Will McCormack Honored at Plainfield Queen City Film Festival 2026

Plainfield native Will McCormack, an Academy Award winning filmmaker, returned home to receive the 2026 Ambassador Award at the Queen City Film Festival. Union County Life reports that the honor was presented at a Friday night gala inside the renovated Plainfield Public Library, where a crowd of hundreds gathered.

McCormack said walking into the library overwhelmed him. “I feel emotional because my parents have both passed,” he said. He recalled growing up in Plainfield with his sisters, Bridget and Mary, learning to swim and playing Little League. “This very building is where I learned how to read and fell in love with stories,” he said.

McCormack has built a career writing, producing, directing and acting in film, television and theater. He co wrote and co directed “If Anything Happens I Love You” with Michael Govier. The 2020 short won an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film. He also co wrote “Celeste and Jesse Forever” with Rashida Jones, and according to the article, he shares story credit on Pixar’s “Toy Story 4.”

He and Jones more recently wrote “The Invite,” directed by Olivia Wilde and starring Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton. The writing partners received the 2026 Special Achievement in Screenwriting Award from the Nantucket Film Festival.

McCormack said one thread runs through his work. “I’ve always just tried to tell stories from a place of authenticity,” he said. “I face obstacles like everybody in life, and I try to tell stories about them. I’m going to stick to it, and I’m going to keep doing it.”

The Plainfield City Council and state lawmakers issued resolutions recognizing McCormack’s work. Fellow honorees Ernest Dickerson and Tracey Moore received resolutions as well. Festival founder and host Lamar Mackson thanked McCormack for coming home. “Will, on behalf of everybody in this room, and the staff, board of directors and the volunteers of the Queen City Film Festival, I want to thank you for making this journey back home,” Mackson said.

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FAQ

What award did Will McCormack receive?
He received the 2026 Ambassador Award from the Queen City Film Festival, presented at a Friday night gala in Plainfield.

Where was the Queen City Film Festival Ambassador Award presented?
At the renovated Plainfield Public Library, where McCormack said he learned to read.

What film won Will McCormack an Oscar?
“If Anything Happens I Love You,” a short he co wrote and co directed with Michael Govier. It won the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film.

When is the Queen City Film Festival?
The 2026 festival runs Oct. 15 to 18, according to the festival’s FilmFreeway listing.