Ed Stoppard Takes Best Director Award for The Confession

The Prague Independent Film Festival (PIFF) has announced the winners of its 2026 edition, celebrating an international selection of independent filmmakers working across feature films, shorts, documentaries, animation, experimental cinema and screenwriting.

The awards ceremony took place on 20 September 2026 at the historic Kino Lucerna in Prague, concluding this year’s festival with the announcement of the winning films and filmmakers.

The Best Feature Film prize was awarded to Jonas Lawes’ The Watchmaker, a character-driven Scandinavian noir set in Sweden in 1968. The film follows a watchmaker whose quiet life is disrupted when two young thieves bring a stolen watch to his door, forcing him into an unexpected confrontation with his past and the consequences of their actions.

Meanwhile, Todd I. Gordon’s The Ghost Writer, inspired by Henry James’s story “The Middle Years,” received the award for Best Short Film. The psychological drama explores creativity, memory and identity through the story of an elderly novelist who becomes convinced that his assistant has stolen his latest work.

One of the central highlights of this year’s awards was the recognition of Ed Stoppard, who received the Best Director award for his short film The Confession. The film marks Stoppard’s debut as a writer and director following a 25-year career as an actor. He is known for his work across film, television and theatre, including acclaimed roles in The Pianist, Upstairs Downstairs and the historical drama series Knightfall.

The Confession follows a man who finds himself sitting across the table from a KGB interrogator, fighting to preserve his freedom. The film draws inspiration from the work of Soviet writer Mikhail Bulgakov, particularly his satirical novel Black Snow. The Confession also earned recognition for its leading performance, with Mark Bonnar receiving the Best Actor award for his portrayal of the interrogator.

The Best Original Screenplay award went to Adam Marchand for Alice_FSB. The film follows Vinnie, the manager of a cyberscam startup who begins questioning his moral boundaries after confronting a rival scammer.

In the technical categories, Liam Holland’s social realist film At What Cost? received the award for Best Editing, while Jason Brownrigg’s spy thriller Katerina Borovic was honored with the Best Cinematography award. The award for Best Art Direction went to Monile, directed by Marcello Bedoni, a family drama about a deaf young man and his conservative father as they confront questions of identity and reconciliation.

The festival also recognized achievements beyond traditional narrative filmmaking. Ven Jemersic’s Siddharta – In the Sky won Best Music Video, combining music with cinematic infrared imagery to create a visually ambitious work. Silje Reistad’s Hans & Kjell, which follows two men dedicated to rescuing homeless cats, received the award for Best Documentary, while the Best Animated Film award went to Thiefish, crafted using traditional cel animation. It was created by Evelyn Dale and Madhava Kinnicutt.

Comedy and experimental cinema were also represented among this year’s winners. Derek Frey’s The Current State of the Backyard Pool Industry received the award for Best Comedy Film, while Zhao He’s Symbol of the Solar Soul won Best Experimental Film. Known for his long-standing collaboration with Tim Burton, Derek Frey has also developed a parallel independent career distinguished by inventive and offbeat comedy shorts. Zhao He’s experimental work combines real-life recordings with 3D environments to explore the connections between human consciousness and technology.

The festival’s Best Unproduced Script award went to Kevin Ryan for The Last Street, a drama centered on the Holocaust.

PIFF 2026 Winners:

Best Feature Film

The Watchmaker — Jonas Lawes

Best Short Film

The Ghost Writer — Todd I. Gordon

Best Director

Ed Stoppard — The Confession

Best Actor

Mark Bonnar — The Confession

Best Original Screenplay

Alice_FSB — Adam Marchand

Best Editing

At What Cost? — Elena Walsh O’Brien

Best Cinematography

Katerina Borovic — Ninna Palma

Best Art Direction

Monile — Marcello Bedoni

Best Music Video

Siddharta – In the Sky — Ven Jemersic

Best Documentary

Hans & Kjell — Silje Reistad

Best Animated Film

Thiefish — Evelyn Dale, Madhava Kinnicutt

Best Comedy Film

The Current State of the Backyard Pool Industry — Derek Frey

Best Experimental Film

Symbol of the Solar Soul — Zhao He

Best Unproduced Script

The Last Street — Kevin Ryan