary Feature: Refuge
Narrative Short: Home of the Brave
Documentary Short: Tuning René Marie

Screenwriting Achievement Award: Meg LeFauve
Recognizes the achievement of an exceptionally talented, creative, and compelling screenwriter.

Breakthrough Star Award: Jonathan Majors
Acknowledges an exceptional early to mid-career actor for on-screen achievement.

Changemaker Award: Dustin Lance Black
Recognizes a filmmaker who has been a force for positive change, both within the entertainment industry and beyond.

Chronicler Award: Sam Pollard
Recognizes a documentary filmmaker who has demonstrated excellence, creative vision, and significant achievement in non-fiction filmmaking.

Craft Award: Eugenio Caballero
Recognizes a distinguished and outstanding practitioner of behind-the-scenes film craft (Art Direction, Casting, Cinematography, Costume, Editing, Production Design, Sound Mix and Design).

Governor Gerald L. Baliles Founder’s Award: Jamie Sisley
Named for the Founder of the Virginia Film Festival, and 65th Governor of Virginia. Recognizes excellence in Virginia filmmaking and honors an exceptional filmmaker who has roots in Virginia or prominently spotlights Commonwealth locales, history, and culture in their work.