2026 Nominees

Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery – The Untold Story

White Horse Pictures, Elevation Pictures, ABC News Studios, Not A Real Production Company, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

USA

- Arts & Culture

Lilith Fair: Building A Mystery follows musician Sarah McLachlan on her journey to creating Lilith Fair, the groundbreaking all-female music festival that ran from 1997 to 1999. Lilith was founded in opposition to “industry wisdom” that women couldn’t sell tickets or keep radio listeners, which Sarah knew wasn’t the truth. Featuring artists like Sheryl Crow, Tracy Chapman, Bonnie Raitt, Missy Elliott, Fiona Apple, Erykah Badu, and the Indigo Girls, Lilith proved there was a place for people outside the norm in music – not just on the margins, but at the center of culture and the marketplace. Drawing on 600 hours of unseen footage, the film immerses the viewer in the world of Lilith, from the challenges – bomb threats, protests, and criticism from the press – to the legendary performances and safe havens created each night. Lilith proved the power of community, collective action, and radical joy, fighting for a space to be seen and heard. This film strives to continue that work.