The 2026 edition of The Archaeology Channel International Film Festival wrapped in Eugene, Oregon, with a collection of films celebrating cultural memory, archeology and artistic traditions from around the world.
Presented by the Archaeological Legacy Institute, this year’s festival screened 30 films selected from 90 submissions and representing 29 countries. Alongside screenings, attendees also enjoyed a keynote presentation from British archaeology media personalities Michael Bott and Rupert Soskin, better known as the Prehistory Guys.
The top jury award, Best Film by Jury, went to Oya: The Unique Art of Anatolian Women, directed by Sevinç Baloğlu and produced by Adnan Memiş. This documentary explores the centuries-old Anatolian needle-lace tradition known as oya, transforming the intricate art form that was once a product of oppressed women into a source of empowerment and economic independence.
If Oya won over the jury, Japarta: A Journey to the Gurindji Way, directed by Andrew Pike and Ann McGarth, captured the audience’s heart. The documentary earned both the Audience Favourite award and the jury prize for the Most Inspirational film.
This is the story of Minoru Hokari, a young Japanese scholar whose interest was caught by the Wave Hill Walk-off strike of Gurindji cattle workers, and the close connection that developed between him and the Gurindji Aboriginal peoples of Australia. Minoru spent many months living with them, studying with elders, and writing about their understanding of history in an influential book, published in Japan before his untimely death at age 32. This film follows Minoru’s journey of cross-cultural understanding and spiritual transformation—how he was “called” by the land to help the Gurindji tell their story to an international audience.
The Archaeology Channel Film Festival 2026 Awards
Best Film (by Jury)
Oya: The Unique Art of Anatolian Women (Produced by Adnan Memiş; directed by Sevinç Baloğlu; distributed by Adnan Memiş; Turkey)
Honorable Mention for Best Film Category Competition (in order):
Vegetarians: The Great Odyssey (Produced by Martin Blanchard and O2B Films; directed by Martin Blanchard; distributed by ARTE and Lucky You; France)
Maracatu Liberta: The Drums of Freedom (Produced by Kurt Shaw and Rita de Cácia Oenning da Silva; directed by Rita de Cácia Oenning da Silva, distributed by Usina da Imaginação; Brazil)
From Cambridge with Love: A Call to Mend the Parthenon’s Broken Treasures (Produced by Leonidas Liambeys; directed by Bruce Clark; distributed by Leonidas Liambeys; Greece)
Japarta: A Journey to the Gurindji Way (Produced and directed by Andrew Pike and Ann McGrath; distributed by Ronin Films; Australia)
Best Narration (by Jury)
Vegetarians: The Great Odyssey (Produced by Martin Blanchard and O2B Films; directed by Martin Blanchard; distributed by ARTE and Lucky You; France)
Honorable Mention for Best Narration (in order):
Oya: The Unique Art of Anatolian Women (Produced by Adnan Memiş; directed by Sevinç Baloğlu; distributed by Adnan Memiş; Turkey)
From Cambridge with Love: A Call to Mend the Parthenon’s Broken Treasures (Produced by Leonidas Liambeys; directed by Bruce Clark; distributed by Leonidas Liambeys; Greece)
Fengyang: Ancient China’s Forgotten Capital (Produced by Dominique Barneaud and Liu Yan; directed by Stéphane Begoin; distributed by ARTE, and LGI Media; France)
Pateh: An Intangible Heritage (Produced by Mohammad Mahdi Malekghasemi; directed by Azam Ramezanpour; distributed by IRIB Media Trade; Iran)
Japarta: A Journey to the Gurindji Way (Produced and directed by Andrew Pike and Ann McGrath; distributed by Ronin Films; Australia)
Best Animation and Effects (by Jury)
Fengyang: Ancient China’s Forgotten Capital (Produced by Dominique Barneaud and Liu Yan; directed by Stéphane Begoin; distributed by ARTE, and LGI Media; France)
Honorable Mention for Animation and Effects (in order):
The Gold of Venice (Produced by Roberto Dall’Angelo; directed by Nicola Pittarello; distributed by S.D. Cinematografica; Italy)
The Lost World of the Hanging Gardens (Produced by Matias Gaggiotti; directed by Duncan George Bulling; distributed by ZDF Studios GmbH; UK)
Vitrum: Rome’s Glass Revolution (Produced by Marcello Adamo, Filmare Entertainment, and GA&A Productions; directed by Marcello Adamo; distributed by Gioia Avvantaggiato; Italy)
Army of Lovers: The Sacred Band of Ancient Greece (Produced by Rea Apostolides; directed by Lefteris Charitos; distributed by Anemon Productions; Greece)
Best Public Education Value (by Jury)
Vegetarians: The Great Odyssey (Produced by Martin Blanchard and O2B Films; directed by Martin Blanchard; distributed by ARTE and Lucky You; France)
Honorable Mention for Public Education Value (in order):
Oya: The Unique Art of Anatolian Women (Produced by Adnan Memiş; directed by Sevinç Baloğlu; distributed by Adnan Memiş; Turkey)
Maracatu Liberta: The Drums of Freedom (Produced by Kurt Shaw and Rita de Cácia Oenning da Silva; directed by Rita de Cácia Oenning da Silva, distributed by Usina da Imaginação; Brazil)
From Cambridge with Love: A Call to Mend the Parthenon’s Broken Treasures (Produced by Leonidas Liambeys; directed by Bruce Clark; distributed by Leonidas Liambeys; Greece)
