Entertainment
Austin Film Festival to honor Brad Bird, Andrew Haigh, and Aleshea Harris at 2026 event
The festival will host screenings, award presentations, and film premieres during its weeklong run in Texas.
The short version
- Filmmakers Brad Bird, Andrew Haigh, and Aleshea Harris will be recognized with individual honors at the Austin Film Festival on October 31, 2026.
- The event will feature screenings of new projects, including the premiere of Bird's animated movie "Ray Gunn" and Haigh's film "A Long Winter."
- The 2026 festival is scheduled to run from October 29 through November 5 in Texas, alongside its annual Writers Conference.
Key facts
- Brad Bird will be presented with the Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking Award, accompanying a premiere screening of his animated feature "Ray Gunn."[Variety]
- Andrew Haigh is set to receive the Writer's Writer Award alongside a screening of his movie "A Long Winter."[Variety]
- Aleshea Harris will be awarded the New Voice Award and will host a panel discussing the process of adapting her stage play "Is God Is" for the screen.[Variety]
- The 2026 Austin Film Festival and Writers Conference will take place from October 29 to November 5.[Variety]
- The festival's initial lineup announcement includes world premieres for titles such as "Chopin," "Omi," "Rated," "Sheepwell," "The Stalemate," and "Tigermom Academy."[Variety]