The award winners of the 40th DOK.fest München
We are pleased to present the award winning films of DOK.fest München 2024 and congratulate all the winners!
In the three competition sections DOK.international Main Competition, DOK.deutsch Competition and DOK.horizonte Competition – Cinema of Urgency the nominated films at the 40th International Documentary Filmfestival Munich competed for the VIKTORIA – the award statue donated by the sponsoring association of DOK.fest München. In addition, other top-class awards were presented. A total of 64,200 euros in prize money were awarded.
VIKTORIA DOK.international Main Competition
SILENT OBSERVERS
Director: Eliza Petkova
From the perspective of six animals, we observe the inhabitants of a remote Bulgarian mountain village. With charm, curiosity, self-confidence and dependability, they move through the everyday lives of the people around them. At the same time, this experimental and musically powerful film reflects on the question: what value do animals actually hold for us? Veronica Loebner
Jury's statement: “Our winning film reckons with the ethics and aesthetics of what it is to look at documentary protagonists, whether they are human or other kinds of beings. With a wry and clever approach, it brings together folk stories, superstition, and a real story of a remote, ageing village in decline, questioning what we know to be real, and what is imaginary narrative. In a thrilling creative approach, we look at animals looking at people, and the animals look back at us through the screen.
Every detail felt planned meticulously to us, including a bold experimental and unsettling soundtrack and we immerse ourselves in epic mountain visuals, the minutiae of neighbours’ disagreements, and the details of fur, four legs, and deep unreadable eyes. The filmmaker’s respect for local tradition is clear, and we were impressed by the collaborative and loving relationship she clearly had with her protagonists, and her questioning of human wisdom and supremacy.
Ultimately, the multilayered metaphor of the silent observers invites us to venture into uncharted territories – reimagining the human experience as an expansive web of creative possibilities. It calls for a sustained commitment to tolerance, empathy, and the openness to alternative imaginaries, rather than defaulting to familiar visual codes or closing off what remains unresolved.
Congratulations to the winner of the VIKTORIA DOK.international Main Competition!“
Special mention: THE INVISIBLE CONTRACT
Director: Luciana Kaplan
Female cleaners in Mexico City. A sensitive social portrait.
Jury's statement: “We also award a special mention to THE INVISIBLE CONTRACT for its empathetic concern for some of the most vulnerable and justice-seeking workers, and mix of formal beauty and social justice. By disrupting the everyday silence imposed on these workers – who are often denied the space to advocate for their rights – the film curates a space where the characters’ dialogue with the camera becomes an act of resistance. In doing so, it fosters a culture of visibility and dignity, compelling the viewer to reflect on the urgent need for structural change and greater respect for marginalized labor.”
Jury: Leonard Cortana (Inclusion Program and Strategic Partnerships Manager at EURODOC & PhD Candidate in Cinema Studies at NYU), Aleksandra Derewienko (Head of Sales, CAT&Docs), Charlie Phillips (Producer, I Am Charlie Ltd and Head of Stories, Lyfta)
Sponsored by Bayerischer Rundfunk, endowed with 10,000 euros. Nominated were films that show a broad spectrum of content and form and are distinguished by their high artistic quality.
VIKTORIA DOK.deutsch Wettbewerb
WIR ERBEN
Regie: Simon Baumann
The parents are Swiss organic farming pioneers who emigrated to an isolated farm in France. Now they are getting old and want to leave their estate to their son. He finds inheritance morally questionable and films the process of deciding the farm’s future. Masterfully told, witty and profound at the same time – with controversial characters. Ysabel Fantou
Jury's statement: “WIR ERBEN confronts us with the question: How do we deal with the inheritance our parents will one day leave us? In a very personal way, director Simon Baumann uses a discussion within his own family about a property in France – which his parents intend to pass on to him and his brother – as a springboard to address issues that concern us all, issues we can all identify with, even if we don’t come from land-owning families. To inherit means to grapple with death, with memories, with responsibility and obligations.
