Austin Film Festival Names 2026 Script and Film Competition Winners
Zenas Cao, Keith Rubin and Saoirse Ronan are among the winners announced at the festival's Awards Luncheon in Austin.
The Austin Film Festival announced the winners of its 2026 script and film competitions at its Awards Luncheon on Saturday in Austin, Texas, according to Variety. The 33rd annual festival received more than 12,500 submissions.
In the screenplay categories, 78 scripts advanced to the finalist round and 21 writers and writing teams were selected as winners. Zenas Cao took the Drama Feature Award, presented by Writers Guild of America, East, for "Sisters." Keith Rubin won both The William N. Collage Screenwriting Award and The Enderby Entertainment Award for "Helicopter."
On the film side, Saoirse Ronan won the Narrative Short award as writer and director of "Paper Plane." Harvey Zielinski won the Narrative Feature award for "Sweet Milk Lake."
Matthew McFadden, Dawn Cowle and Baylor Knobloch won the Scripted Digital Series Award for "Old Bogus Massacre."
Winners in the narrative, documentary and animated shorts competitions are eligible for Academy Award consideration.
Three decades of script recognition
For more than 30 years, the festival's competitions have recognized scriptwriting, according to Executive Director Barbara Morgan.
Quick answers
When were the Austin Film Festival 2026 winners announced?
The winners were announced at the festival's Awards Luncheon on Saturday, October 31, 2026, in Austin, Texas.
Who won the Narrative Short award at the Austin Film Festival in 2026?
Saoirse Ronan won the Narrative Short award as writer and director of "Paper Plane."
Are Austin Film Festival shorts winners eligible for the Oscars?
Winners in the narrative, documentary and animated shorts competitions are eligible for Academy Award consideration.