Sunday evening at the Broom Factory was marked by what seemed like an endless round of applause.
The main floor of the venue was packed as industry professionals, amateur filmmakers, and interested members of the public crowded around the stage to celebrate another year of the Kingston Canadian Film Festival (KCFF). To mark the close of KCFF’s 2026 season, 13 awards were presented to films and creatives featured in this year’s lineup.
The night began with the winners of the Kingston Script to Screen Pitch Competition. The top honour ended in a tie, with Melissa Eapen and Mickayla Pyke’s project Parkies sharing the prize with Kaycee Lee’s Seeking Why. All winners will receive mentorship opportunities and access to industry market events later this year as they continue to develop their projects.
Next, the Douglas J. Falconer Award of Excellence recognized Ryan Randall for his contributions to Kingston’s film community. Named after the late local producer, the award celebrates individuals who have played an important role in supporting filmmaking in the region.
The Cogeco People’s Choice Award followed, highlighting the film that resonated most with audiences throughout the festival. Festivalgoers selected Xiaodan He’s Montreal, My Beautiful as their favourite screening of the week.
Young filmmakers were then recognized with the Best Youth Short award, The Donut Venadi, directed by Harrison Campbell. The award celebrates the creativity and technical skill of emerging filmmakers participating in the festival’s youth programming.
Local filmmaking took the spotlight with the Best Local Short award. The prize went to Vincent on the Island, directed by Emma Macklin and Daniel Karan, recognizing outstanding filmmaking from within the Kingston region.
The Best Canadian Short award followed, going to Florence Lafond for No Matter the Weather. The film stood out among the festival’s national short film selections for its storytelling and craft.
The KCFF 18 MM Award was presented to Borrower’s Name, directed by Emilia Sofia. The award recognizes work produced through the festival’s 18 MM youth filmmaking program.
Another 18 MM filmmaker was honoured with the Svitlana Chuchkova Award, which celebrates a distinctive creative voice. This year’s award went to Camille Giasson for La sainte ville de St-Jean.
The TD Ready Commitment KCFF Doc Factory Award followed, recognizing Lee Cunningham for the documentary Nancy in Parts, a film developed through the festival’s documentary mentorship initiative.
Music videos, an increasingly popular part of KCFF’s programming, were also celebrated. The Favourite Music Video award, voted on by audiences, went to You Will Be Found by Cantabile Youth Singers.
The juried Best Music Video award followed, going to Tiny Horse for their video Disco.
Feature filmmaking closed out the ceremony’s awards. The Visual Menace Award for Best First Feature was presented to Éric K. Boulianne for Follies, recognizing an impressive debut from the filmmaker.
Finally, the Mark Gardiner Award for Best Canadian Film, the festival’s top honour, was presented to Mathieu Denis for The Cost of Heaven. The drama stood out among the festival’s feature selections for its emotional depth.
With awards spanning features, shorts, documentaries, and music videos, the evening marked a fitting end to another successful year for the festival.
Tags
Awards, canadian film, Film, KCFF awards, Kingston Canadian Film Fest, Kingston Canadian Film Festival, Movies
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