Japarta: A Journey to the Gurindji Way (Produced and directed by Andrew Pike and Ann McGrath; distributed by Ronin Films; Australia)
Best Script (by Jury)
Oya: The Unique Art of Anatolian Women (Produced by Adnan Memiş; directed by Sevinç Baloğlu; distributed by Adnan Memiş; Turkey)
Honorable Mention for Script (in order):
Vegetarians: The Great Odyssey (Produced by Martin Blanchard and O2B Films; directed by Martin Blanchard; distributed by ARTE and Lucky You; France)
From Cambridge with Love: A Call to Mend the Parthenon’s Broken Treasures (Produced by Leonidas Liambeys; directed by Bruce Clark; distributed by Leonidas Liambeys; Greece)
Japarta: A Journey to the Gurindji Way (Produced and directed by Andrew Pike and Ann McGrath; distributed by Ronin Films; Australia)
Maracatu Liberta: The Drums of Freedom (Produced by Kurt Shaw and Rita de Cácia Oenning da Silva; directed by Rita de Cácia Oenning da Silva, distributed by Usina da Imaginação; Brazil)
Best Cinematography (by Jury)
Oya: The Unique Art of Anatolian Women (Produced by Adnan Memiş; directed by Sevinç Baloğlu; distributed by Adnan Memiş; Turkey)
Honorable Mention for Cinematography (in order):
From Cambridge with Love: A Call to Mend the Parthenon’s Broken Treasures (Produced by Leonidas Liambeys; directed by Bruce Clark; distributed by Leonidas Liambeys; Greece)
The Gold of Venice (Produced by Roberto Dall’Angelo; directed by Nicola Pittarello; distributed by S.D. Cinematografica; Italy)
Fengyang: Ancient China’s Forgotten Capital (Produced by Dominique Barneaud and Liu Yan; directed by Stéphane Begoin; distributed by ARTE, and LGI Media; France)
The Lost World of the Hanging Gardens (Produced by Matias Gaggiotti; directed by Duncan George Bulling; distributed by ZDF Studios GmbH; UK)
Vegetarians: The Great Odyssey (Produced by Martin Blanchard and O2B Films; directed by Martin Blanchard; distributed by ARTE and Lucky You; France)
Best Music (by Jury)
Maracatu Liberta: The Drums of Freedom (Produced by Kurt Shaw and Rita de Cácia Oenning da Silva; directed by Rita de Cácia Oenning da Silva, distributed by Usina da Imaginação; Brazil)
Honorable Mention for Music (in order):
Oya: The Unique Art of Anatolian Women (Produced by Adnan Memiş; directed by Sevinç Baloğlu; distributed by Adnan Memiş; Turkey)
From Cambridge with Love: A Call to Mend the Parthenon’s Broken Treasures (Produced by Leonidas Liambeys; directed by Bruce Clark; distributed by Leonidas Liambeys; Greece)
Baaxpée: This Ground (Produced by Ben Cloud; directed by Robin Starbuck; USA)
Wind’s Heritage (Produced, directed, and distributed by Nasim Soheili; Iran)
Most Inspirational (by Jury)
Japarta: A Journey to the Gurindji Way (Produced and directed by Andrew Pike and Ann McGrath; distributed by Ronin Films; Australia)
Honorable Mention for Inspiration (in order):
Oya: The Unique Art of Anatolian Women (Produced by Adnan Memiş; directed by Sevinç Baloğlu; distributed by Adnan Memiş; Turkey)
From Cambridge with Love: A Call to Mend the Parthenon’s Broken Treasures (Produced by Leonidas Liambeys; directed by Bruce Clark; distributed by Leonidas Liambeys; Greece)
Vegetarians: The Great Odyssey (Produced by Martin Blanchard and O2B Films; directed by Martin Blanchard; distributed by ARTE and Lucky You; France)
Maracatu Liberta: The Drums of Freedom (Produced by Kurt Shaw and Rita de Cácia Oenning da Silva; directed by Rita de Cácia Oenning da Silva, distributed by Usina da Imaginação; Brazil)
Special Mention (by Jury)
Ea (Produced by Noah Keone Viernes and Lance Collins; directed by Noah Keone Viernes and Sancia Mlala Shiba Nash; distributed by NBWMBF; USA); For Outstanding Discussion of Ancestral Land Rights
Rome Underground (Produced by Olivier Mille, Victoire Buff, Massimo My, and Josette D. Normandeau; directed by Laurent Portes; distributed by Cineflix International Media Limited; Canada); For Portrayal of Unique Mitigation Efforts
Vitrum: Rome’s Glass Revolution (Produced by Marcello Adamo, Filmare Entertainment, and GA&A Productions; directed by Marcello Adamo; distributed by Gioia Avvantaggiato; Italy); For Portrayal of Roman Glass Construction and Underwater Archaeology
The Gold of Venice (Produced by Roberto Dall’Angelo; directed by Nicola Pittarello; distributed by S.D. Cinematografica; Italy); For Portrayal of Tree Reforestation
Audience Favorite (by Festival audience)
Japarta: A Journey to the Gurindji Way (Produced and directed by Andrew Pike and Ann McGrath; distributed by Ronin Films; Australia)
Honorable Mention for Audience Favorite (in order):
Rome Underground (Produced by Olivier Mille, Victoire Buff, Massimo My, and Josette D. Normandeau; directed by Laurent Portes; distributed by Cineflix International Media Limited; Canada)
Vitrum: Rome’s Glass Revolution (Produced by Marcello Adamo, Filmare Entertainment, and GA&A Productions; directed by Marcello Adamo; distributed by Gioia Avvantaggiato; Italy)
The Lost World of the Hanging Gardens (Produced by Matias Gaggiotti; directed by Duncan George Bulling; distributed by ZDF Studios GmbH; UK)
Vegetarians: The Great Odyssey (Produced by Martin Blanchard and O2B Films; directed by Martin Blanchard; distributed by ARTE and Lucky You; France)
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.