Dances With Films Closing Night Included A Live Virtual Awards Ceremony

Dances with Films, celebrating its 23rd year, closed their eleven day festival with a musical performance by The Matches (depicted in the Documentary Bleeding Audio) and a virtual awards ceremony hosted by festival founders Leslee Scallon and Michael Trent. In keeping with unique interactive elements that DWF:LA incorporated including lounges, red carpets and even a lobby, the live online awards ceremony honored Indie Films in each of the various categories.

The closing night film, BEFORE/DURING/AFTER, written by and starring Finnerty Steeves (Orange is the New Black); an inspiring and relatable story of a middle-aged woman coping with a divorce and featuring many familiar faces including Richard Masur, Kristine Sutherland and Austin Pendleton, won the Industry Choice Award (ICA) for films over 40 minutes. Additionally, the filmmaker landed a meeting with one of the judges Grace Royer, Indie Packaging Agent at UTA, Gerren Crochet, Associate at Endeavor Content and Scott Shooman, Vice President of Content and Partnerships at Endeavor Content

SYML - Everything All at Once, won the ICA for films under 40 minutes as well as a meeting with one of the judges Ruth Vitale, CEO of Creative Future, John Von Thaden, Sr. Vice President of Magnolia Acquisition and Jon Silk, Executive Vice President at Legendary Entertainment. Below is the complete list of winners:

Grand Jury WINNER Feature Film: PAINT

Grand Jury Honorable Mention Short Film: THE WAY THAT I TAKE

Grand Jury Honorable Mention Feature Film: TAKE OUT GIRL

Grand Jury Competition Short film Winner: THE FOREIGNER

Industry Choice Award over 40 minutes: before/during/after (closing night film)

Industry Choice Award under 40 minutes: SYML - EVERYTHING ALL AT ONCE

Audience Award Competition Feature: DON'T READ THIS ON A PLANE

Audience Award Competition Short: NUMBER 2

Audience Award for Fusion Feature: HOLLYWOOD FRINGE

Audience Award for Fusion Short: DO YOU HAVE A...? which reunited director Michelle Gritzer with actress Britt Barron, of the hit Netflix show Glow, where Gritzer also serves as an Assistant Director.

Audience Award for Feature Documentary: BLEEDING AUDIO

Audience Award for Documentary Short: AND THE BRAVE SHALL RISE

Audience Award for TV Pilot: BABY STEPS

Audience Award for Web pilot: HEART BABY EGGPLANT

Audience Award for Dances with Kidz Pro: THE TERRIBLE ADVENTURE

Audience Award winner for Downbeat: SHE

The full awards ceremony can be streamed at Facebook.com/danceswithfilms and Festival updates are available at dwfla.com

2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats

Best Book of a Musical - Top 3

1. David Hornsby, Chris Hoch, David Hornsby, Chris Hoch - The Lost Boys

29% of votes

2. Cinco Paul - Schmigadoon!

23.5% of votes

3. Jim Barne, Kit Buchan - Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

23.3% of votes

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