New Hampshire Film Festival Announces Shelby Gaines as 2026 Screenplay Judge
PORTSMOUTH, NH (August 31, 2026) – The New Hampshire Film Festival is proud to announce screenwriter and composer Shelby Gaines as this year’s special guest industry judge who will decide the 2026 NHFF Best Screenplay Award. The winner will be announced and awarded at the festival’s awards ceremony on Sunday, October 18, 2026, the last day of the festival’s 24th Annual Edition that starts October 15.
Shelby’s latest screenplay is for The Weight, an action-adventure film starring Russell Crowe and Ethan Hawke that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and opens in theaters September 18. Shelby scored the film as well, with his brother Latham Gaines.
Shelby also co-wrote Wildcat, a film about the life of writer Flannery O’Connor, which premiered at the Telluride Film Festival and released theatrically in 2024. Directed and co-written by Ethan Hawke, the film stars Maya Hawke, Laura Linney, Philip Ettinger, Rafael Casal, Cooper Hoffman, Steve Zahn, Vincent D’Onofrio, Alessandro Nivola and Willa Fitzgerald. Shelby and Latham scored this film too.
Other screenplays include a remake of The Gunfighter for 20th Century; Satan Is Real, the story of Country Music Hall of Fame duo The Louvin Brothers; as well as Camino Real, an adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ play, co-written with Ethan Hawke.
Shelby’s music and sound design work includes recordings, film, performance and visual art — frequently collaborating with his brother. The Gaines brothers create sound sculptures, which are then used for scoring, performance and exhibition. Their live score for Ethan Hawke’s revival of Sam Shepard’s A Lie of the Mind earned them a Drama Desk Award nomination.
Star Island will once again host the 2026 NHFF Best Screenplay Award winner for a one-week residency at the Star Island Family Retreat and Conference Center. The prize package is for two guests.
Star Island is one of the nine Isles of Shoals located seven miles off the coast of New Hampshire and Maine. From mid-June through mid-September, all are welcome to explore the island for a day, enjoy a meal, spend the night, or attend a conference. For the last 100 years, Star Island has offered an all-inclusive summer camp experience for families and hosted a wide variety of themed weeks and personal retreats. Star is owned and operated by the nonprofit Star Island Corporation. Whether you find yourself mesmerized by the sunset in a rocking chair on the porch, exploring Gosport Harbor in a kayak, or learning about innovative environmental programs, Star Island is unforgettable.