Dances With Films, NY Awards – ‘The Cereal Aisle Effect’ and ‘Untouchables’ Win Top Audience Prizes

Following a weekend of sold-out screenings and events, the 4th New York edition of Dances With Films honored its Audience and Industry Choice Award winners at its breakfast awards event.

Nadir Saribacak’s Gazelle, about a Turkish music teacher struggling to get a foothold in the U.S. for his family, won the Industry Choice Award – Over 40 Minutes, and Brandon Widener’s Immigreat took the Audience Choice Award for Best Television and Web Series Pilot, with his series telling the stories of inspirational immigrants.

Sabbuur Ikhlas’ Untouchables: The Story of St. Benedict’s Fencing won the Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary with a film about a legendary New York-based fencing coach who led diverse teams described by producer Matthew Brewster during their acceptance speeches as the “Bad News Bears” of fencing. The Audience Choice Award for Best Narrative Feature went to Peter Odiorne’s The Cereal Aisle Effect. Jesse Cowell won the Audience Choice Award for Best Narrative Short with Where’s My Package?.

The Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary Short went to Brad Bailey’s Her Fight, His Name: The Story of Gwen Carr and Eric Garner.

The Industry Choice Award – Under 40 Minutes went to Vasilisa Kuzmina’s Song of Silence, and along with co-writer Daisy Anderson, inspired appreciative applause from their fellow filmmakers when they said the film was made with an all-female crew.

Dances With Film’s Midnight category delivered its Audience Choice Awards to Cameron A Tubb’s Acolyte for Best Midnight Feature, and Jamie Manelis’ My Dead Dad’s Funeral for Best Midnight Short.

The 2026 Dances With Films NY Filmmaker Award Winners:

INDUSTRY AND PROGRAMMERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

Industry Choice Award – Over 40 Minutes
Gazelle
Director: Nadir Saribacak

Industry Choice Award – Under 40 Minutes
Song of Silence
Director: Vasilisa Kuzmina

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS

Best Narrative Feature
The Cereal Aisle Effect
Director: Peter Odiorne

Best Documentary Feature
Untouchables: The Story of St. Benedict’s Fencing
Director: Sabbuur Ikhlas

Best Midnight Feature
Acolyte
Director: Cameron A. Tubbs

Best Television and Web Series Pilot
Immigreat
Director: Brandon Widener

Best Narrative Short Film – TIE
Where’s My Package
Director: Jesse Cowell

Best Documentary Short Film
Her Fight, His Name: The Story of Gwen Carr and Eric Garner
Director: Brad Bailey

Best Midnight Short Film
My Dead Dad’s Funeral
Director: Jamie Manelis