“The Pitt,” “The Simpsons,” “The Chair Company” and “Mountainhead” were among the big winners as the Banff World Media Festival announced winners on Tuesday for the 2026 Rockie Awards International Program Competition. Hosted by Allana Harkin (“Full Frontal With Samantha Bee”), the event took place at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta, Canada, at the same time as the Banff Gala Awards.
The Rockie Awards this year featured 151 nominees from 21 countries across 29 categories, while the Banff Gala Awards recognizes top creative talent and executives — which this year included Jason Priestley (Canadian Award of Distinction), Tantoo Cardinal (Career Achievement Award), Mae Martin (Creative Voice Award) and Ken Jeong (Sir Peter Ustinov Award). Also, Spain was named this year’s Country of Honor.
New categories focused on outstanding drama and comedy performances. For drama, that included winner Malin Åkerman (“The Hunting Wives”), as well as Jacob Elordi (“The Narrow Road to the Deep North”), James Nelson-Joyce (“This City is Ours”), Narges Rashidi (“Prisoner 951”) and Amanda Seyfried (“Long Bright River”).
And in comedy, that included Mawaan Rizwan (“Juice”), Timothy Spall (“Death Valley”), and Nabhaan Rizwan, Suranne Jones and winner Aimee Lou Wood, all from “Film Club.”
Here are this year’s Rockie Awards winners:
Arts & Entertainment
Comedy & Variety
WINNER: “The Graham Norton Show” (So Television) UK
“Kumail Nanjiani: Night Thoughts” (ITV America, Winter Coat Films, TheYearOfElan Productions)
“Michael McIntyre’s Big Show” (Hungry McBear, BBC One)
“Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s 2024 Induction Ceremony” (Tenth Planet Productions)
Competition Series & Game Shows
WINNER: “Destination X” (Twofour, BBC One) UK
“Next Level Baker” (BiggerStage, Studio Ramsay)
“Shark Tank” (Sony Pictures Television)
“The Box” (Seefood TV, TV 2 Norway, Seefood Distribution)
“The Traitors Canada” (Entourage Production TV inc.)
Docuseries
WINNER: “Tous en choeur” (Sphere Media, AMI Télé) CANADA
“Call Her Alex” (Unwell Productions)
“Crip Trip” (Catapult Pictures)
“Freddie Flintoff’s Field Of Dreams: The Ultimate Test” (South Shore Productions)
“Harlem Ice” (Imagine Entertainment, Disney Branded Television)
“The Death Coast” (Forte Entertainment, Bell Media, Crave, USA Network, A+E, History Channel, Picture Farm, Sugar 23)
“Wildfire” (Optic Nerve Films, CK9 Studios)
Lifestyle
WINNER: “No Taste Like Home with Antoni Porowski” (Studio Ramsay Global, National Geographic) USA
“Earth Oven” (Hi Mama Productions, Blue Ant Media, Sky Television New Zealand, SBS Australia)
“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (Endemol Shine North America, Hello Sunshine, Walt Disney Television Alternative)
“Sort Your Life Out” (Optomen Television Limited)
“Tucci In Italy” (BBC Studios Specialist Factual Productions, Salt Productions, National Geographic)
Reality Series
WINNER: “Bloodlines” (Seefood TV, TV 2 Norway, Seefood Distribution) NORWAY
“Jay & Pamela” (Jarrett Creative, TLC)
“Le calendrier de l’avent” (Sphere Media, Bell Media)
“Same Bed, Different Dreams 2 : You Are My Destiny” (SBS, Underdog Inc, Big Time Decent Productions Inc.)
