Film London Shortlists Artists for 2026 Jarman Award

Film London has announced the shortlist for the 2026 Jarman Award, naming four UK-based artists and filmmakers: Sadia Pineda Hameed, Ilona Sagar, Rhea Storr, and Alia Syed. The award is administered by Film London and is designed to honor artists and filmmakers working in the medium of experiential moving image, a category that emphasizes immersive and audience-engaging forms rather than conventional screening formats.

The Jarman Award takes its name and inspiration from filmmaker and artist Derek Jarman. Film London’s shortlist announcement places the selected artists in the running for the award for the coming year’s cycle, with the organization positioning the prize as a recognition of work rooted in experiential practices within moving image.

In its announcement, Film London tied the Jarman Award’s focus to UK-based creators, framing the shortlist as part of the organization’s broader role in supporting film and moving-image culture. The named artists represent a range of creative approaches within experiential moving image, according to the shortlist notice released alongside the list of candidates.

The shortlisted artists are expected to move to the award’s next stage following the public release of the shortlist. While the specific schedule for deliberations and any final announcement date was not included in the provided report, the shortlist itself marks the formal selection of candidates by Film London for the 2026 prize.

For each artist, the shortlist can also serve as a professional marker within the UK moving-image community, affecting visibility with programmers, commissioning bodies, and arts funders. Film London’s selection process is also relevant for creators and institutions that engage with audiences through immersive works, since the award highlights a specialized subset of moving-image practice.

The Jarman Award announcement arrives as Film London continues to operate as a central convening body for film and moving-image activities across London and the UK. The organization’s decision to publicly release a shortlist is intended to clarify which projects and artists are being considered for recognition during the 2026 cycle.

The next step in the 2026 process will depend on how Film London structures the award after the shortlist, including any review, evaluation, and final selection procedures. The provided report did not include details on the jury composition or the criteria used beyond the award’s experiential moving-image framing.