Newport Beach Film Festival Awards 'Wild Horse Nine' Top Audience Prize
The 26th annual event concluded in October after screening over 100 features and 250 shorts, culminating in a formal announcement of jury and audience winners.
By Lucas Sheridan ·
The 2026 Newport Beach Film Festival closed on October 22 with 'Wild Horse Nine' claiming the top Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature. The event marked the 26th anniversary of the festival, which operated as the largest cinema celebration in coastal Southern California during its eight-day run.
The festival’s timeline began on October 15 with an opening night gala at Fashion Island. More than 2,500 attendees gathered for the event, which followed a screening of the documentary 'Frampton.' Rock musician Peter Frampton attended the premiere and participated in a question and answer session before the film began. The gala featured food and beverages from over 20 local restaurants and bars.
Between the opening and closing events, the festival screened 100 feature films and 250 short subjects. The lineup included narrative dramas, documentaries, action sports features, and culinary exposés. Program director Greg Schwenk stated that organizers reviewed more than 4,000 submissions to select the final slate of 300 to 350 films. The festival also hosted 18 special events, including Variety's 10 Actors to Watch and an annual Honors program.
The Honors program recognized several actors and industry figures. Miles Teller, Taraji P. Henson, and Justin Hartley received the Artist of Distinction Award. Jessica Lange received the Icon Award, while Mckenna Grace and KJ Apa received the Spotlight Award. Mckenna Grace told the audience during her acceptance speech that she felt like 'a little girl who can't quite believe that she's in the room' while accepting the honor.
Jury awards recognized specific technical and artistic achievements. Paweł Pawlikowski won for directing 'Fatherland,' while Alden Ehrenreich and Sandra Hüller won for acting in 'A Talent For Murder' and 'Fatherland,' respectively. The documentary 'All American Girls' by Andrea Berman and Christy Wegener took the top documentary prize. Other Jury winners included Anton Corbijn for 'A Talent For Murder' and Łukasz Żal for cinematography on 'Fatherland.'
The closing night on October 22 featured two films. Tony Gilroy's 'Behemoth!' starring Pedro Pascal screened at the Big Newport Theater. The Lido Theater hosted 'Unleashed Spirits: The Rise of the Hollywood Vampires.' The festival organization announced that the Third Annual Newport Beach TV Fest will take place from June 3 to 6, 2027. The 28th annual Newport Beach Film Festival is scheduled to return in October 2027.
