PBS SoCal has announced the winners of its 27th annual Fine Cut Festival of Films, celebrating a new generation of filmmakers from California’s leading cinema programs. The 2026 awards highlight a strong showing from the University of Southern California (USC), which secured two category wins, and California State University, Northridge (CSUN), which received the festival’s top individual honor.
The festival serves as a professional launchpad for student creators, offering a total prize pool of over $55,000 in rewards and grants. This year’s competition saw 31 finalist films selected from a pool of 414 submissions representing 53 different schools across the state.
2026 Fine Cut Winners
The top honors were distributed across narrative, documentary, and animation categories, alongside the prestigious Jack Larson Southern California Student Filmmaker Award. The winners for the 27th season include:
- Jack Larson Southern California Student Filmmaker Award: Sam Markson (CSUN) for the film Jewish Moms Scare the Crap Out of Me.
- Narrative Category: Daniel Simon Zhang (USC) for Stop When Your Ancestors Say So.
- Documentary Category: Mia Hagerty (USC) for A Good Death.
- Animation Category: John Angelo Serrano (California College of the Arts) for Bigger Picture.
Each of the four winners received a $2,500 grant provided by First Entertainment Credit Union as part of the festival’s commitment to supporting the financial needs of emerging artists. These grants are designed to help students transition from academic environments into professional filmmaking careers.
Industry Recognition and Panel
The films were evaluated by a panel of industry professionals who assessed the technical skill, storytelling, and originality of the student works. The 2026 judging panel included notable figures such as director Sofia Alexander, filmmaker Yu Gu, and director Bethany Rooney. This high level of industry involvement ensures that the finalists receive visibility from established veterans in the Los Angeles film community.
According to PBS SoCal, the finalist films are being showcased throughout the current television season, which premiered on September 24, 2026. The broadcast schedule provides the student filmmakers with a broad public platform, reaching audiences across Southern California through both linear television and digital streaming.
The 27th season of Fine Cut is currently available for viewers to stream via the PBS App.
