2026 Festival - 7-23 Aug.
15 DAYS OF FANTASTIC FILM ... CELEBRATE WITH US

FESTIVAL AWARDS

Audience; Shorts; The Gibson

The Voting

Every year the Chichester International Film Festival audiences vote for their favourite films in four categories: 'Premieres, Previews & New Release'; 'Documentaries'; 'Retrospectives/Classics'; and 'Independents'. This year we have added Short Films, however this is not an audience award in our traditional sense, but rather a jury of 10 audience members who have voted. Below you will find the top ranked in each section.

The scores are calculated after each audience member gives the viewed films a score from 1 to 5. These votes are then revised according to how many people saw the film, with films attracting less than 10 votes not considered.

For the first time, we have also included The Gibson Award, which is voted by the two people who between them have programmed every Chichester International Film Festival (Roger Gibson and Walter Francisco).

THE GIBSON AWARD

An Award judged by Roger Gibson (Founder of the Festival and Chichester Cinema) and Walter Francisco (Festival Director) which is given to the film which best embodies the qualities that Chichester Cinema and the Chichester International Film Festival have championed in film since 1979.

Traits include (but not limited to): Innovative - Authentic - Culturally Significant - Technically Excellent - Challenging - Original

The inaugural Gibson Award goes to:

ABOUT DRY GRASSES (Tur)
Nuri Bilge Ceylan

NEW RELEASES - AUDIENCE AWARD

1st: BLAGA'S LESSONS (Bul)
2nd: THE BRAID (Fra/Can/Ita/Ind)
3rd: THE TEACHER (Pal/UK)

REAWAKENING (UK)
A CHEF FOR DALI (Spa)
CADEJO BLANCO (Gua)
SOLO (Can)
SING SING (USA)
THE OUTRUN (UK)
THE GOLDMAN CASE (Fra)

DOCUMENTARIES - AUDIENCE AWARD

1st: WHERE OLIVE TREES WEEP (US/Pal)
2nd: HOLST: IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER (UK)
3rd: THE MOUNTAIN WITHIN ME (UK)

CANNES UNCUT (UK)
LISTEN TO ME MARLON (UK)
RED HERRING (UK)
LETS GET LOST (USA)
THE CONQUEROR - HOLLYWOOD FALLOUT (USA)

RETROSPECTIVES - AUDIENCE AWARD

1st: A DRY WHITE SEASON (USA)
2nd: ON THE WATERFRONT (USA)
3rd: BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB (Ger/Cub)

UNDERGROUND (UK)
FALLEN LEAVES (Fin)
NINOTCHKA (UK)
WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN (Spa)
IMMORTAL BELOVED (UK/USA)
CLOSE YOUR EYES (Spa)
LE HAVRE (Fin/Fra)
GILDA (USA)
THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE (USA)
CRÍA CUERVOS (Spa)
PARIS BLUES (USA)
LISBON STORY (Ger/Por)

INDEPENDENTS - AUDIENCE AWARD

1st: BLUE (UK)
2nd: BONNIE & CLIVE (UK)
3rd: FROM LIFE TO LIFE (Geo)

SCULPTING THIS EARTH
THE UNDERTAKER
I LIVE ALONE IN MY HEAVEN
TIMIR
ERA

SHORT FILMS - AWARD

1st: AU REVOIR BELMONDO (France) - 81/100
2nd: COLLAGE (Spain) - 76/100
3rd: ANA MORPHOSE (Portugal) - 75/100
4th: WHAT TO EXPEXT (USA) - 73/100
5th: THE HOLIDAY MAKER (UK) - 71/100

Also selected (alphabetical):
THE BARN (UK)
FREE AGAIN (UK)
GOOD FRIDAY (UK)
HORSE (UK)
ICETEA (Italy)
MOTHER DAUGHTER (UK)
ONE MORE (UK)
THE WEDDING VEIL OF THE PROUD PRINCESS (UK)