The protagonists speak openly and the perspective shifts to those who will leave an inheritance. What remains of a life? What does one wish to leave behind? With a coherent dramaturgy that draws on extensive archival material from his parents, Baumann simultaneously highlights generational differences and traces how lives and life plans have changed since the boomer generation were young. While his parents built houses as a matter of course, hardly anyone today can afford to do so – unless they inherit. This film cleverly draws attention to such injustices – and also reveals the contradictions of those who fight against inequality on a political level, but in their personal lives tend to think of themselves first. And yet, all of this is done with something that runs through the whole family: an incredibly fine sense of humor.”
Jury: Hamado Dipama (Advisor to the Working Group of Bavarian Advisory Councils for Foreigners, Migrants and Integration (AGABY) for anti-racism and anti-discrimination work in Bavaria), Katja Kraft (Cultural Editor at Münchner Merkur and tz), Jaie Laplante (Artistic Director of DOC NYC)
Endowed with 7,500 euros. The nominated films deal with people and topics from the German-speaking world. Sponsored by Sky.
VIKTORIA DOK.horizonte Competition – Cinema of Urgency
RASHID, L’ENFANT DE SINJAR
Director: Jasna Krajinovic
As a child, Rashid survived imprisonment by IS; as a teenager, he now faces a dilemma: to stay and fight for a future in Sinjar or to leave his home and friends behind? Amid insecurity and new threats, he is trying to find his path. A film about family, friendship and the longing for a better life. Helga-Mari Steininger
Jury's statement: “The opening sequence of RASHID, THE BOY FROM SINJAR offers a perfect yet terrifying exposition: from an open car, the camera surveys the devastated streets of Sinjar. We then meet Rashid himself – a red-haired, slightly pimply teenager who, as his grandmother later reveals, looks noticeably different from everyone else in his community. This distinctive young man is the film's namesake and central figure. He and his Yazidi family survived the IS genocide, though not without profound trauma.
Filmmaker Jasna Krajinovic follows Rashid's attempts to rebuild his life in the ruined city as his family searches for safety and stability. The film subtly incorporates ever-present danger throughout and, in one disturbing moment, we witness how past trauma continues to haunt the present.
There's remarkable empathy for the subjects while respecting their boundaries. During difficult scenes, the camera maintains proximity without intrusion. Rather than manipulating emotions through an excessive use of music, the film relies on its protagonists' authentic experiences. Many scenes brilliantly balance contrasting elements – everyday teenage moments juxtaposed against a backdrop of destruction, highlighting the normalized threat to this community.
As the story unfolds, difficult choices must be made about staying or leaving. Some family members choose one path, others another, with each decision carrying its own weight of hope and uncertainty. Viewers are left wondering about the future that awaits these resilient individuals.
With stunning cinematography and nuanced storytelling, this fantastic, deeply moving film engages a wide audience while bringing renewed attention to a persecuted people's plight. It leaves a lasting emotional impression and opens a space for viewers to reflect on parallels with other oppressed and threatened communities worldwide.”
Jury: Florian Schewe (Producer, Film Five GmbH), Susanne Mertens (Editor, ZDF/ARTE Current Affairs), Julian Etienne (Film Officer at Doc Society)
Sponsored by the Petra Kelly Foundation, endowed with 5,000 euros. The nominees were films that focus on countries with unstable structures.
megaherz Student Award
WOMAN/MOTHER
Director: Klara Harden
Mara and Klara have been friends for many years. When they are planning Mara’s first dance performance since she became a mother, she becomes pregnant again. Klara explores with her what is possible. But the birth of her second child leaves Mara very little space for creativity. Intimate and honest, a poignant film about trying not to lose yourself as a mother. Ysabel Fantou
Jury's statement: “The filmmaker has taken a risk: she looks where we as a society prefer not to look and, together with her long-time friend and dance teacher Mara, exposes the demands and contradictions of motherhood. In a society that often renders mothers and their experiences invisible, but at the same time sets high expectations on them, the film speaks honestly about feelings of guilt, about feeling flawed and inadequate, and about not always loving the role of mother. The director is there for her friend when her parental duties become overwhelming. She illustrates the isolation that can develop even within a functioning relationship and contrasts this with a strong female friendship. In doing so, she critically examines her role as an author and questions the extent to which she herself projects capitalist and patriarchal expectations of functioning mothers onto her friend Mara.
