The 2026 ACE Eddie Awards, a prestigious event in the film industry, has just concluded, and it's time to celebrate the winners! The battle for cinematic excellence has been fought, and these are the films that emerged victorious.
Warner Bros. brought two powerful contenders, 'Sinners' and 'One Battle After Another', to the awards stage, while Netflix's animated sensation, 'KPop Demon Hunters', joined the fray. These films dominated the top film prizes at the annual ACE Eddie Awards, held at UCLA's Royce Hall on Friday night.
Let's dive into the winners list and uncover the stories behind these exceptional edits.
The Drama and Comedy Kings of Editing
Michael P. Shawver, the editor of 'Sinners', took home the Eddie Award for Best Edited Feature Drama. Shawver's work on this film has earned him a nomination for Best Editing at the upcoming Academy Awards, where he will face off against some formidable competitors, including Stephen Mirrione, Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie, and Olivier Bugge Coutté.
Similarly, Andy Jurgensen, the editor of 'One Battle After Another', won the Feature Comedy prize at the Eddies. Jurgensen's talent has also secured him a spot in the Academy Awards race, adding to the excitement of this category.
But here's where it gets controversial: the Eddie Award for theatrical drama has historically been a strong indicator of Oscar success, with winners going on to claim the Academy Award for Best Editing 14 out of 26 times since the turn of the century. However, this trend has cooled down in recent years, with only one Eddie winner taking home the Oscar in the past five years - 'Oppenheimer'.
Animated Excellence and the Emmy Connection
The night's first major film prize went to Nathan Schauf, the editor of 'KPop Demon Hunters', for Best Edited Animated Feature. This Netflix sensation has been on a winning streak, sweeping the Annie Awards and VES Awards earlier this week. Schauf's work has undoubtedly left a mark on the industry.
And this is the part most people miss: the connection between the Eddies and the Emmys. Many of the TV winners at the Eddies have also claimed Emmy glory. For instance, HBO Max's 'The Pitt', which won the Drama Series Emmy in September, took home the Best Edited Drama Series prize at the Eddies. Similarly, 'The Penguin', 'The Studio', and 'Frasier' all won Emmy awards in 2025 and continued their success at the Eddies.
Documentary and Short Film Winners
The documentary categories were a highlight, with 'The Perfect Neighbor' winning for Best Edited Documentary Feature and HBO's 'Pee-wee as Himself' taking the TV prize. These films showcase the power of storytelling through editing.
Other winners include the editors of the controversial 'Twisted Christian' episode of 'South Park', who won Best Edited Animated Series. 'Saturday Night Live's 50th Anniversary Special' took home the award for Variety Talk/Sketch Show or Special, while 'Conan O'Brien Must Go' won for Non-Scripted Series. 'All the Empty Rooms' was recognized for Best Edited Short, and 'A Winter's Song' won for Best Edited Feature Film (Non-Theatrical).
Special Honors and Industry Legends
The editors group presented a range of special honors, recognizing industry legends and visionaries.
Two-time Oscar winner Ang Lee was awarded the ACE Golden Eddie Filmmaker of the Year Award. Lee's impressive filmography includes 'Life of Pi', 'Brokeback Mountain', 'Gemini Man', and many more. His films have premiered at prestigious festivals like Cannes, solidifying his place in cinematic history.
Arthur Forney, an Emmy-winning editor and director known for his work on 'Law & Order', received the first ACE Career Achievement Award. Forney's extensive credits include numerous episodes of 'Law & Order: SVU', 'Organized Crime', and other NBC and CBS series.
Oscar-nominated editor Robert Leighton was honored with the second Career Achievement Award. Leighton's impressive resume includes films like 'A Few Good Men', 'This Is Spinal Tap', and 'When Harry Met Sally...'. He has worked with renowned directors like Rob Reiner and Christopher Guest, who presented the award.
The ACE Visionary Award went to YouTube, accepted by Kim Larson, Managing Director and Head of the Creator and Gaming team. Michele Khare, host of the popular YouTube docuseries 'Challenge Accepted', presented the award.
The In Memoriam segment paid tribute to industry greats, including Rob Reiner, Chris Willingham, Don Zimmerman, Jane Kass, William Steinkamp, Alan C. Marks, John Soh, and Ted Woerner.
The ceremony was hosted by Asif Ali, a star known for 'Deli Boys' and 'Wrecked'.
Here is the complete list of winners for the 2026 ACE Eddie Awards:
BEST EDITED FEATURE FILM (Drama, Theatrical):
- Sinners
- Editor: Michael P. Shawver
BEST EDITED FEATURE FILM (Comedy, Theatrical):
- One Battle After Another
- Editor: Andy Jurgensen
BEST EDITED FEATURE FILM (NON-THEATRICAL):
- A Winter's Song
- Editor: Yvette M. Amirian
BEST EDITED ANIMATED FEATURE FILM:
- KPop Demon Hunters
- Editor: Nathan Schauf
BEST EDITED MULTI-CAMERA COMEDY SERIES:
- Frasier (Murder Most Finch)
- Editor: Russell Griffin
BEST EDITED SINGLE CAMERA COMEDY SERIES:
- The Studio (The Promotion)
- Editor: Eric Kissack
BEST EDITED LIMITED SERIES:
- The Penguin (A Great or Little Thing)
- Editor: Henk van Eeghen
BEST EDITED DRAMA SERIES:
- The Pitt (6pm)
- Editor: Mark Strand
BEST EDITED ANIMATED SERIES:
- South Park (Twisted Christian)
- Editors: David List, Nate Pellettieri
BEST EDITED SHORT:
- All the Empty Rooms
- Editors: Erin Casper, Stephen Maing, Jeremy Medoff
BEST EDITED NON-SCRIPTED SERIES:
- Conan O'Brien Must Go (Austria)
- Editors: Matthew Shaw, Brad Roelandt
BEST EDITED VARIETY TALK/SKETCH SHOW OR SPECIAL:
- Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Special
- Editors: Paul Del Gesso, Christopher Salerno, Ryan Spears, Sean Mcilraith, Ryan Mcilraith, Daniel Garcia
BEST EDITED DOCUMENTARY FEATURE:
- The Perfect Neighbor
- Editor: Viridiana Lieberman
BEST EDITED DOCUMENTARY SERIES:
- Pee-wee as Himself - Part One
- Editor: Damian Rodriguez
ANNE V. COATES AWARD FOR STUDENT EDITING:
- Luis Barragan - California State University, Fullerton
These awards celebrate the art of editing and the talented individuals behind the scenes who bring stories to life. Congratulations to all the winners and nominees!
What do you think of these winners? Are there any films or series you believe should have been recognized? Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
