CONGRATULATIONS FILMMAKERS!
SIMA 2026 WINNERS
The annual SIMA Awards (Social Impact Media Awards) recognize outstanding achievements in high-integrity documentary storytelling, honoring bold, cinematic work from around the world that defines the field, expands perspective and resonates far beyond the screen. Each year, projects from over 140 countries compete for awards, cash prizes, global recognition, and entry into SIMA’s distribution ecosystem — extending their reach into classrooms, communities, and cultural spaces worldwide.
SIMA AWARDS 2027 / OPENS SEpt 2026
Celebrating 15 Years of Global Impact Storytelling
ENTRY CATEGORIES
We seek original, courageous, and eye-opening work that illuminates the people and movements behind today’s global issues — films that raise essential questions and deepen how we understand and engage with the world.
Entries across two distinct tracks:
Innovations — behind-the-scenes looks at social interventions and impact projects showcasing innovative approaches to solving global issues from around the world.
Creative Impact — creative takes on social advocacy that expand understanding and inspire action.
Individual, stand-alone videos between 2 and 20 minutes. Videos merely geared toward fundraising or brand advertising are not accepted.
Individual, stand-alone XR and interactive projects — VR, AR, MR, or 360-degree video — that push the boundaries of immersive impact storytelling.
Recognizing outstanding achievements in campaign design for impact distribution. Submitted by Impact Lead — Impact Producer, Strategist, Film Producer, or Director, for films released after 2019.
We welcome submissions from productions of any budget size that showcase innovative strategies, effective partnerships, and measurable outcomes in driving change and fostering a sustainable culture of impact.
Companies with a demonstrated track record and commitment to impact storytelling across 5 or more productions. (Documentaries, Narrative, Web Series, Interactive, Video Journalism, Cause Marketing, AI, and XR)
SIMA AWARDS
JUDGING
SIMA's jury is composed of award-winning industry leaders, impact producers, educators, and human rights experts who select winners across all award categories and jury prizes. Films are evaluated for their storytelling, artistic and technical excellence, and their capacity to deepen understanding and engagement with the world. Impact campaigns and production company entries are recognized for their distinctive contributions to the evolving landscape of social impact storytelling.
AWARDS + JURY PRIZES
Named recipients are limited to two persons, one of whom must be the credited Director who exercised directorial control, and the other of whom must have a Producer/Director credit.
MAIN AWARDS
Best Documentary Feature
The highest honor for outstanding documentary storytelling across craft, vision, and impact.
Best Director
Recognizing exceptional directorial vision and narrative leadership.
Best Cinematography
Honoring exceptional visual storytelling and composition.
Best Editing
Recognizing narrative construction, pacing, and structural clarity.
JURY PRIZES
Transparency — Investigative Journalism
Honoring work that surfaces hidden context, challenges dominant narratives, and advances accountability and truth.
Stylistic Achievement — Creative Excellence
Recognizing bold, distinctive artistic vision and original visual interpretation of the subject.
Ethos — Creative Integrity
Honoring films of exceptional integrity, whose credibility and trustworthiness runs through every layer of their storytelling.
Lens to Action — Social Impact
Recognizing work with strong civic purpose and the power to move audiences toward awareness and action.
Climate Futures
Honoring outstanding storytelling on environmental crisis, resilience, and the pathways forward.
Women Leading Change
Recognizing exceptional storytelling on women driving change and shaping leadership worldwide.
Systemic Change < $2500 cash prize (Sponsored by The Foundation for Systemic Change)
Honoring work that illuminates the attributes, processes, and pathways required for lasting structural change.
- Feature Documentary Finalists are eligible for distribution via Cinema Across Borders
- Short Documentary Finalists are eligible for distribution via Cinema Across Borders and SIMA Academy
AWARDS
Humanitas
Recognizing films that bear witness to individuals and communities doing extraordinary work in the world.
Creative Activism
Recognizing creative visualization and interpretation with strong civic purpose and lasting impact.
JURY PRIZES
Innovation
Recognizing the outstanding innovation and effectiveness of the showcased project.
Impact
Honoring work that demonstrates effective methods for lasting, systemic, and responsible transformation.
- Finalists are eligible for distribution via SIMA Academy
AWARD
Immersive Impact
The top honor for innovation in immersive documentary and interactive storytelling that deepens engagement and drives civic awareness.
JURY PRIZE
Creative Advocacy
Recognizing creative visualization and adaptation in immersive impact storytelling.