The formal approach, which combines dance performances with subtle observations of everyday family life, deals honestly with its imperfection. Rather than presenting flawless images, the film focuses on the creative process of the two female friends and explores how a mother can remain true to herself when her body is used, inhabited, and appropriated by others. The film does not show the answer – there is no unreserved happy ending – but it encourages us to look. We congratulate Klara Harden on winning the Student Award 2025 with her film woman/mOther."
Special mention: THE DISAPPEARANCE OF OUR MOMENTS
Director: Ahmad Siyar Noorza
A family trapped in no mans’ land between two borders. A mythic tale.
Jury's statement: “We would also like to honour the deeply moving film THE DISAPPEARANCE OF OUR MOMENTS by Ahmad Siyar Noorzad with a special mention. The film treats all the family members as equals and with the utmost empathy, while sensitively observing what it means to flee and to be stranded."
Jury: Annina Lehmann (University of Westminster), Patrick Wira (Zurich University of the Arts), Lou von Sohlern (University of Television and Film Munich)
Sponsored by the film production company megaherz, endowed with 3,000 euros, for the winning film in the Student Award series.
VFF Documentary Film Production Award
DAS FAST NORMALE LEBEN
Producers: Ulla Lehmann und Andrea Roggon (AMA FILM)
Director: Stefan Sick
Leni, Eleyna, Lena and Lisann live in residential care. They are loud and unpredictable and often drive the staff who look after them to despair. With a warm and gentle narrative style, this documentary observes the everyday life of the four young women over two years and reveals to us the importance of support and security. Ina Borrmann
Jury's statement: “If a film production is considered a risk in the financial sector, then a cinema documentary is a high-risk business. But there is an even higher risk: the production of a long-term documentary.
How many days of filming will be needed? Can the project be completed with the available budget? Will the protagonists stick with it or will they drop out in between? And will they be happy with the finished film?
Andrea Roggon and Ulla Lehmann embarked on this journey with an uncertain outcome, invested considerable personal funds from Ama Film and enabled director Stefan Sick to accompany four carefully selected girls from difficult family backgrounds for two years in a foster home. In the everyday life of their residential group, in crisis and conflict situations, in hope and disappointment, Sick's camera is empathetic, close, but always respectful, allowing us to sympathise and hope, reading the young faces and condensing A NEARLY NORMAL LIFE of the girls into an emotionally moving piece of documentary cinema.
Paving the way for this work and taking not only the protagonists, but also the parents and educators along for the ride over the course of two years, building trust, protecting them and ultimately convincing them to let the audience share in their very private moments requires the full commitment of everyone involved and can only succeed if the director and producer harmonise. Ama-Film has mastered this organisational challenge impressively: Congratulations on winning the VFF Documentary Film Production Award 2025!”
Jury: Nicole Leykauf (Producer and Managing Director, Leykauf Film), Thomas Frickel (Author, Director and Producer), Oliver Stoltz (Producer, Dreamer Joint Venture, Award winner 2024)
The award is donated by the VFF Verwertungsgesellschaft der Film und Fernsehproduzenten mbH and is endowed with 7,500 euros and is unique in Germany.
German Documentary Film Music Award
VRACHT
Composer: Mirjam Skal
Director: Max Carlo Kohal
Rudmer is an apprentice on a container ship. He puts up with the arduous life on board because he is pursuing his dream of standing on the bridge as captain. VRACHT is not a sociological study but a wonderfully entertaining film with playful scenes, refined editing and monumental images. The winner of the German Documentary Film Music Award! Jan Sebening
Jury's statement: “What does a freight container feel? The container ship ‘Panerai’ travels up and down the Rhine at a leisurely pace, but nevertheless steadfastly on course. Mooring and casting off manoeuvres, loading logistics and maintenance work characterise the day-to-day work on board. Mirjam Skal‘s highly sensitive, reduced film music takes us deeper into this harsh and unfamiliar world than the images alone could. It defines the timing and atmosphere of the film. Music and sounds can make us feel things that remain hidden to the eye. We hear sounds inspired by steel, wind and weather that bring the freight containers to life. The interplay of visual and acoustic levels is perfectly mastered in VRACHT. We experience an immersive film for eyes and ears, in which the individual artistic voices of the director, camera, editing and music have become a harmonious whole. Now we can better understand the containers.”
