AIFF Announces 2026 Atlantic Award Winners

111 ECHOES FROM HALIFAX, THE DELIVERY LINE: MIDWIVES ON THE FRONT LINES and THE SNAKE among this year’s winners.

Halifax, NS – The 46th Atlantic International Film Festival (AIFF) announces its 2026 Atlantic award winners, celebrating outstanding achievements in filmmaking and performance from across the region.

111 ECHOES FROM HALIFAX, directed by Mauro Mueller and produced by Ann Bernier, Björn Hering and Anne Walser, receives The Gordon Parsons Award for Best Atlantic Feature. UNHOLY NIGHT receives an Honourable Mention recognizing excellence in horror. Nance Ackerman’s THE DELIVERY LINE: MIDWIVES ON THE FRONT LINES earns recognition for Best Atlantic Documentary, Best Atlantic Cinematographer and Best Atlantic Editor.

THE SNAKE receives three awards, honouring Jenna MacMillan’s direction and Susan Kent’s screenwriting and performance. Glen Gould receives the David Renton Award for Outstanding Performance in Acting for JEFFREY’S TURN, while Seth A. Smith receives Best Atlantic Original Score or Song for PERMANENT DAMAGE.

The short film awards recognize ACCISMUS, BILLY GAUTHIER: CARVING THE FUTURE and BABY DADDY, with additional mentions for PLEASE FIX ME, ESKIPESIMK and THE FLAMES OF ME (JE M’APPELLE DANIEL). Sarah Swire receives the James MacSwain Award for Singular Voice for WALRUS, INC.

The full list of winners is as follows:

The Gordon Parsons Award for Best Atlantic Feature
Winner: 111 ECHOES FROM HALIFAX
Directed by Mauro Mueller
Produced by Ann Bernier, Björn Hering and Anne Walser

Honourable Mention: UNHOLY NIGHT
Recognized for excellence in horror
Directed by Michael Gabriele
Produced by Jenna MacMillan, Jason Levangie and Marc Tetreault

Best Atlantic Documentary
Winner: THE DELIVERY LINE: MIDWIVES ON THE FRONT LINES
Directed by Nance Ackerman
Produced by Nance Ackerman and Sergeo Kirby

Best Atlantic Director
Winner: Jenna MacMillan, THE SNAKE

The Michael Weir Award for Best Atlantic Screenwriter
Winner: Susan Kent, THE SNAKE

Joan Orenstein Award for Outstanding Performance in Acting
Winner: Susan Kent, THE SNAKE

David Renton Award for Outstanding Performance in Acting
Winner: Glen Gould, JEFFREY’S TURN

Best Atlantic Original Score or Song
Winner: Seth A. Smith, PERMANENT DAMAGE

Best Atlantic Cinematographer
Winner: Nance Ackerman, THE DELIVERY LINE: MIDWIVES ON THE FRONT LINES
Cinematography by Nance Ackerman and Glauco Bermudez.

Best Atlantic Editor
Winner: Nance Ackerman, THE DELIVERY LINE: MIDWIVES ON THE FRONT LINES

Best Atlantic Short Film
Winner: ACCISMUS
Directed by Brandy Marien

Honourable Mention: PLEASE FIX ME
Directed by Colby Conrad

Best Atlantic Short Documentary
Winner: BILLY GAUTHIER: CARVING THE FUTURE
Directed by Jennie Williams

Honourable Mention: ESKIPESIMK
Directed by Catherine C. Brown and Jeffrey R. Fish

Best Animation
Winner: BABY DADDY
Directed by Joel MacKenzie

Special Jury Mention, Animation: THE FLAMES OF ME (JE M’APPELLE DANIEL)
Directed by Daniel Léger

James MacSwain Award for Singular Voice
Winner: Sarah Swire, WALRUS, INC.


Congratulations to all of this year’s winners and honourees, and thank you to the filmmakers, crews and performers who shared their work with AIFF audiences.


Free Screening of THE SNAKE

Celebrate this year’s award winners with a free screening of THE SNAKE on Wednesday, September 23, at 5:15 PM at Cineplex Park Lane. Admission is subject to available capacity.

For more information about AIFF’s awards, visit atlanticfilmfestival.ca/awards.

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