Championing the art of documentary and impact media where creative excellence meets social resonance.
LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, February 4, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The first responsibility of the artist is often said to be to the work itself. But documentary is unique in that it transcends creation alone. It listens before it speaks. It stands in relation — to people, to place, and to time. A documentarian accepts more than authorship. They carry responsibility for what unfolds before the camera, and for what endures after it leaves. Time is not a backdrop, but a collaborator — shaping trust, consequence, and care.
The winners of The 14th Annual Social Impact Media Awards (SIMA 2026) affirm that cinema, when grounded in lived experience and ethical intention, holds responsibility beyond the frame. These works do not seek expression alone. Together, they move us toward a place where impact is not performed, but practiced. Selected from a global field spanning 43 countries, the SIMA 2026 Award Winners reflect a shared commitment to truth, accountability, and human dignity.
Selected by an international jury of leaders across film, journalism, social impact, global development, and education, the SIMA 2026 Winners reflect a rigorous, values-driven evaluation of storytelling and real-world impact. This year’s selections include three Academy Award–nominated documentaries — CUTTING THROUGH ROCKS (اوزاک یوللار), ALL THE EMPTY ROOMS, and CHILDREN NO MORE: WERE AND ARE GONE — underscoring the convergence of artistic excellence and ethical storytelling.
At the highest honors, CUTTING THROUGH ROCKS (اوزاک یوللار), directed by Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni, received both Best Feature Documentary and Best Director. The film unfolds within entrenched structures of tradition and authority, exploring the cost of progress and the courage required to imagine change from within. Additional feature documentary awards recognized exceptional craft, including CHAMPIONS OF THE GOLDEN VALLEY (Best Cinematography), SHUFFLE (Best Editing and the Lens to Action Jury Prize, Sponsored by Ethologics), and VIKTOR (Best Sound).
In the Short Documentary category, the jury celebrated works that distill complex realities into intimate, human-scale narratives. ALL THE EMPTY ROOMS (Best Short Documentary), THE QUILTERS (Best Director), and CHILDREN NO MORE: WERE AND ARE GONE (Best Editing and Ethos Jury Prize, Sponsored by Ethologics) approach memory, labor, loss, and dignity with restraint and moral clarity. HOW TO SUE THE KLAN received the Systemic Change Award (Sponsored by The Foundation for Systemic Change) for illustrating how sustained strategies can drive long-term structural change.
Recognizing the expansion of storytelling beyond traditional formats, the jury awarded Impact Video honors to IMILLA SKATE: THE CHOLITA SKATERS OF BOLIVIA, FREEDOM (UHURU), CLASSROOM 4, and 51ST STATE for advancing artistic advocacy. HEARING THEIR VOICES by Generative AI For Good received the inaugural SIMA Impact AI Award for the ethical use of generative AI to amplify survivor testimony. In the Impact XR category, EMPATHY CREATURE and LESS THAN 5GR OF SAFFRON were recognized for expanding embodied engagement.
Impact Campaign Awards highlighted how cinema can translate storytelling into sustained change. SONGS FROM THE HOLE received the Legacy Award for its field-defining, community-led campaign, while ASOG earned the Catalyst Award and Humble Lion Jury Prize (Sponsored by Media for Change) for its principled, community-governed approach.
Production Company honors reflected this commitment to ethical practice, with MULTITUDE FILMS receiving the Vital Voices Award for the fourth time, and OPTIMIST honored with the Creative Impact Award.
For over fourteen years, SIMA has championed storytelling at the intersection of creative excellence and social impact. Since 2012, SIMA has served as a global platform for filmmakers pushing the boundaries of form and access while amplifying voices too often excluded from mainstream attention. In a time when image is abundant and trust is fragile, SIMA films exemplify what it means to create with authenticity. The SIMA 2026 Finalists and Winners are now eligible for consideration in Cinema Across Borders, SIMA’s traveling screening series reaching communities in 30+ countries, as well as SIMA Academy, the organization’s award-winning education platform engaging 160,000+ students across 100+ countries.
ERINN SULLIVAN, CCIO
SIMA STUDIOS
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