The 2026 Oscar race just got its first major shake-up at the Telluride Film Festival, where several films emerged as frontrunners following ecstatic early receptions. While Telluride doesn’t hand out official awards, one title always takes the crown as the festival’s “unofficial winner” — and this year, that film is Hamnet.
Hamnet (Focus Features)
Directed by Chloé Zhao and adapted from Maggie O’Farrell’s best-selling novel, Hamnet explores the love story between William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and his wife Agnes Hathaway (Jessie Buckley) as they navigate the devastating loss of their son Hamnet (Jacobi Jupe). The film reportedly left audiences in tears and currently boasts a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score. Critics singled out Jessie Buckley’s heartrending performance, cementing her as a Best Actress frontrunner.
Sentimental Value (MUBI, Joachim Trier)
Winner of the Grand Prix at Cannes and now Norway’s official International Feature submission, Trier’s drama impressed again at Telluride. Stellan Skarsgård is widely considered a lock for Best Supporting Actor for his role as a struggling director and estranged father. Renate Reinsve, playing his daughter Nora, is also generating Best Actress buzz alongside Buckley.
It’s Just an Accident (Neon, Jafar Panahi)
Fresh off its Palme d’Or win at Cannes, Panahi’s politically charged drama made his long-awaited U.S. debut at Telluride. The film — about how a simple accident spirals into a moral reckoning — resonated deeply with audiences and also holds a perfect RT score. Panahi’s moving onstage moment, asking the audience to wish happy birthday to an imprisoned collaborator, was one of the festival’s most emotional highlights.
Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere (20th Century Studios, Scott Cooper)
Jeremy Allen White channels Bruce Springsteen in what critics are calling a career-defining turn. With the Boss’ own endorsement, White has vaulted into the Best Actor race. Jeremy Strong also impresses as manager Jon Landau, while Stephen Graham adds poignancy as Springsteen’s father.
Bugonia (Focus Features, Yorgos Lanthimos)
The latest from Yorgos Lanthimos sees Emma Stone as a tech CEO kidnapped by conspiracy theorists (Jesse Plemons among them). Stone, who shaved her head for the role, is already in the Best Actress mix, while Plemons’ physical transformation is also being applauded.
See More ...
Other Notable Performances
-
Adam Sandler drew acclaim for his role as a weary manager opposite George Clooney in Jay Kelly.
-
Rose Byrne may enter the Best Actress conversation for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, a sharp family drama.
Looking Ahead
The Oscar field is far from complete. Major titles still to premiere include Kathryn Bigelow’s A House of Dynamite, Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme, and Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another. But early indicators from Telluride suggest a season dominated by Hamnet, Sentimental Value, It’s Just an Accident, and Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere.
