WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR THE  2026 

GIRLS ON FILM AWARDS 

HAMNET WINS BEST FEATURE 

BEST DIRECTOR AWARDED TO CHLOE ZHAO AND JESSIE BUCKLEY WINS BEST PERFORMANCE IN A LEADING ROLE

GOODBYE JUNE TAKES HOME BEST ENSEMBLE 

London, February 2026 – The 2026 Girls On Film Awards have unveiled this year's winners at a glittering ceremony held at Curzon Bloomsbury, celebrating exceptional achievements by women and non-binary creatives in film. Hosted by Girls On Film co-founders Anna Smith and Hedda Lornie Archbold, the awards reward women-led filmmaking, with a particular focus on diversity, inclusion and representation. 

Hamnet won three awards, for Best Feature Film sponsored by EON Productions, Best Director and Best Performance in a Leading Role. Teyana Taylor won Best Performance in a Supporting Role for One Battle After Another and Best Documentary went to Geeta Gandbhir’s The Perfect Neighbor.

Brides and Lollipop triumphed in the Best Female Friendship Award, with two trophies awarded in this category. The Best Ensemble Award went to Goodbye June, with Andrea Riseborough in attendance to collect it. 

On the craft side, Girls On Film is proud to celebrate trailblazing female Heads of Department, including Frankenstein’s Production Designer Tamara Deverell and Sinners cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw, ASC, who recently made history as the first woman of colour to receive an Academy Award nomination in this category, and composer Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch for her moving and memorable work on H is for Hawk. The organisation is also delighted to recognise Olivia Neergaard-Holm as the inaugural winner of its newly introduced Award for Best Editing sponsored by DISAUTHORITY. The Intimacy Award,  Sponsored by Intimacy on Set, which celebrates authentic, meaningful, and responsible depiction of female pleasure on screen went to Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ́ and  Ann Akinjirin with Intimacy Coordinator El Wood for Dreamers.

Wicked director Jon M. Chu was awarded the Girls On Film Ally Award which recognises a male filmmaker who has created complex on-screen female characters and champions their representation, and filmmaker and director of Lollipop, Daisy-May Hudson received the Activist Impact Award which honours the recipients’ activism in supporting the fight for gender equality across the film industry.

Anna and Hedda say: “Our diverse list of winners shows what an incredible year it’s been for women-led storytelling, with heartfelt collaborations resulting in emotive work exploring heartbreak and healing. Hamnet resonated deeply with our voters, as did The Chronology of Water, Goodbye June and Dreamers. The themes of Lollipop have even sparked meaningful discussion in Parliament, and we are pleased to have honoured Daisy-May Hudson in the Activist Impact category. 

“Our dream is for all awards ceremonies to recognise the great work of women and non-binary creatives in all fields, and we thank everyone who supports us and enables Girls On Film to pave the way for a fairer and more equitable future in film. If she can see it, she can be it!”

The Girls On Film Awards event is attended by industry leaders, filmmakers, talent and press, and is supported by generous sponsorship. 

Sponsors include CrewHQ, DISAUTHORITY, Elstree Studios, EON Productions, IMDb, Intimacy On Set, Lilac Grove Entertainment and Netflix. 

Media partners for the 2026 awards are Deadline and British Cinematographer magazine. 

Supporters include Andrew Jose Salon, Astella Jewellers, BBFC, Curzon, Ask Mummy and Daddy Gourmet Confectionery, Girls On Tops, Papa Salt Gin, Stephen Webster and WorkWise for Screen.

Contact details: Hedda Lornie Archbold, HLA Agency

 hedda@girlsonfilmpodcast.com

For those unable to attend, the full awards ceremony will soon be available as a special episode of the Girls On Film podcast.

Full list of Nominations and Winners:

BEST FEATURE FILM Sponsored by EON Productions 

• Winner: Hamnet

• Die My Love

• A House of Dynamite 

• If I Had Legs I’d Kick You

• Sorry, Baby

BEST DIRECTOR

• Winner: Chloé Zhao – Hamnet

• Mary Bronstein – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You

• Lynne Ramsay – Die My Love

• Kristen Stewart – The Chronology of Water

• Eva Victor – Sorry, Baby

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A LEADING ROLE

• Jessie Buckley – Hamnet

• Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You

• Cynthia Erivo – Wicked: For Good

• Jennifer Lawrence – Die My Love

• Imogen Poots – The Chronology of Water 

• Andrea Riseborough – Dragonfly

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

• Winner: Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another

• Naomi Ackie – Sorry, Baby

• Rebecca Ferguson – A House of Dynamite

• Ariana Grande – Wicked: For Good

• Clara Pacini – The Ice Tower

• Maxine Peake – I Swear

BEST DOCUMENTARY

• Winner: The Perfect Neighbor, Geeta Gandbhir

• Come See Me in the Good Light

• The Extraordinary Miss Flower

• Prime Minister

• Twiggy (commendation)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Sponsored by CrewHQ 

