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IBDFF 2026 – Official Winners

(April 19, 2026)

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IBDFF 2026 Best Picture Winner:
Finding Solace Delivers a Gripping Psychological Thriller

Top Awards & Special Recognition

  • Best Picture Film – Finding Solace — United States

  • Best Performance Film – 2 Story Home — United States

  • Best Spoken Word Film – Shea, by Nasra — Canada

  • Best Film: By a Black Filmmaker – A Long Way Home — United States

  • Best Film: Black Female Filmmaker Canada – SEE THE CITY

  • Best Film: Female Filmmaker (International) – Life Gave Me A Twist — United States

  • Best First Film: By a Black Filmmaker – ONE FAITH — United States

  • Best First Film – Stepping Off with Juvey-D — United States

  • Best Drama: Black Female Filmmaker – LIFE, CONTINUED — United States

Short Films & Student Films

  • Best Short Film: By a Black Filmmaker – Memento Mori — Canada

  • Best Short Drama (Canada) – THE HOUSEMAID

  • Best Short Drama: By a Black Filmmaker (Canada) – Hiding At A Funeral

  • Best Short Film: By a Black Filmmaker (USA) – No Vagrancy

  • Best Short Film By a Black Filmmaker – International – The Space Between — USA

  • Best Short Film – Raw n Reel — United States

  • Best Short Film (Canada) – UNTHINKABLE Appetite

  • Best Short Film: International – Black Cake — United States

  • Best Short Student Film – Wand Day Rules — United States

  • Best Short Film Musical – LIAR — United States

  • Best Short Student Film (Canada) – BREAKING THROUGH — Canada

  • Best LGBTQ Short Film – Meet The Friends — United States

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Performance & Craft​

  • Best Performance – Short Film – Lowelyfe Episode 1: The Only Way Out Is Through — United States

  • Best Performing Artist – Nancy Adejor – Blues In the Middle of Christmas Night — Canada

  • Best Costume Design – Milton On The Runway — Canada

  • Best Makeup & Hairstyling – 2 Story Home — United States

  • Best Art Direction – TOGETHER — United States

  • Best Cinematography – At the Mercy of Faith — United States

  • Best Original Music / Score – Masterjam — United States

  • Best Visual Effects – Beyond the Limits (Pilot Episode: Act The Part) — United States

  • Best Movie Trailer – Via Dolorosa: The Path of Sorrows — Palestine

  • Best Photography – LE PORTRAIT — France

Best Picture Award – Finding Solace (United States)

IBDFF 2026 proudly awards Best Picture to Finding Solace, a gripping psychological thriller directed by Maurice Moore.

 

Set in a small Texas town, the film follows the estranged Solace sisters who are forced to reunite after their father’s death—only to uncover a dark past that ties them to a series of chilling murders under investigation.

​

Moore, an accomplished storyteller whose journey began with Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple, delivers a suspenseful and emotionally layered film that has captivated audiences on the global festival circuit.

New Media, Technology & Special Formats

  • Best New Media Film – The Swarm Legacy — United States

  • Best New Media Film (International) – Of Who We Were — United States

  • Best Film Made with (A Cell Phone / Tablet) – Bad Day: Bad Dreams — United States

  • Best AI-Generated Short Film – Switch'n Lanez — United States

Regional & International Cinema

  • Best Nollywood Film – A Christmas Bride — Nigeria

  • Best Nollywood Drama – Through Her Eyes — Nigeria

  • Best African Film – SHATTA — Nigeria, USA

  • Best African Action Drama – SON OF THE SOIL — Nigeria, UK

  • Best Caribbean Film – Beg Yuh A Call — Jamaica

  • Best Foreign Language Film – The Lucky Draw — Canada

  • Best French Film – No Filter Café — France

  • Best Diaspora Film – The Specialists — Nigeria

Documentary & Factual

  • Best Documentary – FORCE OF BLUE — United States

  • Best Documentary: By a Black Filmmaker – FAREWELL, AMERICA — United States

  • Best Documentary: International – Bittersweet: Black College Life at a Predominantly White Institution — United States

