Movies that Matter Audience Award

The Movies that Matter Audience Award, supported by NPO, is given to the filmmaker of the film in the official selection (excluding one-time specials, shorts and classics) with the highest average vote in the audience poll.

We are curious to know what you think of the films we screen, which is why we award the Movies that Matter Audience Award every festival. By rating a film on a scale of 1 to 5 on a tablet when you leave the screening at Filmhuis Den Haag and Theater aan het Spui, you as a festival visitor will help us decide who the winner will be.

On the last day of the festival during the closing film screening, we will announce which film is the big audience favourite and thus which filmmaker will receive the Movies that Matter Audience Award.

Winner 2026: Cutting Through Rocks

Cutting Through Rocks has been voted the winner of the Movies that Matter Audience Award 2026 by the festival audience. The award was presented on the closing night of the festival, 28 March 2026, by Charelle Akihary on behalf of NPO, the Dutch national broadcaster, this year for the first time as official award partner. Read more.