Documentary & Factual
Arts & Culture
WINNER: “The Last Musician of Auschwitz” (Two Rivers Media, BBC, Access Entertainment, Sphere Abacus) UK
“Half Moon” (Selfmade Films, NTR, NPO-fonds, CoBO, Filmfonds)
“Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery – The Untold Story” (White Horse Pictures, Elevation Pictures, ABC News Studios, Not A Real Production Company)
“Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)” (MRC, Network Entertainment Inc., Two One Five Entertainment Inc., RadicalMedia, Stardust Films LLC, ID8 Multimedia, Inc., and Sony Music Entertainment)
The Lost Music of Auschwitz (Windfall Films)
Crime & Investigation
WINNER: “Don’t Date Brandon” (Wag Entertainment, See it Now Studios, Paramount+, Fremantle International) UK/USA
“Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke” (Passion Pictures)
“Oklahoma City Bombing” (72 Films)
“Secrets of the Bunny Ranch” (yap films, C3, A&E)
“Undercover in the Police” (BBC Panorama)
Environmental & Wildlife
WINNER: “A Real Bug’s Life” (Plimsoll Productions) USA
“Hamza’s Hidden Wild Isles” (Silverback Films, BBC, BBC One, BBC iPlayer, All3Media Limited)
“Ocean with David Attenborough” (Silverback Films, Open Planet Studios)
“Secrets of the Forest” (Windfall films)
“Underdogs” (Wildstar Films, Maximum Effort)
History & Biography
WINNER: “The Twister: Caught in the Storm” (RAW) UK/USA
“Free at Last. Unresolved Stories of Apartheid” (beetz brothers film production, StoryScope)
“Lost in the Jungle” (Little Monster FIlms, Lightbox, Pacha Films, Señal Colombia and Demolition Films)
“Neshoma” (NTR, FamilyAffiars, Het prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, AFK, Claims Conference, NPO-Fonds, CoBO, Filmfonds, Beeld & Geluid, Eye Filmmuseum)
“No Justice, Just Kills” (BBC Eye)
“Separation: Declassified” (CNA, One Leg Kicking, The Ordinary Milkman)
Science & Technology
WINNER: “A.I. Love You” (Nordisk Film TV Denmark) DENMARK
“Chris Hemsworth: A Road Trip to Remember” (Nutopia, Protozoa, Wild State Productions)
“Once Upon a Time in Space” (KEO films, Freemantle, BBC, PBS, The Open University)
“The Calling: A Medical School Journey” (HHMI Tangled Bank Studios, Cineflix Media, American Issues Initiative, First Story Productions)
“Titanic: Digital Resurrection” (Atlantic Productions)
“Why Planes Crash” (Windfall Films, BBC)
Short Form Non-Fiction Series
WINNER: “Guardians” (Zandland, The Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales, United For Wildlife) UK
“CBC On Design” (Sticks & Stones, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
“Rebels” (Space Pirates)
“The November Project” (Bell Fibe TV1, Two Blue Shirts, Critical Mass Art, Robert Horgan)
“Wild Hope” (I Tangled Bank Studios and Red Rock Films Production)
Social Issues and Current Affairs
WINNER: “Love+War” (Little Monster Films) USA
“Hudson Bay(bies)” (Les films Sanajik, PVP MEDIA)
“Idris Elba: Our Knife Crime Crisis” (22 Summers)
“Prisoner 951: The Hostages’ Story” (Dancing Ledge Productions, BBC)
“The Assembly” (Small Army Entertainment)
“The Spoils” (Cave 7 Productions Inc., CBC, Blue Ant International)
Sports Documentary
WINNER: “Saints And Warriors” (InnoNative, Grand Scheme, Uninterrupted Canada, First Take Entertainment) CANADA
“Believers: Boston Red Sox” (ESPN, Religion of Sports, Artists Equity)
“Clemente” (Vinegar Hill, UNINTERRUPTED, Vantage Pictures, Cookie Jar, a Dream Studios, APX Content Ventures, History Channel)
“Unforgotten: The Bradford City Fire” (Acme, BBC)
“Who Killed the Montreal Expos?” (Attraction, Netflix)
Children & Youth
Animation Preschool
WINNER: “The Scarecrows’ Wedding” (Magic Light Pictures, BBC, ZDF) UK
“ODO” (Sixteen South, Letko)
“Once There Is” (Miyu Distribution)
“Piggy Builders” (Xilam Animation, Cube Creative Productions, Horta Productions)
“Woolly Woolly” (Normaal, PVP Media, France télévisions, TVOkids, Radio-Canada, Knowledge Kids)
Animation Children
WINNER: “Pudsey and the Thread of Hope” (BBC Studios Kids & Family, BBC) UK
“Kiff: Lore of the Ring Light” (Titmouse, Inc., Disney Television Animation, Disney Branded Television)
“Super Happy Magic Forest” (Tiger Aspect Kids & Family, Zodiak Kids & Family France, Movimenti Productions, Monello Productions, BBC, C+, Rai, ZDF, ABC)
“The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball” (Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe, WarnerMedia Kids Family’s flagship television animation studio)
“The Weasy Family” (HARI)
Live Action: Children
WINNER: “Knee High Spies” (Werner Film Productions, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australian Children’s Television Foundation, Screen Australia, VicScreen) AUSTRALIA
“Donkey Hodie” (Fred Rogers Productions, Spiffy Pictures)
“Follow Me, Go! Global Warming Series” (Taiwan Public Television Service Foundation [PTS Taiwan])
