Jessica Edwards steps into the role of Executive Director, succeeding co-founder Meira Blaustein, who has led the festival since its inception in 2000. Blaustein, in recognition of her visionary leadership, was honored with a special Honorary Maverick Award.

Edwards, a filmmaker and distribution consultant, expressed her enthusiasm for the new position. "To call this a dream job would be an understatement," she stated, highlighting her commitment to building upon the festival's legacy. Her vision for Woodstock includes fostering connections among filmmakers, industry professionals, and audiences in the Hudson Valley, aiming to support creators and inspire future generations of cinema enthusiasts.

Meira Blaustein voiced strong support for her successor, noting Edwards' deep industry understanding, creative vision, and extensive contacts. "As a resident of the Hudson Valley, she knows and loves the region and its community," Blaustein added, expressing confidence that Edwards would not only maintain the festival's core vision but also guide it toward exciting new growth.

Alongside the leadership change, the festival celebrated the winners of its 2026 Maverick Awards. Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson’s Mouse took home the Gigantic Pictures Award for Best Narrative Feature. The Leon Gast Award for Best Feature Documentary was presented to Pegah Ahangarani for Rehearsals for a Revolution.

Other notable award recipients include:

  • Gigantic Pictures Award for Best Feature Narrative: Mouse, dir. Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson
  • Honorable mention: Josephine, dir. Beth de Araújo
  • The Leon Gast Award for Best Feature Documentary: Rehearsals for a Revolution, dir. Pegah Ahangarani
  • Laurent Rejto Made in the Hudson Valley Award: Rain Reign, dir. Erika Burke Rossa
  • Gray Schwartz Ultra Indie Award: Washed Up, dir. Isabel Moncloa Daly
  • Best Short Documentary: They’re Here, dir. Laura Poitras & Rachel Lauren Mueller
  • Honorable mention: One Last Order, dir. Sam Soko & Lauren Defilippo
  • Best Short Narrative: Dongmei, dir. Rubing Zhang
  • Best Animation: Saba, dir. Liron Topaz
  • Honorable mention: Virgin Fandango, dir. Marcy Page
  • World of Ha Changemaker Award: Seized, dir. Sharon Liese
  • Haskell Wexler Award for Best Cinematography: Nuisance Bear, dir. Jack Weisman & Gabriela Osio Vanden
  • Honorable mention: The Great Experiment, dir. Stephen Maing & Eric Daniel Metzgar
  • NYWIFT Award for Excellence in Directing a Narrative Film: Rain Reign, dir. Erika Burke Rossa
  • NYWIFT Award for Excellence in Directing a Documentary Film: Our Dark Horse, dir. Grace Barry
  • Honorable mention: Re/Pair, dir. Lacey Schwartz Delgado
  • Best Editing, Narrative Award: Wicker, edited by Sofi Marshall, ACE
  • Best Editing, Documentary Award: To Hold a Mountain, edited by George Cragg
  • Honorable mention: Rehearsals for a Revolution, edited by Arash Ashtiani
  • Best Student Short: Bless the Telephone, dir. K.D. Chalk

The jury that decided this year’s competition winners included esteemed figures such as Aya Cash, Corbin Bernsen, Debra Granik, Ellen Kuras, Bill Horberg, Michèle Stephenson, Marshall Curry, Lori Singer, Robert Stone, Amy Gossels, and Shelby Stone.