Stories of care, loss and connection, finding joy and beauty in unexpected places
We’re delighted to announce the winners of the Women Over 50 Film Festival Awards 2026.
From miniature treasures to industrial landscapes, this year’s winning films find beauty in unexpected places. They explore care, grief, sexuality and ageing with honesty and imagination, making room for playfulness, joy and moments of connection along the way.
Across our film and short script awards, we’re celebrating the filmmakers and writers bringing these stories to life. Congratulations to our winners, runners-up, third-place recipients and everyone commended by our judges.
WOFFF Shedunnit Short Script Award 2026
Princess by Ros Borland – Winner
Set within the children’s care system, Princess explores bereavement after parental loss, bringing a touch of magic to a story grounded in its setting and characters. For young Maya, a dream experience and the kindness of a care worker offer a lifeline.
The story draws partly on a dream Ros had when she was just four years old, in which a foal appeared in her parents’ garden. She woke with a fascination for horses that has stayed with her ever since.
Ros brings years of filmmaking experience to her writing. Having worked her way from runner to producer, her credits include Afterlife and co-producing The Last King of Scotland. She left production to focus on writing in 2007, and her audio drama Dark Soul, made in association with RNIB Scotland, won Best Drama Sound at the 2024 Celtic Media Festival’s Torc Awards.
The judges praised Princess for its strong, interesting female leads and its balance of imagination and authenticity:
“This is a small film script with a big heart.”
| Position | Title | Writer |
|---|---|---|
| Winner | Princess | Ros Borland |
| Runner-up | Glendalocks | Maria McAteer |
| Runner-up | Punctured | Gillian Grattan |
| 3rd Place | The Mice will Play | Jenny Crompton |
| Commended | Breakfast for One | AdZiko Simba |
WOFFF-Festival Formula Best Student Film Award 2026
Birgitte by Maria Zaikina – Winner
An intimate, observational film, Birgitte welcomes us into a home filled with carefully arranged miniature treasures. Close-ups reveal their tiny details, while wider shots capture the space their owner has created around them.
The judges loved the sense of being quietly present in Birgitte’s world:
“Birgitte’s joy is palpable and infectious!”
WOFFF Animation Award 2026
Lina by Margarida Madeira – Winner
With no dialogue, Lina uses expressive line work, violin and sound effects to draw us into an older woman’s world.
Its spare visual language conveys what the judges described as “a life of halves, a life half lived”.
The judges were immediately absorbed by the film, particularly admiring the way its simple lines capture movement and speed.
| Position | Title | Director/s | Watch at WOFFF26 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | Lina | Margarida Madeira | Watch now |
| Runner-up | No Age is just easy | Sandrine Lambert | Watch now |
| Runner-up | Timosha | Elena Malenkina | Watch now |
| 3rd Place | Gertie Hooper VS the Committee | Melissa Herman | Watch now |
| Commended | The Owl and the Rainbow | Jo Luping | Watch now |
| Commended | The Swimming Lesson | Cally Trench | Watch now |
WOFFF Documentary Award 2026
Intermittent & Continuous by Olivia Hird – Winner
An industrial site becomes a setting for beauty and poetry in Intermittent & Continuous.
Striking photography and a richly realised soundscape accompany a protagonist whose company leaves a lasting impression.
The judges praised the film as “gorgeously shot, with a fantastic soundscape and an engaging protagonist you’d want to spend more time with.”
| Position | Title | Director/s | Watch at WOFFF26 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | Intermittent & Continuous | Olivia Hird | Watch now |
| Runner-up | Old Ladies Against Underwater Garbage | Liz McGregor | Watch now |
| 3rd Place | New Ground | Louisa Rechenbach | Watch now |
| 3rd Place | Now That’s What I Call Dock Pudding | Sarah Mason | Watch now |
| Commended | An Ordinary Insanity | Judith Ehrlich | Watch now |
| Commended | At the Threshold of Time | Emilian Szopa | Watch now |
| Commended | Mother’s Influence | Meg Wriggles | Watch now |
| Commended | Please Do Not Resuscitate | Leah Finegold | Watch now |
| Commended | Red Girl Rising | Kim Stadfeld, Faith Howe | Watch now |
| Commended | Spiders | Benjamin Cook | Watch now |
| Commended | The Second Life of Freddie Nole | Dana Nachman | Watch now |
WOFFF Drama Award 2026
Reliefs by Juan Manuel González – Winner
An ageing mother and her son are at the heart of Reliefs, a drama exploring sexuality, death, grief, love and the responsibilities of end-of-life care.
Much of its emotional power lies in what its characters leave unsaid.
The judges called it “a beautiful and devastating film”, praising its visual craft and its honest examination of the demands of caring for someone at the end of their life.
WOFFF Experimental Award 2026
Hag-Stone by Kate Clayton – Winner
In Hag-Stone, Kate Clayton contemplates the effects of ageing on her body through imagery and sound.
At just five minutes long, the film combines visual richness with a playful, questioning approach to growing older.
The judges described it as “thought-provoking and yet playful: a terrific achievement in a five-minute film”, praising the depth of its imagery and its outstanding soundscape.
Congratulations to our WOFFF26 award winners
Thank you to every filmmaker and writer who shared their work with WOFFF, and to our judges for the care and attention they brought to this year’s awards.
These films and scripts show just how much there is to discover when older women’s lives and creativity are given space on screen. We’re proud to celebrate them with you.
Watch all these films online until 5 October
The Women Over 50 Film Festival is screening online from 4 September to 5 October. You can watch all these award-winning films and many more online, from wherever you are in the world.
Visit our streaming platform Eventive to get a Festival Pass and start watching.