“Nature Bug Patrol” (Taigi TV Station)
“The First Snow of Fraggle Rock” (The Jim Henson Company)
Live Action: Youth
WINNER: “Crongton” (New Pictures, BBC) UK
“Night Shift” (Trio Orange)
“Percy Jackson and the Olympians” (20th Television, Disney Branded Television)
“ZOMBIES 4: Dawn of the Vampires” (Night Zone Productions Limited, Disney Branded Television)
Scripted
Feature Length Film
WINNER: “Mountainhead” (HBO Films, Project Zeus, Hot Seat Attractions) USA
“Disclosure” (W&B Television GmbH, Sperl Productions GmbH)
“If We Die, Let’s Die in Paris” (NHK)
“The Carry-On” (Hakka TV)
“What Now?” (ATO Media Inc, TFO)
Drama Series: English Language
WINNER: “The Pitt” (HBO Max, John Wells Productions, R. Scott Gemmill Productions, Warner Bros. Television) USA
“Heated Rivalry” (Accent Aigu Entertainment, ell Media, Crave, Canada Media Fund, The Bell Fund, Sphere Abacus, HBO Max, Movistar Plus, Sky Atlantic)
“Plan B” (KOTV)
“Reckless” (BBC Studios Productions)
“The Handmaid’s Tale” (MGM Television, Daniel Wilson Productions, The Littlefield Company, White Oak Pictures)
Drama Series: Non-English Language
WINNER: “Empathie” (Trio Orange) CANADA
“Bon Appétit, Your Majesty” (CJ ENM, Studio Dragon, Netflix)
“Cold Haven” (Glassriver, SPi)
“Love Scout” (SBS, Studio S)
“Queen of Fucking Everything” (Yle, ZDF, NPO, VRT, NRK, RUV)
“Those Who Lived” (What’s Up Films, Mizar Films, Nac Films)
“The Outlaw Doctor” (Taiwan Public Television Service Foundation (PTS Taiwan), Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd., GrX Studio)
Comedy Series: English Language
WINNER: “The Chair Company” (HBO, HyperObject Industries, Zanin Corp) USA
“Abbott Elementary” (Delicious Non-Sequitur Productions, Fifth Chance, Warner Bros. Television, 20th Television, Disney Television Studio)
“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (FX Productions)
“Only Murders in the Building” (20th Television)
“The Rehearsal” (HBO, Blow Out Productions)
Comedy Series: Non-English Language
WINNER: “Fag Hag” (Atresmedia, Suma Content) SPAIN
“Messed Up II” (Topkapi Films)
“Still Looking” (Seefood TV, Seefood Distribution, TV 2 Norway)
“Study Group” (CJ ENM, Studio Dragon, TVING)
“The Shortest Reign” (Movistar Plus+, Zeta Studios)
Animated Series
WINNER: “The Simpsons” (20th Television Animation) USA
“American Dad!” (20th Television Animation)
“Brave Animated Series” (Taiwan Public Television Service Foundation (PTS Taiwan), BIGCAT Studio, ARIES Studio)
“Bob’s Burgers” (20th Television Animation, Bento Box Entertainment)
“Futurama” (The Curiosity Company, 20th Television Animation)
Limited Series
“Prisoner 951” (Dancing Ledge Productions, BBC) UK
“Film Club” (Gaumont, BBC)
“The Narrow Road to the Deep North” (Curio Pictures)
“Trespasses” (Wildgaze Films, Channel 4, All3Media International)
“What It Feels Like For A Girl” (Hera Pictures, BBC, ITV Studios)
Podcasts
WINNER: “Toy Soldier” (The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) AUSTRALIA/CANADA
“Betrayal Season 4” (Glass Podcasts, Glass Entertainment Group, iHeart Podcasts)
“Final Thoughts: Jerry Springer” (Audible Originals, Prologue Projects)
“First Conviction” (RTÉ Documentary On One, RTÉ Investigates)
“What Could Go Wrong?” (Audible, Plan B)
Web Series and Content Creators
“Moonbird” (Kutikina Productions, Sheoak Films, SBS) AUSTRALIA
“Dying Seconds” (Dying Seconds Season One, Just for Just for Entertainment Group)
“Eyes In The Woods” (Numera Films, OUTtv)
“RE:Choice Three Days’ Times” (Taiwan Public Television Service Foundation [PTS Taiwan])
“The Stories That MADE Us” (Wallop Film, Canada Media Fund, Telefilm Canada, Torque Strategies)
Best Use of Music in a Series
WINNER: “Stranger Things” (Picture Music Company, Inc.) USA
“Film Club” (Gaumont, BBC)
“Mix Tape” (Subotica, Aquarius Films, BBC Two)
“North of North” (Red Marrow Media, Northwood Entertainment, CBC, Netflix, APTN)
“Riot Women” (Drama Republic, BBC, Britbox)
“The Lowdown” (FX Productions)
Best Performance in a Drama
WINNER: Malin Åkerman, “The Hunting Wives” (Lionsgate Television, 3 Arts) USA
Amanda Seyfried, “Long Bright River” (Sony Pictures Television)
Jacob Elordi, “The Narrow Road to the Deep North” (Curio Pictures)
James Nelson-Joyce, “This City Is Ours” (Left Bank Pictures, BBC)
Narges Rashidi, “Prisoner 951” (Dancing Ledge Productions, BBC)
Best Performance in a Comedy
WINNER: Aimee Lou Wood, “Film Club” (Gaumont, BBC) UK
Mawaan Rizwan, “Juice” (Various Artists Limited)
Nabhaan Rizwan, “Film Club” (Gaumont, BBC)
Suranne Jones, “Film Club” (Gaumont, BBC)
Timothy Spall, “Death Valley” (BBC Studios Comedy)
Special Prizes
Grand Jury Prize
“Empathie” (Trio Orange) CANADA
Carrie Hunter Emerging Talent Prize
Brendan Halloran, “Dying Seconds” CANADA
Prix Francophone
“Empathie” (Trio Orange) CANADA
Rogers Prize for Excellence in Canadian Content
“Empathie” (Trio Orange) CANADA