‘Leviticus’ and ‘Test’ Share Top Jury Prize at 50th San Francisco Frameline Festival

The 50th San Francisco Frameline International Film Festival handed its top jury prize for an outstanding first narrative feature to two debut films, ending in a tie after the jury vote deadlocked, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The awards decision named ‘Leviticus’ and ‘Test’ as co-winners in the category, making them both the festival’s leading jury-recognized films for first-time narrative work.

The festival’s jury selected both ‘Leviticus’ and ‘Test’ despite the lack of a single majority winner, reflecting that the jurors’ votes could not be resolved to one title. The outcome means the festival’s top prize went to multiple films rather than a single standout, a notable result for an anniversary edition of the event.

In addition to the jury recognition, Frameline also announced an audience award. Jane Schoenbrun’s ‘Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma’ won the festival’s audience award, which is determined by festival attendees rather than the jury.

Schoenbrun’s win placed the film at the center of the audience-selected honors for the festival, distinguishing it from the jury’s split decision in the main first-narrative category. The audience award is often seen as a measure of how broadly a film connects with viewers attending the festival screenings and discussions.

The awards come during the festival’s 50th edition, a milestone year for the event that highlights LGBTQ-themed cinema and programming. The festival’s dual top-jury outcome and its audience award selection together show the range of styles and subject matter represented across the lineup.

Frameline’s prize announcements also affect how films are highlighted for potential distribution and viewing beyond the festival circuit. Winning a major festival prize can influence press coverage, industry attention, and audience interest for debut filmmakers, particularly when the recognition includes both jury and audience validation.

Organizers did not indicate in the report how the tie-breaking issue was handled beyond the statement that the jury vote deadlocked, but the co-award approach ensured both films received formal recognition at the close of the festival. Additional programming results from other categories were not detailed in the available reporting.