  • Best Short Documentary – Mixed Memories — Canada

  • Best Experimental Documentary – Drowning: The Art of Survival — United Kingdom

  • Best Short Documentary: International – Fighting Chance — United States

  • Best Documentary USA – Dreams in Black: With Love from the South to Los Angeles — United States

Experimental, Genre & Special Interest

  • Best Experimental Film (Canada) – The Lucky Draw

  • Best Experimental Film – BROKEN — United States

  • Best Experimental Film on a Social Issue – Vibrant Heart of the Caribbean — Jamaica

  • Best Sci-Fi / Horror – BEYOND THE LIMITS – Pilot Episode: Act The Part — United States

  • Best Advocacy Film – SISTERS IN DESTINY: Angela Davis & Gerty Archimède — Guadeloupe

  • Best Animated Film – Brushstrokes-Rev — United States

Feature, Series & General Film

  • Best Comedy / Thriller Film – A Slice of Love — Canada

  • Best Kids Movie – Candy Daze! — United States

  • Best Kids Movie (Canada) – Darling Angel — Canada

  • Best LGBTQ Film – The G.O.A.T. – Greatest of All Trans — United States

  • Best LGBTQ Film – International – ISS TARAF — India

  • Best TV Series – It's Not You. It's Me: Chicago — United States

  • Best Web Series: By a Black Filmmaker – Dating App Chronicles — Canada

  • Best Gospel Film/Video Film – Made For Each Other: A Musical Journey Through Grief — USA

Directing & Producing

  • Best Director – Maurice Simmons – Waiting For Nia

  • Best Director – USA – Mark Yeazel – CAPTIVES

  • Best Director – International – Jamon Holmes – HITMAN EX

  • Best Producer – Ana-Maria Butcura, M. Golden, B. Dondale, P. Tuba – See The City — Canada

  • Best Producer – International – Jennifer Whitney & Maurice Moore – Finding Solace — United States

  • Best Producer – Short Film – Le'Reisha Jamaeca & Ian Rayburn – ANGELA — Canada

  • Best Producer (Canada) – Kevin Romano – Huhn – UNTHINKABLE Appetite — Canada

  • Best Producer (USA) – Brian Jervay – The Truth About Cynthia — United States

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Screenwriting

  • Best Screenplay (61–120 Pages) – Joan Bressler Set in Philadelphia – Linda J. Collier — United States

  • Best Screenplay (31–60 Pages) – HARBOR – Jazmine Gibbs — United States

  • Best Short Screenplay (1–30 Pages) – Lilac of the Valley: Carnal Bloom (Pilot) – Hannah Rose Vernot — USA

 

Music, Poster & Media

  • Best Movie Poster – Black and White — Armenia

  • Best Music Video – Blues In the Middle of Christmas Night — Canada

  • Best Music Video: By a Black Filmmaker – Keep Up — Canada

  • Best Music Video International Film – Hangover — United States

Acting

  • Best Child Actor – Ivy Powel – The Ornament Whisperer — USA

  • Best Black Actor – Maurice Moore – Finding Solace — United States

  • Best Black Actor: International – Bronsonn Taylor – FLOAT — United States

  • Best Black Actress – Shanna Johnson – FLOAT — United States

  • Best Actor – Jamon Holmes – HITMAN EX — United States

  • Best Actress – Tony Ann Nelson – 2 Story Home — United States

  • Best Actor: International Film – Benjamin Rowe – 2 Story Home — United States

  • Best Actress: International Film – Claret Onukogu – SHATTA — United States

  • Best Actress: Canada – Gillian Zhao – The Housemaid — Canada

  • Best Supporting Actor – Elijah Yeboah – FLOAT — United States

  • Best Supporting Actress – Grace MO – The Lucky Draw — Canada

  • Best Supporting Black Actress – AnJu Hyppolite – 2 Story Home — United States

  • Best Supporting Actress (International) – Brandi Huzzie – Float — United States

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