Jury: Atena Eshtiaghi (Musician und Composer, Award winner 2024), Sebastian Höglinger (Curator, Distribution/Text, Former Director of Diagonale), Ann-Kathrin Mittelstraß (Music Journalist, BR)
The award is endowed with 5,000 euros. The composer of the film is being honoured. It is donated by the Versicherungskammer Kulturstiftung.
DOK.edit Award – presented by Adobe
A SUDDEN GLIMPSE TO DEEPER THINGS
Editing: Timo Langer
Director: Mark Cousins
“It might look like we’re just playing. But this is no game, it is dead serious.” Nobody suspects how much truth lies in Sanyi’s statement when Dávid Mikulán embarks on 10 years of filming the young man. From his cramped flat, where his whole family shares a bedroom and there is no room to breathe, Sanyi escapes to the streets of Budapest with his friends. Katharina Dolles
Jury's statement: “From the very beginning, the editing of image and sound makes it clear to us: this is the start of a journey and we should look and listen carefully. In the film A SUDDEN GLIMPSE TO DEEPER THINGS, Timo Langer tells the story of the work of Scottish artist Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, known as Willi, quietly, vividly, and with humour.
The courageous composition of the diverse source material provides scope for the discovery of her art and sensitively guides us through Willi's life story. This creates a unique, captivating narrative rhythm that draws inspiration from the artist's work. It is fascinating how the film manages to give the viewer the feeling of being present at the creation of the works and seeing them through the eyes of the artist.
It is particularly impressive how the editor creates space for images that go beyond words and invite to look at them closely. The use of colours and shapes, mathematical formulas and spiritual influences gives the film a unique and profound aesthetic. The passion for painting and the exploration of Leonardo da Vinci are reflected in the editing. It takes time for sentiment, shows the courage to be awkward and presents a work for the eyes and ears that is precisely constructed and well thought out. For this achievement we congratulate Timo Langer on the DOK.edit Award – presented by Adobe!”
Jury: Gisela Castronari-Jaensch (Lecturer in editing, Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg), Kaya Inan (Editor), Yana Höhnerbach (Editor)
The award was developed in cooperation with Adobe, who are also the sponsors of the 5,000 euros award. Its aim is to shed light on the post-production of documentary films and to honour the work of editors. Films with outstanding editing work are nominated. The prize is awarded across all series.
all inclusive Award for Inclusive Documentary Film Productions
PATRICE: THE MOVIE
Director: Ted Passon
Patrice and Gary want to get married. But as a married couple with disabilities, there’s a risk that their state benefits would be taken away from them. Supported by loyal friends, they confront this unfair law and other challenges. A life-affirming film about love, equality and breaking down barriers in our society. Kathi Seemann
Jury's statement: “As a jury, it was very important to us to honour a film that, by consensus, convinces us the most cinematically while at the same time shows behind the scenes that it was largely created by experts in the world depicted, both in front of and behind the camera. In today's world, where political messages play an important role, it is particularly important to honour a film that is both empowering and socially critical. ‘Inclusion is a delicate plant’. PATRICE: THE MOVIE treats this topic with the sensitivity of a delicate pencil that needs no further validation. As world events show - and we also look at examples from the USA - the film brings together exactly what we want to emphasise: the indispensable upholding of human rights.
The film, a love story of two people who want to get married and pull out all the stops to achieve this, stands out due to its focus on the social model of disability. It shows that it is not the body that is the problem. It is the social structures that pose challenges for people with disabilities (and that are also posed by people with disabilities themselves). In addition to the gripping plot and the dramaturgically well-constructed, multi-layered scenes, it is the commitment behind the scenes that makes this film stand out. Filmmakers with and without disabilities worked together professionally on the film production. As a matter of course, there was also a person in charge of accessibility and psychological support for the protagonists on set. The film proves that inclusion is possible in professional filmmaking and that the professionalism of filmmakers with disabilities is by no means in question. It is precisely the lack of funding structures in Germany for such projects that makes this film a showcase project and an urgent reminder to us all to improve the conditions for filmmakers with disabilities.”