- Suitable finalists are eligible for distribution via SIMA Academy
AWARD
Impact AI Award — Ethical AI for Humanity
Honoring AI applications guided by ethics and human values, spotlighting responsible uses of artificial intelligence that drive meaningful real-world impact.
AWARD
Legacy
Awarded to an impact producer or team whose campaign strategy redefines industry standards through outstanding, innovative approaches to impact distribution and lasting civic engagement.
Catalyst Award
Awarded to an impact campaign that achieved lasting change, particularly for underrepresented and underserved stories and communities.
AWARDS
Vital Voices
Awarded to a production company whose work consistently elevates underrepresented and underserved stories, bringing vital perspectives from the margins to the mainstream.
Creative Impact
Awarded to a production company whose dedication to impact storytelling sets industry standards for quality, innovation, equity, and diversity.
Student Choice
Recognizing the film that moved young audiences worldwide, selected by SIMA Academy’s global student community.
RULES + REGULATIONS
Please read carefully before submitting your work.
ELIGIBILITY
For our upcoming cycle — SIMA 2027 — films must be completed between October 2025 and September 2026 to be eligible for entry. Each title is permitted to enter once to SIMA. Titles that have entered in the past are not permitted to enter into the competition in subsequent years. Each entry may be submitted by only one individual or organization. If the film is a co-production, the entrant assumes full responsibility for notifying the other co-production partners of the entry. In the event of multiple entries for the same film, copyright ownership will determine which entry is accepted. The entrant is responsible for securing and clearing all rights.
CATEGORY RULES
FEATURE — Individual, stand-alone documentary, 40 or more minutes in length.
SHORT — Individual, stand-alone documentary, less than 40 minutes in length.
XR (EXTENDED REALITY) + INTERACTIVE — Individual, stand-alone XR + Interactive projects, VR, AR, MR or 360-degree video, less than 20 minutes in length.
IMPACT VIDEO — Individual, stand-alone video, between 2 and 20 minutes in length. NOTE: Videos merely geared towards fundraising or brand advertising are NOT ACCEPTED
PRODUCTION COMPANY — Registered legal entity with more than 5 impact media productions in its history.
IMPACT CAMPAIGNS — for stand-alone documentaries submitted by Impact Lead (e.g. Impact Producer, Strategist, Film Producer, or Director)
submission requirements
All (non-English language) media entries must be sub-titled in English. Multiple projects may be submitted, however each film must have a separate completed submission form. Companies are eligible to submit in multiple categories (for example in: Production Company and Documentary), each requiring a separate submission form.
If your media submission is short-listed as a FINALIST, we will require an electronic press kit (EPK) to be sent via email to submit@simaawards.org, and a high-res digital download of your film (MPEG4/ h264 @1080p / 10—25mbps) H264/MPEG.
ENTRY FEES
All entries must be accompanied by the appropriate entry fee. Fees are not refundable and cover registration, site security,submission managment and notifications of results. Payment is accepted via PayPal and credit card. You will find payment links on your respective Submission Form page.
Early Bird Deadline (September 9th – September 18th)
Documentary Features: $ 45 | Documentary Shorts: $30 | XR: $ 45 | Impact Videos: $20 | Impact Campaigns: $50 | Production Companies: $90
Regular Deadline (September 19th – September 25th)
Documentary Features: $ 50 | Documentary Shorts: $35 | XR: $ 50 | Impact Videos: $25 | Impact Campaigns: $60 | Production Companies: $100
Late Deadline (September 26th – October 9th)
Documentary Features: $60 | Documentary Shorts: $45 | XR: $ 60 | Impact Videos: $35 | Impact Campaigns: $70 | Production Companies: $130
PRE-PRESS, PUBLICITY, MEDIA
Entry in this competition grants SIMA the right to use trailers as well as clips (2 minutes maximum), photographs, and all related names, biographical materials and data, trademarks, logos, and/or related marketing or promotional materials for publicity and promotional purposes for the SIMA websites, as well as websites of SIMA’s promotional partners, media sponsors, and web aggregators. SIMA reserves the right to use any submitted materials for all promotional purposes, including all existing and future media platforms in perpetuity.
ARCHIVE
All entrants agree to release digital files of their production for non-circulation reference at the SIMA organizers archive. Hard copies and publicity materials submitted to SIMA will not be returned.
SPONSORS
The SIMA Awards are made possible through the generous support of our sponsors and media partners. To explore sponsorship and partnership opportunities for the 2027 Awards, please visit our partnership page or contact us.