• Winner: Autumn Durald Arkapaw, ASC – Sinners

• Hélène Louvart, AFC  – Palestine 36

• Alice Brooks, ASC – Wicked: For Good

• Mia Cioffi Henry – Sorry, Baby

• Vanessa Whyte, BSC – Dragonfly

BEST COMPOSER

• Winner: Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch – H is for Hawk

• Commendation: Nala Sinephro – The Smashing Machine

• Hildur Guðnadóttir – 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple; Hedda

• Laura Karpman – Captain America: Brave New World

• Rachel Portman – The Return

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

• Winner: Frankenstein – Tamara Deverell 

• Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy – Kave Quinn

• Hamnet – Fiona Crombie

• One Battle After Another – Florencia Martin

• Sinners – Hannah Beachler 

BEST EDITING Sponsored by DISAUTHORITY  

• Winner: The Chronology of Water – Olivia Neergaard-Holm

• Cover-Up – Amy Foote and Laura Poitras (with Peter Bowman)

• On Falling – Helle le Fevre (with Francisco Moreira)

• The Perfect Neighbor – Viridiana Lieberman

• The Voice of Hind Rajab – Kaouther Ben Hania (with Qutaiba Barhamji and Maxime Mathis)

INTIMACY AWARD Sponsored by Intimacy on Set

The Intimacy Award Sponsored by Intimacy on Set celebrates authentic, meaningful, and responsible depiction of female pleasure on screen. Our work with intimacy co-ordinators has taught us that to create a culture on set that breathes life into the filming of a truly intimate scene, requires a deep and enduring commitment from all involved, including screenwriter, director and producer. The award is presented to the actors, and honours the truly collaborative nature of the work.

• Winner: Dreamers – Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ́ and Ann Akinjirin with Intimacy Coordinator El Wood; Writer/director Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor and producer Emily Morgan

• Black Bag – Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender with Intimacy Coordinator Ita O'Brien

Writer David Koepp, director Steven Soderbergh, producers Gregory Davids and Casey Silver

• Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy – Renée Zellweger and Leo Woodall with Intimacy Coordinator Adelaide Waldrop

Writers Helen Fielding, Dan Mazer and Abi Morgan, director Michael Morris and producers Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner and Jo Wallett

• Sinners – Wunmi Mosaku and Michael B. Jordan with Intimacy Coordinator Amanda Peek

Writer/director/producer Ryan Coogler

• Wicked: For Good – Cynthia Erivo and Jonathan Bailey with Intimacy Coordinator Yarit Dor

Writers Winnie Holzman, Dana Fox (with Stephen Schwartz), director Jon M. Chu, producers Mark Platt, David Stone and Joan Schneider

BEST FEMALE FRIENDSHIP ON SCREEN

• Winner: Brides – Safiyya Ingar & Ebada Hassan 

and

• Winner: Lollipop – Posy Sterling & Idil Ahmed

• Eleanor the Great – June Squibb & Erin Kellyman

• Sorry, Baby – Eva Victor & Naomi Ackie

• Wicked: For Good – Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande

BEST ENSEMBLE CAST

• Winner: Goodbye June – Kate Winslet, Andrea Riseborough, Toni Colette, Helen Mirren, Johnny Flynn, Timothy Spall, Fisayo Akinade

• Brides – Safiyya Ingar, Ebada Hassan

• Hedda – Tessa Thompson, Nina Hoss, Imogen Poots

• Left-Handed Girl – Janel Tsai, Shih-Yuan Mah, Nina Ye

• Sorry, Baby – Eva Victor, Naomi Ackie, Louis Cancelmi, Lucas Hedges

THE GIRLS ON FILM ALLY AWARD Sponsored by IMDb

The Girls On Film Ally Award recognises a male filmmaker who has created complex on-screen women characters and champions the representation and empowerment of women in film.

