Catherine Hardwicke Wins Best Director at LA Femme International Film Festival for 'Street Smart'
The 22nd LA Femme International Film Festival ran from October 22 to 25, 2026, in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, with screenings at Regal Cinemas at the Sherman Oaks Galleria and 110 films in the lineup. The festival closed on October 25 with its awards ceremony: director Catherine Hardwicke won Best Director for her new film Street Smart, actress Mena Suvari received the Humanitarian Award, and writer-director Rachel Feldman received the Visionary Award.
Street Smart, co-written by Hardwicke with Nic Sheff, is set in Hardwicke's own Venice neighborhood in Los Angeles and follows a group of unhoused young adults who survive day to day and look out for one another as a chosen family. Its ensemble cast includes Isabelle Fuhrman, Yara Shahidi, Michael Cimino, Paris Jackson, Virginia Madsen, Marcia Gay Harden, Skeet Ulrich and Sally Struthers, with a score by Nick Urata. Hardwicke's 2003 directing debut Thirteen won the Directing Award at Sundance, and she went on to direct Twilight, which launched a global box-office franchise.
The festival's two honorary awards were announced by the organizers ahead of the event. Mena Suvari received the Humanitarian Award in recognition of her advocacy for global health, environmental conservation and animal welfare, including her work as an ambassador for the African Medical and Research Foundation (Amref). Rachel Feldman received the Visionary Award for her body of work and her longstanding commitment to expanding opportunities for women in Hollywood; she wrote and directed the 2025 feature Lilly, starring Patricia Clarkson.
The festival opened on the evening of October 22 with the West Coast premiere of Jesus Land, written and directed by Saila Kariat and starring Juliette Lewis and Ella Anderson. Adapted from Julia Scheeres' memoir of the same name, the film follows a young girl and her adopted brother confronting religious extremism, racism and abuse. The program spanned narrative features, documentary features and shorts and music videos, and included an animated shorts competition sponsored by TMS Entertainment, along with six industry panels on topics from diversity and inclusion to launching a career through short films, pitching and distribution.
Founded in 2005 and based in Los Angeles, the LA Femme International Film Festival celebrates, supports and advances the work of women producers, writers and directors from around the world; this year marked its 22nd edition. The organizers launched a sister festival, LA Femme International Film Festival Europe, in Budapest, Hungary, last year; its second edition is scheduled for May 4 to 7, 2027.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：本届电影节放映场馆所在的 Sherman Oaks Galleria（资料图），位于美国加利福尼亚州洛杉矶市 Sherman Oaks。King of Hearts 摄，CC BY-SA 3.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / The Sherman Oaks Galleria in Los Angeles, California, home to the Regal Cinemas that hosted this year's festival screenings (file photo). Photo by King of Hearts, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
