Burgundy wins the audience award for doc feature at the Hamptons International Film Festival

By Denton Davidson

‘La Bola Negra,’ ‘Elsinore’ take top prizes at the Hamptons International Film Festival

Pepa Lubojacki’s If Pigeons Turned to Gold wins Best Documentary Feature, and Burgundy wins the audience award for documentary feature.

Netflix’s La Bola Negra is the big winner at the 34th Hamptons International Film Festival. The film from Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, the Spanish directing duo known as Los Javis, won Best Narrative Feature. Pepa Lubojacki’s If Pigeons Turned to Gold won Best Documentary Feature.

Festival audiences picked their own favorites. Simon Stone’s Elsinore won the Audience Award for narrative feature, and Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw’s Burgundy won it for documentary feature. Ora DeKornfeld’s “The Grandfather Puzzle” won the Audience Award for short film.

This year’s festival screened more than 140 films, including seven feature world premieres and eight short film world premieres.

“Congratulations to this year’s award winners, whose films stayed with our audiences long after the credits rolled,” said David Nugen, chief creative officer of HamptonsFilm. “Many of these films are heading into awards season with real momentum, and we’re proud the Hamptons is once again part of that journey.”

The narrative jury include Tribeca Festival director Cara Cusumano, Tony-nominated playwright Jeremy O. Harris, and The Hollywood Reporter chief film critic David Rooney. Here’s what they said about La Bola Negra:

“This triptych of queer desire, queer memory and queer resistance weaves together an epic story using revisionist history and builds to an emotional climax that rips to the core. Not only is it full of amazing performances, anchored by the feature debut of musician-turned-actor Guitarricadelafuente, the co-directors achieve the improbable — they use disparate parts to jerry-rig an epic war movie that’s also a deeply felt love story. After years of assembling a toolbox of skills from their work in television and commercials, every tool is on full display here, with multiple musical numbers and huge group scenes showcasing directorial skills and staggering ambition well beyond their years.”

“Congratulations to this year’s award winners, whose films stayed with our audiences long after the credits rolled,” said David Nugen, chief creative officer of HamptonsFilm. “Many of these films are heading into awards season with real momentum, and we’re proud the Hamptons is once again part of that journey.”

The narrative jury include Tribeca Festival director Cara Cusumano, Tony-nominated playwright Jeremy O. Harris, and The Hollywood Reporter chief film critic David Rooney. Here’s what they said about La Bola Negra:

“This triptych of queer desire, queer memory and queer resistance weaves together an epic story using revisionist history and builds to an emotional climax that rips to the core. Not only is it full of amazing performances, anchored by the feature debut of musician-turned-actor Guitarricadelafuente, the co-directors achieve the improbable — they use disparate parts to jerry-rig an epic war movie that’s also a deeply felt love story. After years of assembling a toolbox of skills from their work in television and commercials, every tool is on full display here, with multiple musical numbers and huge group scenes showcasing directorial skills and staggering ambition well beyond their years.”

The festival had already announced its honorary awards. Bob Balaban received the Lifetime Achievement Award, and Phil Lord and Chris Miller were honored for directing Project Hail Mary. Jordan Firstman (Club Kid) received the Breakthrough Director Award. The Breakthrough Performer Awards went to Anthony Ippolito (I Play Rocky) and Rosalind Eleazar (Misty Green), and casting director Nina Gold received the Disruptor Achievement in Casting Award.

See the full list of 2026 Hamptons International Film Festival winners below.

Best Narrative Feature
La Bola Negra, directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi

Best Documentary Feature
If Pigeons Turned to Gold, directed by Pepa Lubojacki

Best Narrative Short Film
“‘Vaterland’ or a Bule Named Yanto,” directed by Berthold Wahjudi

Best Documentary Short Film
“Water Cooler,” directed by Emma V.F.

Audience Award for Narrative Feature
Elsinore, directed by Simon Stone

Audience Award for Documentary Feature
Burgundy, directed by Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw

Audience Award for Short Film
“The Grandfather Puzzle,” directed by Ora DeKornfeld

HIFF Junior Jury Award
Mouse, directed by Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson

Artemis Rising Foundation Raise the Vibration Award for Social Impact
The Drug in Our Pocket, directed by Anne Sundberg
A Song for the Snow Lion, directed by Pawo Choyning Dorji

Peter Macgregor-Scott Memorial Award
“Laser-Gato,” directed by Lucas Acher

Brizzolara Family Foundation Award for Films of Conflict and Resolution
The Choice, directed by John David Coles

Victor Rabinowitz and Joanne Grant Award for Social Justice
Naza, directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor

Zelda Penzel “Giving Voice to the Voiceless” Award
Wild Inside, directed by Penny Lane

Suffolk County Next Exposure Grant
Barbizon, directed by Jake Silbermann

Sherzum Award
What Will I Become?, directed by Lexie Bean and Logan Rozos
Welcome to Paris, directed by Al Karr

New York Women in Film and Television Award for Excellence in Narrative Filmmaking
Ben’Imana, directed by Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo

New York Women in Film and Television Award for Excellence in Documentary Filmmaking
The Drug in Our Pocket, directed by Anne Sundberg

University Short Film Awards
“Gender Studies,” directed by Jamie Kiernan O’Brien
“Laser-Gato,” directed by Lucas Acher
“Memories of a Window,” directed by Mehraneh Salimian and Amin Pakparvar
“Not Valid for Travel,” directed by Jiaying Lin
“Rage,” directed by Fran Moreno Blanco and Santi Pujol Amat