Latino Entertainment Journalists Association Announces 8th Annual LEJA Film Winners
Los Angeles, CA – February 9, 2026 – Sinners has won six awards at the 8th Annual Latino Entertainment Journalists Association (LEJA) Film Awards, including Best Picture. Sinners writer-director Ryan Coogler also picked up awards for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. The film also earned awards for Best Casting (Francine Maisler), Best Score (Ludwig Göransson), and tied for Best Cinematography (Autumn Durald Arkapaw).
One Battle After Another and Frankenstein won the second most awards with three each. Benicio del Toro won Best Supporting Actor and Teyana Taylor won Best Supporting Actress for One Battle After Another. Paul Thomas Anderson also won Best Adapted Screenplay for writing the film.
Frankenstein picked up three awards in the craft categories for Best Production Design (Tamara Deverell), Best Costume Design (Kate Hawley), and Best Makeup (Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel, and Cliona Furey).
In the other top categories, Wagner Moura won Best Actor for The Secret Agent, and Rose Byrne won Best Actress for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. The Secret Agent also won Best Non-English Film.
Other films that earned two awards were: Avatar: Fire and Ash (Best Voice or Motion Capture Performance and Best Special Effects), KPop Demon Hunters (Best Animated Film and Best Song), and F1 (Best Editing and Best Sound).
“LEJA is proud to recognize excellence in filmmaking across the board,” said Toni Gonzales, LEJA President. “This year’s winners showcase a diverse mix of talent and storytelling and also highlights the continued impact Latino creatives have in the industry.”
Late last month, LEJA also announced that the Rita Moreno Lifetime Achievement Award went to actor Benicio del Toro. LEJA also awarded the Breakout Award to Tonatiuh for his performance in Kiss of the Spider Woman. The Activism Award went to Diego Luna for championing immigrant rights and for using his platform to amplify immigrant communities and encourage support for organizations helping them.
The full list of winners is below:
BEST PICTURE
Sinners, Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian and Ryan Coogler
BEST DIRECTOR
Ryan Coogler, Sinners
BEST ACTOR
Wagner Moura, The Secret Agent
BEST ACTRESS
Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Benicio del Toro, One Battle After Another
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another
BEST YOUTH PERFORMANCE (UNDER 18)
Cary Christopher, Weapons
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Ryan Coogler, Sinners
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another
BEST VOICE OR MOTION CAPTURE PERFORMANCE
Zoe Saldaña, Avatar: Fire and Ash
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
KPop Demon Hunters, Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans
BEST NON-ENGLISH FILM
The Secret Agent (Brazil)
BEST DOCUMENTARY
The Perfect Neighbor, Geeta Gandbhir
BEST ENSEMBLE CASTING
Sinners, Francine Maisler
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Frankenstein, Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
(TIE) Train Dreams, Adolpho Veloso
(TIE) Sinners, Autumn Durald Arkapaw
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Frankenstein, Kate Hawley
BEST EDITING
F1, Stephen Mirrione
BEST HAIR & MAKEUP
Frankenstein, Mike Hill, Jordan Samuel and Cliona Furey
BEST SOUND
F1, Al Nelson, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Gary Rizzo, Juan Peralta and Gareth John
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Avatar: Fire and Ash, Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett
BEST STUNTS
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
BEST SCORE
Sinners, Ludwig Göransson
BEST SONG
“Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters; music and lyrics by Ejae, Ido, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Mark Sonnenblick, Teddy & 24
About the Latino Entertainment Journalists Association
The Latino Entertainment Journalists Association (LEJA) is committed to developing and celebrating Latino voices in all areas and backgrounds of the entertainment industry. Founded in 2018, LEJA provides a much-needed opportunity for writers from the United States to have their works amplified and heard in film, television, music, theatre, and the arts. LEJA accepts all backgrounds and identities and embraces anyone who identifies as Latino, Latina, Latinx, Latine, Hispanic, Afro-Latino, Afro-Latina, or any inclusive and progressive description that champions and accelerates the voices of our culture from around the world.