Maspalomas, State Of Firsts Earn Top Prizes At Sonoma Film Festival

The 29th Sonoma International Film Festival wrapped up with awards for best narrative, documentary, and short films.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 12:50am

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The 29th Sonoma International Film Festival concluded with the announcement of its top prize winners. The Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature went to the Spanish film 'Maspalomas,' directed by Jose Mari Goenaga and Aitor Arregi. The Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature was awarded to 'State of Firsts,' directed by Chase Joynt, which follows Sarah McBride's historic campaign to become the first openly transgender member of Congress. The festival also presented awards in various short film categories.

Why it matters

The Sonoma International Film Festival is a prestigious regional event that celebrates independent and international cinema. The top prizes awarded at the festival help shine a spotlight on emerging filmmakers and bring attention to important stories that might not receive wide mainstream distribution.

The details

In the narrative feature category, the jury praised 'Maspalomas' for its 'authentic and rare depiction of an elder man confronting personal and physical crisis at the onset of the COVID pandemic.' The Special Jury Prize for Directing went to Marie-Elsa Sgualdo for 'Silent Rebellion,' a drama set in WWII-era Switzerland. In the documentary category, the jury recognized 'State of Firsts' for its 'nuanced portrait of leadership and responsibility' in chronicling Sarah McBride's historic campaign. The short film awards honored works that demonstrated excellence in storytelling, cinematography, and social impact.

  • The 29th Sonoma International Film Festival wrapped up on March 30, 2026.
  • The festival awards were announced earlier the same day.

The players

Maspalomas

A Spanish film directed by Jose Mari Goenaga and Aitor Arregi that won the Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature.

State of Firsts

A documentary directed by Chase Joynt that won the Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature, following Sarah McBride's campaign to become the first openly transgender member of Congress.

Marie-Elsa Sgualdo

The director of the film 'Silent Rebellion,' which won the Special Jury Prize for Directing.

Sarah McBride

The subject of the documentary 'State of Firsts,' who successfully campaigned to become the first openly transgender member of Congress.

Chase Joynt

The director of the documentary 'State of Firsts.'

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What they’re saying

“We could not have anticipated the volatility and transphobic swirl that would circulate around Sarah McBride's body and life and history as it did throughout the course of our shooting. We recognize that our film is a very particular time capsule of a very particular pressurized moment in time. And we hope that it can serve as a kind of tool for conversation and advocacy and activism as we're still continuing to reckon with the impacts of this particular administration.”

— Chase Joynt, Director of 'State of Firsts'

“Jane never backs down from a fight, never backs down from telling the truth. We need to hear her message more than ever right now at this moment in our country. She's going to be really happy to hear this news and we need to just keep fighting.”

— Judd Ehrlich, Director of 'Jane Elliott Against the World'

The takeaway

The Sonoma International Film Festival's top awards recognize the power of independent and international cinema to tell important stories that challenge the status quo and shed light on underrepresented perspectives. The festival's focus on social impact documentaries and LGBTQ+ narratives demonstrates its commitment to amplifying diverse voices and promoting meaningful dialogue.