Thank you for a great fest!
IT'S A WRAP!
What an extraordinary four days of documentary storytelling, inspiration, and connection! The 2026 Friday Harbor Film Festival has come to a close, and we extend our heartfelt thanks to the filmmakers who shared their remarkable stories, the audiences who filled our theaters and brought those stories to life through thoughtful conversations, and the dedicated volunteers whose energy and generosity made it all possible.
We're equally grateful to our sponsors, supporters, local businesses, and the entire Friday Harbor community for welcoming filmmakers and visitors from near and far. Together, you've made this year's Festival a truly memorable celebration of film, creativity, and community.
The stories and inspiration continue! Watch our 2026 Attending Filmmakers Trailer below to revisit the remarkable storytellers who joined us this year, then scroll down to discover the 2026 Audience Choice Award Winners — the films you, our audience, selected as this year's favorites!
2026 Audience Choice Winners
The votes are in! Throughout the Festival, audiences celebrated the power of documentary storytelling by voting for the films that moved, inspired, and resonated with them most. Congratulations to our 2026 Audience Choice Award winners, and thank you to all the filmmakers who shared their extraordinary stories with us!
BEST OVERALL FEATURE FILM
Heart of a Lion
Joe Pontecorvo, Director; Joe Pontecorvo, Jeff Hogan, Producers; Joe Pontecorvo, Mark Elbroch, Screenwriters
BEST OVERALL SHORT FILM
Dick's-A-Thon
Dylan Young, Director; Sean Goodwin, Producer
TALES FROM THE HEART: FEATURE FILM
RADIOHEART The Drive and Times Of DJ Kevin Cole
Peter Hilgendorf, Andrew Franks, Directors; Rebecca Staffel, Producer; Kevin Cole, Subject
THINGS TO CONSIDER: FEATURE FILM
The River Remembers
Jordan Riber, Director; Darrell Hillaire, Noelani Auguston, Jordan Riber, Producers
EXPLORERS & TRAILBLAZERS: FEATURE FILM
Dorothea Lange GRAB A HUNK OF LIGHTNING
Dyanna Taylor, Director; Elizabeth Partridge, Screenwriter
EXPLORERS & TRAILBLAZERS: SHORT FILIM
You And I Are Earth: The Art of Jeanne K. Simmons
Ward Serrill, Director; Jeanne K. Simmons, Subject
TALES FROM THE HEART: SHORT FILM
For Deer Life
Yaz Ellis, Director; Andy Byatt, Tom Fitz, Executive Producers
THINGS TO CONSIDER: SHORT FILM
Snowdrops for the Bairns
Donna Dees, Director; Ellie Crozier, Producer
YOUNG FILMMAKERS SHOWCASE:
International Youth Media Summit
ENVIRONMENT PSA: CHANGES
Amarachi Chimezie, Director
YOUNG FILMMAKERS SHOWCASE: 18-26 Age Group
Abiding
Lucas Salm-Rojo, Director
YOUNG FILMMAKERS SHOWCASE: 13-17 Age Group
Everything I'm Not; Everything I Am
Xavier Alexander, Director
Local Hero
Roger Ellison
Lifetime Achievement Award
John de Graaf
Explore the Films of FHFF 2026
The 2026 Friday Harbor Film Festival may have wrapped, but the stories continue to inspire! Explore this year's Film Guide featuring remarkable documentaries, compelling shorts, and Young Filmmakers Showcase selections—stories that challenge perspectives, celebrate extraordinary people, and connect us through shared experiences.
Revisit your favorites, discover films you may have missed, watch trailers, and meet the filmmakers who brought their stories to Friday Harbor. Whether you attended the Festival or are exploring for the first time, the 2026 Film Guide remains available through the end of the year. Keep discovering the power of documentary storytelling!
2026 Presenting Sponsors
Thank You to Our Amazing Volunteers!
It takes a community to bring the Friday Harbor Film Festival to life—and our incredible volunteers are at the heart of it all! From welcoming audiences and assisting filmmakers to supporting the Festival Office, Gala Party, Filmmakers Forum, projection, and countless behind-the-scenes details, your dedication, generosity, and enthusiasm helped make the 2026 Festival an unforgettable experience for everyone.
Whether you contributed a few hours or worked tirelessly throughout the Festival, you made a difference. Along the way, you helped create lasting memories, meaningful connections, and the warm, welcoming spirit that makes FHFF so special. We couldn't do it without you! From all of us at the Friday Harbor Film Festival, thank you for sharing your time, talents, and passion for documentary storytelling. We look forward to seeing you again in 2027!
Revisit the 2026 Festival Program Guide
Relive the stories, people, and memorable moments of the 2026 Friday Harbor Film Festival! Explore our official 60-page Festival Program Guide, featuring this year's documentary films, screening schedule, special events, Gala Celebration, Filmmakers Forum, Audience Choice Awards, and our collaboration with the San Juan Islands Museum of Art. Whether you're revisiting your Festival experience or discovering FHFF for the first time, the Program Guide offers a wonderful look back at four days of extraordinary storytelling, inspiring filmmakers, and community connections.
NEWS & VIEWS
Stay connected with the Friday Harbor Film Festival. Subscribe to our blog and monthly eNewsletter for filmmaker stories, festival news, screening announcements, ticketing updates, special events, and more. Our blog is published monthly throughout the year and weekly during the Festival, keeping you up to date on everything happening at FHFF.
