Winter 2026 Winners

Please use the search bar above to quickly find your award. If you can't find your award, it means all the judges haven't returned their final judging. Your award will be posted shortly. Please send an email to questions@dviff.com if you can't find your award.

IF YOU SUBMITTED ONLY TO A SUBCATEGORY, YOUR AWARD IS LISTED AT THE END OF THIS PAGE

Winning an award in a subcategory does NOT qualify for online screening or sending to our distributors.

About Our Judging System:

Instead of forcing filmmakers and screenwriters to compete directly against their peers, the festival has adopted a unique approach that evaluates each film/screenplay individually. This means that rather than being judged compared to the other submissions, your film/script will be assessed based on its inherent value and the judges' undivided attention.

By focusing on the individual strengths and qualities of each film/screenplay, the judges can delve deeper into the creative vision and technical execution of your work without being swayed by others' performances.

Best of Festival and Best of Show films are selected by category and region. Not all categories had a Best of Festival winner.

Please contact us for information about live screening at the Rehoboth Beach, Cinema Art Theater. We screen only Best of Festival Winners, as requested by our Associate Distributors.

We don't have any control or influence over Polaris Pictures or any of our associate distributors deciding to offer you a production deal or even answering your email. We merely open the door for the top winners.

If your film did not make it to the official selection status, we encourage you to send us a request for feedback. We believe in your potential and are here to support your growth. Once you've addressed the feedback and made improvements, you can resubmit your film for free during this new season.