June 12th, 2026 Press Materials Available Here
2026 TRIBECA FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES WINNERS COTTON FEVER, LABRADOR - AUTOPSY OF SILENCE, AND JAIL TIME RECORDS IN U.S. NARRATIVE, INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE AND DOCUMENTARY COMPETITIONS
Marcel Ruiz, Paolo Schoene, Kiki Montilla and Christopher Angatookalook Earn Performance Awards Across Narrative Competition
Jail Time Records, Labrador - Autopsy of Silence and Summer of Three Lead Multi-Award Winners at the Festival
NEW YORK - (June 12, 2026) - The 25th annual Tribeca Festival, presented by OKX, today announced competition winners, with Cotton Fever, Labrador - Autopsy of Silence, and Jail Time Records taking top honors in the U.S. Narrative, International Narrative, and Documentary competitions, respectively. Marcel Ruiz, Paolo Schoene, and Kiki Montilla earned Best Performance in a U.S. Narrative Feature for Summer of Three, while Christopher Angatookalook received Best Performance in an International Narrative Feature for Labrador - Autopsy of Silence. The Festival also awarded its inaugural Best New York Short honor to Insufficient Fare. This years winners reflected the global scope of the Festival, with honorees representing countries across North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. The Competition categories span the breadth of Tribeca's programming, with awards recognizing achievement in U.S. Narrative, International Narrative, Documentary, Viewpoints, Nora Ephron, Short Film, Best New Directors, Podcasts, Games, AT&T Untold Stories, and Tribeca X. The Festival concludes on June 14 in New York City.
This years award winners embody the spirit of Tribeca: fearless work that crosses borders, expands the form, and reveals the power of storytelling to uncover humanity in unexpected places, said Festival Director and SVP of Programming Cara Cusumano. As we celebrate our 25th year, these artists remind us that powerful stories do more than entertain, they deepen our empathy, broaden our perspective, and bring us closer together.
Several films earned multiple honors across competition categories. Labrador - Autopsy of Silence led the International Narrative Competition with awards for Best International Narrative Feature, Best Performance, and Best Cinematography, while Summer of Three earned both Best Performance and Best Screenplay in U.S. Narrative Competition. In the Documentary Competition, Jail Time Records received both Best Documentary Feature and the Albert Maysles Award for Best New Documentary Director, while Cotton Fever took home the Founders Award for Best U.S. Narrative Feature and Best Cinematography in a U.S. Narrative Feature.
Select categories receive the unique Tribeca Festival Art Award from a selection of artists led by curator Zoe Lukov. Supported by CHANEL, the world-class artists donated work to honored filmmakers.
Winners of the Audience Award, which are determined by audience votes throughout the Festival, will be announced at a later date.
2026 Winners and Special Jury Mentions, as selected by the 2026 Festival Jury are as follows:
U.S. NARRATIVE COMPETITION
Founders Award for Best U.S. Narrative Feature Sponsored by OKX: Cotton Fever, Director Daniel Blake Schwartz (United States) - World Premiere. Jury Statement: This film is a well-crafted, well-told, heartbreaking exploration of addiction and the difficulties of escaping its damaging effects. It explores a deep love in the midst of self-destruction, lack of shelter, criminality and co-dependency issues.
Special Jury Mention for Best U.S. Narrative Feature: Here Im Alive, Director Joshua Z Weinstein (United States) - World Premiere. Jury Statement: One film stood out for diving deep into subcultures that are rarely explored. The film creates a series of sensitive portraits of people with unique points of view - alienation, loneliness, internet addiction, looksmaxxing, and desire for instant fame.
Best Performance in a U.S. Narrative Feature: Marcel Ruiz, Paolo Schoene, and Kiki Montilla for Summer of Three (Puerto Rico) - World Premiere. Jury Statement: This entertaining film felt so lived-in. The actors are warm, charismatic, and emotionally present. We fell in love with all three actors and wanted to jump on the back of the motorcycle and careen across Puerto Rico with them.
Best Screenplay in a U.S. Narrative Feature: Carlitos Ruiz-Ruiz, Marcel Ruiz, and Mariana S. Belaval for Summer of Three (Puerto Rico) - World Premiere. Jury Statement: This film manages to be equal parts soulful and entertaining even as it explores deep themes of cultural identity, friendship, family, forgiveness, mortality, tragedy, and grief.
Best Cinematography in a U.S. Narrative Feature: Tom Acton Fitzgerald for Cotton Fever (United States) - World Premiere. Jury Statement: In a film full of deep emotions, the cinematography was naturalistic, gritty, and ultimately poetic. It invites the audience to experience a painterly version of harsh reality.
INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE COMPETITION
Best International Narrative Feature: Labrador - Autopsy of Silence, Director Rodrigue Jean (Canada) - World Premiere. Jury Statement: An intriguing film that unanimously rose to the top. It is confidently crafted, spiritually mindful, and touched us deeply while immersing us in its haunting story and unique world.
Best Performance in an International Narrative Feature: Christopher Angatookalook for Labrador - Autopsy of Silence (Canada) - World Premiere. Jury Statement: His soulful portrayal of emotional solitude blew us away and we imagine this award is just one of many to come.
Special Jury Mention for Best Performance in an International Feature: Duda Santos & Mc Nem for Funk (Brazil) - World Premiere. Jury Statement: Two actresses who impressed us with their incredible energy and dynamism in a film that shows a fresh side
