Un Certain Regard 2026 Winners Celebrate Bold New Voices and Global Auteur Cinema

The Un Certain Regard section of the 2026 Festival de Cannes once again confirmed its role as a vital platform for discovery, innovation, and emerging cinematic voices. This year’s selection featured 19 feature films, including 6 debut works competing for the prestigious Caméra d’or, highlighting a program rich in experimentation and international perspectives.

Opening this year’s edition was the provocative and darkly playful Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, setting the tone for a lineup unafraid to challenge convention and push emotional boundaries.

The 2026 Jury was chaired by acclaimed French actress Leïla Bekhti and included Senegalese producer Angèle Diabang, Lebanese composer Khaled Mouzanar, Italian filmmaker Laura Samani, and French director Thomas Cailley.

Together, the jury honored films that reflected the section’s enduring mission: championing singular artistic visions and daring storytelling from around the world.

Un Certain Regard Prize

Everytime

Directed by Sandra Wollner

A hypnotic and emotionally layered work, Everytime impressed the jury with its formal precision and haunting atmosphere. Austrian filmmaker Sandra Wollner continues to establish herself as one of contemporary European cinema’s most distinctive voices.

Jury Prize

Elephants in the Fog

Directed by Abinash Bikram Shah — First Feature

The debut feature from Nepalese filmmaker Abinash Bikram Shah captivated audiences with its poetic realism and meditative storytelling. The award marks a breakthrough moment for a powerful new talent in world cinema.

Special Jury Prize

Iron Boy

Directed by Louis Clichy

French director Louis Clichy earned recognition for a visually inventive and emotionally resonant coming-of-age tale that balanced fantasy, vulnerability, and social observation.

Best Actor

Bradley Fiomona Dembeasset

For Congo Boy, directed by Rafiki Fariala

In one of the breakout performances of the festival, Bradley Fiomona Dembeasset delivered a raw and magnetic portrayal of survival and resilience in contemporary Congo. Director Rafiki Fariala was praised for crafting a deeply human portrait grounded in realism and compassion.

Best Actresses

Marina de Tavira, Daniela Marín Navarro & Mariangel Villegas

For Siempre Soy Tu Animal Materno, directed by Valentina Maurel

The jury awarded a shared Best Actress prize to the ensemble trio at the heart of Costa Rican filmmaker Valentina Maurel’s emotionally charged drama. Their intertwined performances created a powerful portrait of motherhood, identity, and generational tension.

A Section Dedicated to Discovery

From intimate family dramas to politically charged narratives and formally adventurous cinema, Un Certain Regard 2026 showcased the diversity and vitality of contemporary filmmaking. The section continues to serve as a launchpad for emerging auteurs while offering established filmmakers a space for artistic freedom and reinvention.

As Cannes celebrates another year of cinematic discovery, the 2026 Un Certain Regard winners remind audiences that the future of cinema belongs to those willing to take risks — and tell stories unlike any we’ve seen before.