• Winner: Jon M. Chu – Wicked: For Good

• Commendation: John Maclean – Tornado

• Ryan Coogler – Sinners

• Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value

• Paul Andrew Williams – Dragonfly

ACTIVIST IMPACT AWARD  

The Activist Impact Award honours the groups, individuals or films whose activism supports the fight for gender equality across the film industry. Their work empowers the voices of women and non-binary creatives, aims to bring about industry-wide change, challenges existing power structures, and campaigns for equal representation and fair treatment across the industry.

• Winner: Daisy-May Hudson – filmmaker, activist and cultural changemaker 

• Female Film Club – online female filmmakers members club

• Ita O’Brien – intimacy coordinator and founder of Intimacy on Set

• Reclaim The Frame – campaign for gender justice in cinema 

• We Are Parable – an exhibition and distribution company specialising in culturally relevant experiences for Black cinema and TV

Take a look at the video below featuring highlights from the Girls On Film Awards 2026 ceremony.

MEDIA PARTNERS

SPONSORS

Deadline is a leading source for breaking entertainment news, widely read by industry professionals around the world.  Deadline launched in March 2006 as Deadline Hollywood Daily and was acquired by PMC in 2009. It has since become a leading source for breaking entertainment industry news and is frequently ranked among the top entertainment websites. Influential industry professionals and decision-makers across entertainment, finance and other sectors rely on Deadline for frequent updates throughout the day. With a highly engaged readership, Deadline stories often generate more reader comments than all other entertainment industry news sites combined.

British Cinematographer Magazine is a leading European publication focused on the art and craft of international cinematography. With readers across 56 countries, it is endorsed and distributed to key industry partners including the British Society of Cinematographers. Each issue features industry news, behind-the-scenes coverage of major film and TV productions, expert masterclasses and more, making it an essential read for anyone interested in filmmaking.

IMDb is the world's most popular and authoritative source for information on movies, TV shows and celebrities. Products and services to help fans decide what to watch and where to watch it include the IMDb website for desktop and mobile devices, apps for iOS and Android, and X-Ray on Prime Video. IMDb also produces original video series and podcasts. For entertainment industry professionals, IMDb provides IMDbPro and Box Office Mojo, and licenses its information database to third-party businesses worldwide. IMDb is an Amazon company.

The Girls On Film Ally Award sponsored by IMDb.

Col Needham, Founder & Executive Chair of IMDb, said: “IMDb is proud to continue our sponsorship of the Girls On Film Awards, which celebrate excellence in cinema and the representation of women and people of marginalised genders. Our support for the Girls On Film Awards aligns with our year-round work to help audiences discover groundbreaking stories that push the boundaries of storytelling and advance inclusion in the film industry.”

EON Productions, led by Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, is a British production company specialising in film and theatre. Formed in 1961, EON is known for producing the James Bond film series, with nine titles produced jointly by Broccoli and Wilson. Independent film projects include Film Stars Don’t Die In Liverpool, Nancy, Till, The Accidental Getaway Driver and Blue Road: The Edna O’Brien Story. Their theatrical productions in London and on Broadway include Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, A Steady Rain, Othello, Cyprus Avenue, Once, ear for eye, Macbeth, The Buena Vista Social Club and Sing Street. 

The Girls On Film Award for Best Feature Film sponsored by EON Productions.

CrewHQ "Established in 2023, CrewHQ is Warner Bros. Studio Leavesden’s Skills and Training hub, facilitating the development of below-the-line new entrants, existing crew and senior leadership/HOD's crew, through a collection of initiatives embedded in HBO, Warner Bros. TV and Warner Bros. Feature productions across the UK and training and masterclasses from industry-leading professionals”

Rico Johnson-Sinclair, Training and Skills Director, CrewHQ, said: “We’re proud to sponsor the Girls On Film Awards, supporting and championing the incredible women that steer, shape and change our industry.”

DISAUTHORITY is an independent, artist-led post-production company dedicated to championing filmmakers and original storytelling. From early development through to final delivery, they provide high-quality post-production services that help bring creative visions to life. They work collaboratively across projects, with a focus on creative excellence regardless of scope. 

The Girls On Film Award for Best Editing sponsored by DISAUTHORITY.

Their leadership team consists of filmmakers and creative operators who are directly involved in the delivery of their work, ensuring a strong emphasis on craft and quality. Based in Croydon, South London, their 2500 sq ft office features state-of-the-art facilities with flexible suites for Baselight, DaVinci Resolve, offlines and onlines. With an experienced crew, they deliver a wide range of visual storytelling, from short form to high-end TV and feature films, for distribution and streaming.

