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 Ronk? Adék?lu?´j?´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, BBFC, Curzon and Papa Salt Gin. 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
? Hamnet
? Die My Love
? A House of Dynamite
? If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
? Sorry, Baby
BEST DIRECTOR
? 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
? 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
? 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
? 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
? Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch – H is for Hawk
? Hildur Guðnadóttir – 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple; Hedda
? Laura Karpman – Captain America: Brave New World
? Rachel Portman – The Return
? Nala Sinephro – The Smashing Machine (commendation)
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
? 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
? 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.
? Dreamers – Ronk? Adék?lu?´j?´ 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
? Brides – Safiyya Ingar & Ebada Hassan
? 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
? 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.
? Jon M. Chu – Wicked: For Good
? Ryan Coogler – Sinners
? John Maclean – Tornado (commendation)
? 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.
? 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
