Los Angeles, May 26, 2026 – The eighth annual French Riviera Film Festival (FRFF) has announced its 2026 award winners, revealed during a special closing ceremony held on May 16 at the Eden Hotel & Spa in Cannes, France.
The 2026 Winners are:
Drama – Farewellday (Farzad Ranjbar-Nazari)
Documentary – Emerging from the Shadows (Veronika Emily Pohl)
Micro Short – Be My Double (Fuyubi Kusamori)
Sci-Fi/Horror – The Girl in the Street (Chris Paicely, Miles August)
Animation – King Karno (Richard Thompson)
Music Video – Broken Wings (Sima Galanti)
Student – Ouroboros (Edit Jakab, Anna Rácz) – Tie
Student – The Day the World Fell Apart (Damon Condon)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) – Georges (Alphonse Marcel)
Comedy – The Universal Temple (Bertrand Normand)
Experimental – I Deserved It (Monika Barbara Ekiert, Aurelia Sobczak)
Fashion – Elysion (Christos Panagiotou)
Commercial – Gift a Feeling (Alex Fouquet)
Screenplay – Amberica (Amber Shaheen Nelson, Mokotsi Rukundo) – Tie
Screenplay – Vol et Nocturne (Shaun Rylee)
Special Jury Awards included:
Best Ensemble Cast – Elena Pribicevic, Iva Viskovic Krizan, Zoran Pribicevic (The Race)
Best Director – Farzad Ranjbar-Nazari (Farewellday)
Best Actress – Lou Amara, Leeloo Eyme (No Wind to Hold)
Best Actor – Zoran Pribicevic (The Race)
“This year’s festival was a powerful celebration of bold storytelling and global creative voices,” says FRFF co-founder Nicole Muj. “We continue to see remarkable artistry across emerging formats, and it’s incredibly rewarding to provide a platform for these filmmakers to connect, be recognized, and share their work on an international stage during Cannes.”
Executive Producer Kate Elfatah adds, “Each year, the festival grows not only in scale but in the caliber of talent and storytelling we showcase. It’s inspiring to see how the festival continues to evolve, attracting a diverse and dynamic global community while raising the bar for creativity and innovation.”
Several specialty honors were also presented throughout the two-day festival. At the exclusive opening reception hosted at Bel-Air Fine Art Gallery, filmmaker and actor Christian James Madsen received the One to Watch Award, while filmmaker and artist Eva Lanska was honored with the Creative Excellence Award. During the closing ceremony, British actor Oliver Trevena was presented with the Spotlight Award.
Christian James Madsen is an American actor, writer, and filmmaker recognized for his roles in Divergent, Palo Alto, and Mr. Church, along with a wide range of independent films. He continues to expand his creative portfolio through upcoming film projects and published poetry.
Eva Lanska is an internationally acclaimed artist, filmmaker, and curator whose work explores identity and cultural heritage. Her award-winning films and multidisciplinary practice have been recognized at festivals worldwide.
Oliver Trevena is an actor and host who has successfully transitioned from high-profile entertainment presenting into film, with credits including Plane, The Paradox Effect, The Bricklayer, The Gorge, Wire Room, and Misdirection, working alongside some of Hollywood’s leading talent.
Founded in 2019, the French Riviera Film Festival celebrates innovative storytelling across film, television, web, and digital platforms. Held during the Festival de Cannes, each year FRFF brings together filmmakers, industry leaders, media, and influencers for screenings, networking events, vip receptions, and a closing gala awards ceremony. The festival also features the annual Global Entertainment Showcase event, this year featuring an all women panel of filmmakers – Christina Rose, Edit Jakab, Gen LaGreca, Kristina Reiko Cooper, and Veronika Emily Pohl, with Rehna Azim serving as moderator.
The 2026 program recognized Finalists and Special Mention selections across categories including AI, Micro Short, Student, Animation, Sci-Fi/Horror, Comedy, Documentary, Music Video, Fashion, Experimental, Commercial, Drama, and Screenwriting. In addition to in-person events, select films were available online via Entertainment Oxygen’s eoFlix platform.
Official Trailer:
FRFF partners include Eden Hotel & Spa, Bel-Air Fine Art, eoFlix, AIX Rosé, Cardinal du Four, FilmFestivals.com, Indie Entertainment Media, and Just Cinema Magazine. Gift bag partners include Cotrini Skincare, Harangvölgyi Institute, Ready Set Jet, Velvet Eyewear, and others.
Submissions for the 2027 festival open on June 1st via Film Freeway. French Riviera Film Festival – FilmFreeway
FRFF’s Advisory Board includes Joan Burney Keatings, chief executive, Cinemagic; Bruno Chatelin, COO, filmfestivals.com (also on festival jury), Larry Namer, president/CEO, Metan Global Entertainment Group, Ana B. Remos, vice president, editorial director & founder, azureazure.com (also on festival jury), Dr. Laura Wilhelm, founder/principal, and LauraWil Intercultural (also on festival jury). Jury members include Rehna Azim, awards editor, Movie Marker; Lena Basse, journalist, Golden Globes; Claude Brickell, filmmaker, screenwriter and educator; Ron Fogel, journalist, Golden Globes; Giovanni Menicocci, Mauxa/Daily Bloid; James Prestige, publisher Cl