DISAUTHORITY, said "We're really excited to be partnering with Girls On Film for this new award category. Editing is where a story truly finds its shape, yet so many brilliant women and non-binary editors still don't receive the recognition they deserve. At DISAUTHORITY, championing diverse and emerging talent is central to what we do, and creating space for voices that don't always get the spotlight is something we care deeply about. Celebrating editors in this way feels long overdue, and we're proud to stand alongside Girls On Film in honouring the craft, artistry and innovation they bring to the screen."

Netflix is one of the world’s leading streaming entertainment services, with 231 million paid memberships across more than 190 countries. It offers TV series, documentaries, feature films and mobile games in a wide range of genres and languages. Members can watch anytime, anywhere, with the flexibility to pause, resume and change their plans at any time.

Intimacy On Set provides services for TV, film and live performance involving intimacy, sexual content and nudity. Founded in 2018 by the UK’s leading Intimacy Practitioner Ita O’Brien. Ita O’Brien is a leading force behind a vital cultural shift in the entertainment industry. In 2017, she created the Intimacy On Set Guidelines, fundamentally transforming how intimate content is prepared and performed across film, television, and theatre.

Through her organisation, Intimacy On Set Ltd, O’Brien has driven global change by training a new generation of practitioners who are reshaping industry standards. Working to a rigorous code of ethics, these practitioners prioritise dignity, consent, and performer wellbeing, while fully supporting the director’s creative vision, ensuring that bold storytelling remains safe, fair, and professional.

The recognition of Intimacy Coordinators as an official category on IMDb marks a significant milestone for the field, signalling that this essential work—and the collaboration that underpins authentic storytelling—is now visible and valued.

O’Brien’s impact extends beyond the set. Her book, Intimacy: A Field Guide to Finding Connection and Feeling Your Deep Desires, published by Penguin earlier this year, features a foreword by Gillian Anderson, who describes it as “a vital contribution to our understanding of intimacy both on screen and in life.”

Ita O’Brien said: “When I began developing the Intimacy On Set Guidelines, the aim was to bring professionalism, clarity, and creativity to intimate scenes—enabling producers, directors, cast, cinematographers, and crew to collaborate in ways that enhance storytelling while ensuring respect and safety for all involved.”

Lilac Grove Entertainment is a year-round sponsor of Girls On Film. Lilac Grove is an independent entertainment company focused on redefining storytelling for a new generation by bringing fresh, original narratives to life—stories that inspire, engage and push the boundaries of imagination. They deliver bold, innovative content that resonates with diverse audiences and introduces new perspectives to fantasy and sci-fi.

Elstree Film Studios has been a cornerstone of British cinema for a century. Located in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, the studios have been the birthplace of countless iconic films and television series. With over 90,000 square feet of studio space, a spacious backlot, workshops, ancillary and office spaces, EFS offers a number of facilities which cater to both large-scale productions and independent projects. As we continue celebrating our centennial year, EFS remains committed to nurturing talent and creativity, supporting filmmakers and creating a pathway to inspire the next generation of industry professionals.

Curzon is a multifaceted film company covering exhibition, distribution, production, and on-demand streaming. The company currently operates 16 cinemas across the UK. The distribution business, encompassing Curzon Film and specialist label Artificial Eye, has over 40 years of experience in independent film, with a library of critically acclaimed films by some of the world’s greatest directors including Wim Wenders, Michael Haneke, Béla Tarr, Alice Rohrwacher, and Ruben Östlund. Streaming service Curzon Home Cinema is available to customers through TV, mobile apps, and over-the-top platforms, with a reach of 6.5 million homes. For more information please visit www.curzon.com.

Katy Black, Head of Private Hires at Curzon says "Curzon is delighted to be hosting the Girls on Film Awards for the first time at Curzon Bloomsbury this year. We are huge supporters of Girls on Film’s year-round work, so it is a pleasure to collaborate with them on this night of celebration.

Andrew Jose Salon is a luxury haircare salon, known for innovative styling and personalised service. Renowned for craftsmanship, creativity, and a commitment to excellence, whatever the hair type, Andrew Jose, who was nominated six times for British hairdresser of the year and his team have worked with  numerous lead actors for projects including Sliding Doors, The Beach, and more recently Stranger Things, and the salon continues to set the benchmark for contemporary beauty experiences in the heart of Fitzrovia.