David Tarleton
Recognition

Awards & Press

A selection from three decades of festival awards, honors and press, spanning a Webby and three Emmy nominations through the global festival run of the most recent films.

2023–26
3 Emmy Nominations
Outstanding Achievement, Children / Youth · Identity (2023); Societal Concerns and Best Director · Spiral (2026). National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
2007
Webby Award
People's Choice, Best Comedy Series · Statler & Waldorf: From the Balcony.
2006–26
6 Telly Awards
For Spiral, Identity, Karen, Gray Area & Statler & Waldorf.
1997
Academy Fellowship
Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Fellowship.
David Tarleton and Adria Dawn at the Chicago/Midwest Emmy Awards
Chicago / Midwest Emmy Awards

With Adria Dawn, the night Identity was honored.

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Selected Awards & Honors

Awards by film →
2026Emmy Nomination, Societal Concerns · National Academy of Television Arts & SciencesSpiral
2026Emmy Nomination, Best Director · National Academy of Television Arts & SciencesSpiral
2026Bronze Telly, Best Social Impact Film · Telly AwardsSpiral
2026Bronze Telly, Best Drama Film · Telly AwardsSpiral
2026Special Jury Award · Golden Lion International Film FestivalSpiral
2026Best Director · Crown Point International Film FestivalSpiral
2026Best Drama · New York International Film AwardsSpiral
2026Best Film on Women · Bangkok Movie AwardsSpiral
2026Best Drama, Honorable Mention · Milano Indie Movie Awards, ItalySpiral
2025Best LGBTQ Short · Berlin Shorts AwardIdentity
2025Best LGBTQ Film · Indiana Independent Film FestivalIdentity
2023Emmy Nomination, Children / Youth · National Academy of Television Arts & SciencesIdentity
2023Silver Telly, Diversity & Inclusion · Telly AwardsIdentity
2023Best Narrative Film · University Film & Video AssociationIdentity
2023Best LGBTQ Film · Brooklyn International Short AwardsIdentity
2023Best of the Fest · Pride Film FestIdentity
2022Best LGBTQ Film · Paris Film AwardsIdentity
2022Grand Jury Award, Best Narrative Short · Awareness Film FestivalGray Area
2022Silver Telly, Social Impact · Telly AwardsKaren
2022Bronze Telly, Social Issues · Telly AwardsGray Area
2022Best Independent Film · Munich Short Film AwardsGray Area
2022Best U.S. Narrative Short · International Manhattan Film AwardsGray Area
2022Best Indie Narrative Short · 8 & Halfilm AwardsKaren
2022Best Human Rights Film · Tokyo Shorts Film FestivalKaren
2021Best Black Lives Matter Film · Berlin Shorts AwardKaren
2020Best International Film · Reale Film Festival, ItalyKaren
2020Best Narrative Short & Ensemble Acting · NY Socially Relevant Film FestivalUnsafe
2019Humanitarian Award · Sharjah International Children's Film FestivalSafeZone
2019Young UNICEF Award · Ferrara Film FestivalSafeZone
2018Best Horror Feature · Manhattan Film FestivalHunter
2018Best Feature Film · Freak Show Film FestivalHunter
2018Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award · Marquis Who's WhoCareer
2007Webby Award, People's Choice Best Comedy Series · The Webby AwardsStatler & Waldorf
2006Telly Award, Best Use of Comedy · Telly AwardsStatler & Waldorf
200625 Websites We Can't Live Without · TIME MagazineStatler & Waldorf
2005Best Documentary · Boston International Film FestivalWhat Babies Want
1997Academy Fellowship · Academy of Motion Picture Arts & SciencesCareer

Individual films carry their full festival records on their own project pages. The complete list of honors appears in David's curriculum vitae.

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Press & Interviews

Chicago Sun-Times · Richard Roeper
'Hunter' sets its gritty thrills in the icy chill of a Chicago winter
Feature film review · 2019 ↗
2026 Do the Oscars still have any weight?Le Point (France) · interview ↗ 2026 Ron Howard Offers Students a Unique Look at the Creative ProcessSyracuse University News ↗ 2013 Today's Zombies Are In A HurryChicago Tribune · editing expert ↗ 2025 Remembering David Lynch's legacy: meditation, surrealism, 'presence'The Daily Orange · expert interview ↗ 2024 Sora's shaking up HollywoodCybernews · generative-AI expert ↗ 2023 Tarleton/Dawn win Telly Award for Diversity and InclusionReel Chicago · Identity ↗ 2019 Movie Review: HunterFlickering Myth ↗ 2018 HunterFilm Threat · review ↗

This is a representative selection. A complete record of press, screenings and honors appears in David's curriculum vitae.

On the Carpet

Festivals & Premieres

David Tarleton and Adria Dawn at Dances With Films
Dances With Films · TCL Chinese Theatres, Los Angeles
Hunter premiere at the Manhattan Film Festival
Hunter premiere · Manhattan Film Festival
Gray Area premiere
Gray Area premiere
David Tarleton and Adria Dawn at the Awareness Film Festival
Awareness Film Festival · Los Angeles
At the Socially Relevant Film Festival, Cinema Village, New York
Identity · Socially Relevant Film Festival, New York
At the Syracuse International Film Festival
Syracuse International Film Festival
David Tarleton and Adria Dawn at the Syracuse International Film Festival
Syracuse International Film Festival
See the work.
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David Tarleton and Adria Dawn at the Emmy Awards