
Palm Springs ShortFest 2026 Announces Oscar-Qualifying Winners
Palm Springs ShortFest 2026 closed with five Oscar-qualifying winners across its top juried categories, led by Fruit, Fačuk, Water Cooler, Marga en el DF, and We Were Here. The June festival also recognized student, audience, international, U.S., comedy, LGBTQ+, midnight, and local jury winners. Key Takeaways Palm Springs ShortFest 2026 took place June 23 to 29 in Palm Springs, California. Five juried winners may be eligible to submit for Academy Awards consideration, provided they meet Academy requirements. Fruit, directed by Jen Nee Lim, won Best of the Festival and received a $5,000 cash prize. Other Oscar-qualifying winners included Fačuk, Water Cooler, Marga en el DF, and We Were Here. The festival presented awards and cash prizes totaling $30,000. Palm Springs ShortFest 2026 announced its juried and audience award winners during an awards ceremony at the Hilton Palm Springs, concluding the 32nd edition of the festival. The event was organized by the Palm Springs International Film Society and sponsored by the City of Palm Springs. Five awards carried Academy Award-qualifying status. Winning one of these awards allows eligible films to submit for Oscar consideration in the relevant short film categories, although qualification does not guarantee a nomination. Oscar-Qualifying Award Winners Fruit,










