Jury: Seneit Debese (Founder and Managing Director, Greta & Starks Apps GmbH), Olaf Jacobs (Producer, Hoferichter & Jacobs Film- und Fernsehproduktionsgesellschaft), Tina Thiele (Owner and Publisher, Casting-Network)
Donated by the Werksviertel-Mitte Foundation, endowed with 5,000 euros. Nominated are documentary film productions in which filmmakers with disabilities play a leading role. The award will be presented for the first time as part of the 40th DOK.fest München in May 2025.
DOK.fest Award of SOS-Kinderdörfer weltweit
RASHID, L’ENFANT DE SINJAR
Director: Jasna Krajinovic
As a child, Rashid survived imprisonment by IS; as a teenager, he now faces a dilemma: to stay and fight for a future in Sinjar or to leave his home and friends behind? Amid insecurity and new threats, he is trying to find his path. A film about family, friendship and the longing for a better life. Helga-Mari Steininger
Jury's statement: “Rashid survived IS captivity as a child and lives with his family in Sinjar, in the north-west of Iraq, while his sister is still being held captive by IS. Now, as a teenager, the young Yazidi dreams of a better future for himself and his country, which is still being rebuilt. But the peace in Sinjar is fragile. Rashid wants nothing more than a place where he can thrive and be close to his family, but the situation in the country does not allow him a trouble-free future.
The narrative depth and at the same time vivid closeness of Rashid's life make the film RASHID, L'ENFANT DE SINJAR by Slovenian director Jasna Krajinovic an impressive work that shows particular strength in both the direction and the camera work. The director accompanied the protagonist for over five years, an outstanding piece of work. Rashid captivates the audience from the very first second. His stories are haunting because they depict the unimaginable - experiences of violence and loss. At the same time, however, he displays a remarkable resilience and, despite everything, retains an unexpected warmth. The fact that the director chose him as her protagonist is an outstanding achievement - his story and his personality make the film so extraordinary.
The combination of a particularly strong authorial performance, impressive camera work and a touching, unembellished look at human destinies results in a film that is both artistically and socially highly relevant. The impressive portrayal allows us access to a difficult topic. Rashid does not want to leave his homeland, but the threatening circumstances ultimately force him to do so. RASHID, L'ENFANT DE SINJAR is a film that shows the human side and makes us reflect at a time when there is much discussion about repatriation and border closures.”
Jury: Prof. Michaela Braun (Member of the friends of SOS-Kinderdörfer weltweit), Thilo Kasper (Teamlead Content-Strategy, ARD), Christine Kehrer (Head of TV / Video der SOS-Kinderdörfer weltweit), Michaela May (Actress), Heike Schnaar (ZDF), Wiebke Schodder (Director Non-Fiction Netflix)
The DOK.fest Award of SOS-Kinderdörfer weltweit is donated by B.O.A Videofilmkunst and endowed with 3,000 euros. It honours films across all series that make the perspectives of children and young people visible and tangible in a remarkable way. The award will be presented at DOK.fest München 2024 for the eleventh time.
kinokino Audience Award – sponsored by BR and 3sat
WRITING HAWA
Director: Najiba Noori
When the Taliban regains power in Afghanistan, Najiba picks up the pieces of her film portrait of her mother in exile. Through Hawa’s story, we follow the wave of emancipation that had swept across the land. Though this now lies in tatters, women like Hawa will not relinquish what they have taught themselves: “To act changes everything.” Sara Gómez
The kinokino Audience Award is endowed with 2,000 euros. The namesake and media partner of the audience award is kinokino – Das Filmmagazin im Bayerischen Rundfunk | 3sat.
This year, the audience vote was carried out digitally for the first time – via a QR code that will be projected onto the cinema screen after the end of each film screening.
