(Bentonville, AR) (June 20, 2026) Today, the Bentonville Film Foundation, in collaboration with founding partner, Walmart, and presenting sponsor, Coca-Cola, announced the winners of their narrative, documentary, homegrown, short film, and episodic categories from the 2026 Bentonville Film Festival’s competition program. The 12thanniversary of the festival ran from June 15-21 in Bentonville, AR. The annual Festival is a globally recognized platform that champions the transformative power of storytelling—creating space for a world where every voice matters and every story is seen, heard, and valued.
“If I Go Will They Miss Me” from Walter Thompson-Hernández won the award for Best Narrative Award and “Jane Elliott Against the World” directed by Judd Ehrlich took home the prize for Best Documentary Award.
“These awards reflect the passion and drive of storytellers, whose work will continue to broaden perspectives and engage audiences throughout the year,” said Bentonville Film Festival Chair Geena Davis. “We congratulate our BFF award winners and we’re so thankful to every filmmaker here for their contributions to the success of this year’s BFF!”
Additional winners are as follows:
Best Narrative
Jury: Sian Edwards-Beal, Kate Mason, Ron Najor
Best Narrative: If I Go Will They Miss Me
(Director/Writer: Walter Thompson-Hernández; Producers: Josh Peters, Saba Zerehi, Ben Stillman)
Jury Statement: “If I Go Will They Miss Me” is a thoughtful, poetic, and stunning cinematic experience. We marveled at the visual language, which rendered a methodical approach without sacrificing a sense of improvisation and heart. Director Walter Thompson-Hernandez masterfully asks us to consider each character with understanding by marrying their internal struggles with the mythological status they represent to their loved ones. The result is a depiction of black familial love and fatherhood that is not elevated but rather finally honored.
Special Jury Mention for Directorial Vision: The Musical
(Director: Gisella Bonilla; Writer: Alexander Heller; Producers: Rob Lowe, Greg Lauritano, Alexander Heller, Findlay Brown, Jordan Backhus)
Jury Statement: From inspired casting and standout performances to expert pacing and shot selection, Bonilla demonstrates remarkable command of every aspect of filmmaking. Comedy is one of the hardest genres to master, yet from the first moments, we knew we were in capable hands. The film commits fully to the genre with impressive precision.
That confidence is reflected in performances from Will Brill and Rob Lowe, who play off each other beautifully. For a first feature, this is an extraordinary achievement, and we are thrilled to recognize Giselle Bonilla’s exceptional directorial talent.
Special Jury Mention for Lead Performances: BRB
(Director: Kate Cobb; Writers: Sydney Blackburn, Michael Waller; Producers: Kevin Bigley, Kelly Aisthorpe Waller, Mark Glassgow, Michele Girgis)
Jury Statement: Zoe Colletti and Autumn Best bring “BRB” to life through performances filled with warmth, vulnerability, and undeniable charisma. Navigating the highs and lows of sisterhood with remarkable honesty, they help to create characters who feel wholly authentic and deeply human. Their chemistry grounds every emotional turn of the film, balancing comedy, heartbreak, and tenderness with confidence and precision. Together, they remind us of the power of connection and deliver performances that announce two exciting talents to watch.
Best Documentary
Jury: Billy Ray Brewton, Sav Rodgers, Brittany Shyne
Best Documentary: Jane Elliott Against the World
(Director/Producer: Judd Ehrlich; Producers: Max Powers, Elena Gaby)
Jury Statement: This film is a raw and unflinching glimpse into the life and career of a legendary educator who has dedicated her life to anti-racism, the costs of her radical and undeniably impactful approaches, and a celebration of living life to its fullest potential, for as long as your body and mind allow. We are honored to award “Jane Elliott Against The World” the Best Documentary Award at the 2026 Bentonville Film Festival for its impeccable execution and its insistence that a better world is possible.
