Emma Higgins Nominated for Outstanding Directorial Achievement at 2026 DGC Awards

Emma Higgins has been nominated for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film at the 2026 Directors Guild of Canada Awards for Sweetness, her feature debut as writer and director.

Sweetness follows Rylee Hill (Kate Hallett), a teenager whose devotion to rock star Payton Adler (Herman Tømmeraas) turns into a dangerous obsession with saving him from himself. The film is half locked-room thriller and half coming-of-age story for the digital age. It explores the line between fandom and fixation with real empathy for the kids on both sides of the stage.

A Fela production, Sweetness premiered at SXSW in 2025 before its theatrical release. The film stars Kate Hallett, Herman Tømmeraas, Aya Furukawa, Justin Chatwin, Steven Ogg and Amanda Brugel. Taj Critchlow and Daniel Quinn produced it, alongside When We Were Kids.

Emma shares the category with Bretten Hannam (At the Place of Ghosts), Harrison Houde (Tight Lettuce), Jody Wilson (Bearded Girl) and Timothy Yeung (Finch & Midland). Winners will be announced on Saturday, November 14.