Ladakh Filmmaker Stanzin Jigmet Wins Gold at Student Academy Awards
Stanzin Jigmet, a filmmaker from Mulbekh in Ladakh, has won Gold at the 53rd Student Academy Awards for his film 'The Dragon Letter'.
Filmmaker Stanzin Jigmet, who grew up in the remote village of Mulbekh in Ladakh, has won Gold at the 53rd Student Academy Awards for his film The Dragon Letter.
The 2026 ceremony took place on Monday at the Toronto International Film Festival. The competition drew 2,972 entries from 894 colleges and universities around the world.
The evening featured remarks by Academy CEO Bill Kramer, Academy Directors Branch Governor and Academy Museum Trustee Jason Reitman, and Academy Foundation Board President and Casting Directors Branch Governor Kim Taylor-Coleman. Presenters included Actors Branch member Gemma Chan, Oscar nominee and Documentary Branch member Liz Garbus, and Actors Branch member Gael García Bernal.
When the winners were announced in August, Jigmet shared his reaction in an Instagram post. He described the journey from his Himalayan village to the Academy as something that "still feels unreal", and dedicated the award to his family, friends, cast, crew, ESCAC and Pixel Challenger Films, along with everyone who believed in his "deeply personal story".
"Where we come from does not limit how far our stories can travel," he wrote.
Jigmet holds a Master's degree in Film Directing from ESCAC in Barcelona, Spain. He is also the founder of Pixel Challenger Films, a cinema-grade production house based in Ladakh.