The Set Decorators Society of America handed its 2026 film prizes to a slate of productions that have dominated the craft conversation all season, with Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” taking the top honor for Best Picture and winning the contemporary feature award. The winners were announced Feb. 21 during a society presentation streamed on YouTube.
Anthony Carlino won for set decoration on “One Battle After Another,” paired with production designer Florencia Martin, as the film edged out fellow contemporary nominees “Bugonia,” “F1,” “Jay Kelly,” and “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.” The Best Picture win matters because it pits every genre against each other, a newer category the society added two years ago.
Across the genre brackets, “Hamnet” led the period field, with Alice Felton recognized for set decoration alongside production designer Fiona Crombie. “Frankenstein” won the fantasy or science-fiction award, honoring set decorator Shane Vieau and production designer Tamara Deverell. “Wicked: For Good” topped the comedy or musical category, crediting set decorator Lee Sandales and production designer Nathan Crowley.
The society’s results have gained attention as an awards-season signal for the Academy’s production design race. Since the group began handing out honors in 2020, one of its category winners has later taken the Oscar for production design four times out of five, a track record that keeps guild-watchers trained on these craft lists.
This year’s winners land as the calendar tightens. The Art Directors Guild plans to present its production design awards on Feb. 28, with the Oscars set for March 15, meaning set decoration and production design will get two more high-profile spotlights before final voting closes.