Special Jury Mention (Documentary): Summer 2000: The X-Cetra Story
(Director/Writer/Producer: Ayden Mayeri; Writer/Producer: Barry Rothbart; Producer: Rachael Fung)
Jury Statement: A tender coming-of-age story that spans decades, with an exceptionally creative use of deep personal archives, this documentary is a charming, funny, moving film about the power of friendship and how art can shape the lives of our children. It is our distinct pleasure to present a Special Jury Mention for “Summer 2000: The X-Cetra Story” for showing how internet virality can sometimes be a good thing.
Best Homegrown
Jury: Mary Pat Bentel, Carlos Cardona, Winnie Kemp (also Episodic Jury)
Best Homegrown: Baby/Girls
(Directors: Jackie Jesko, Alyse Walsh; Producers: Melissa Leardi, Alex Waterfield, Kelly Rohrbach Walton)
Jury Statement: Directors Alyse Walsh and Jackie Jesko bring remarkable sensitivity, humor, and elegance to a subject that could easily have felt heavy-handed or exploitative. Through two years of extraordinary access, they illuminate sweeping systemic failures through an intimate, deeply human lens — one that honors the vulnerability and courage of their subjects in equal measure. The result is documentary filmmaking at its most urgent and compassionate.
Special Jury Mention (Homegrown): Filthy
(Writer/Director/Producer: Lisa Cole; Producers: Paola Gadala-Maria, Barbara Lettieri)
Jury Statement: Writer-director Lisa Cole crafts a fresh and exhilarating act of liberation with “Filthy.” The short film’s evolution from a muted, constrained world into one far more primal, blazing with color and movement – embodies the very awakening it depicts. Lisa handles the emotional stakes with masterful precision, weaving the politics of purity culture, religious control, and the mother-daughter bond into a climax that is a revolt and a reconciliation.
Best Episodic
Jury: Mary Pat Bentel, Carlos Cardona, Winnie Kemp (also Homegrown Jury)
Best Episodic: Too Romantic
(Writer/Director/Producer: Talia Light Rake; Producers: Katherine Romans, Charlie Traisman, Adam Kinyon, Sarah Whelden)
Jury Statement: Director & Writer Talia Light Rake taps into the current zeitgeist with a marvelously executed pilot that brings together modern internet/social media humor with classic rom-com structure. The charismatic leads and vibrant writing make for a delightful watch and show significant potential for future episodes and a fully realized television series.
Best Short Film
Jury: Amber Benson, Toks Olagundoye, Joi Tribble
Best Short Film: Find The Boy, France (Director, Paulin.e Goasmat)
Jury Statement: Find the Boy is a bittersweet exploration of identity, love, and the lasting impact of acceptance and rejection; a beautifully crafted reminder that respect for a person’s identity does not end with their life.
Special Jury Mention (Short Film: Paper Daughter, USA (Director, Cami Kwan)
Jury Statement: “Paper Daughter” combines a creative visual premise with outstanding animation to present a keen story of identity and desperation that refuses a simple interpretation or easy dismissal.
Special Jury Mention (Short Film): She Chose War, USA (Director, Sarah Moshman)
Jury Statement: You just can’t look away from this compelling documentary short about the life and times of a hopeful, young Ukrainian woman who has chosen the front lines of war – with all its horror and degradation – instead of finishing her degree in the dramatic arts.
ABOUT BFFOUNDATION:
BFFoundation is a non-profit organization focused on promoting underrepresented voices of diverse storytellers. The core mission is to champion female, non-binary, LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, API, and persons with disabilities’ voices in entertainment and media, through research, education, and supporting the production and distribution of inclusive content.
The foundation believes that by taking real action with content creators, talent, influencers, advertisers, and content distributors, we can accurately reflect the gender balance and diversity of our country. Our goal is to create a seismic change in how media inspires young minds to do great things.
Along with the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, the foundation also partners with schools and community institutions to educate the challenging effects of stereotyping, unconscious bias, and representation imbalance of gender, ethnicity, sexuality, and persons with disabilities. We also utilize media-based tools and content to build positive association and equality-based learning models.
BFFoundation is focused on working with its partners to foster inclusivity in media and entertainment to produce a positive influence in the community at large.
For more information, visit bentonvillefilm.org.
