The awards of CPH:INDUSTRY 2025 were handed out March 27. The winners are as follows, together with jury citations:
- The Eurimages Outreach Award (€30,000) Winner: BECOMING LUCIEN by Lucien Pin & Alex Haugmard and produced by Thibault Elie. On their motivation for choosing BECOMING LUCIEN, the jury said: “This project offers an exploration of gender identity through an intimate virtual reality experience that transforms personal narrative into a powerful tool for empathy and understanding. By creating a compassionate dialogue between the present self and the childhood past, the project provides an unprecedented window into the transgender experience, challenging societal misconceptions and fostering genuine human connection. Through innovative interactive storytelling, this work not only amplifies trans representation but also creates a vital bridge of understanding, strategically reach out to diverse audiences to combat transphobia and promote critical dialogue about gender identity in an era of increasing social polarization.”
- The Eurimages Innovation Award (€20,000) Winner: A SANCTUARY OF STUFF by Francesca Tremulo & Eszter Várhidi. On their motivation for choosing A SANCTUARY OF STUFF, the jury said: “The Eurimages New Lab Award for Innovation goes to a project with a radical openness. A work that refuses the constraints of traditional storytelling and resists defining its audience. Instead, it asks us to reimagine our role as viewers and invites us into a space of collective creation. In a world obsessed with competition, this sanctuary of stuff acts as a disruption, a wake-up call for community, collaboration and creative resistance.” Projects from CPH:FORUM, CPH:ROUGHCUT and CPH:LAB were eligible.
- The Sandbox Films Science Pitch Prize ($25,000) cash award along with support from Sandbox Films) Winner: METROPOLIS by Anupama Srinivasan & Anirban Dutta and produced by Anirban Dutta & Ryan Krivoshey. On their motivation for choosing METROPOLIS, the jury said: “The winning film is a beautifully crafted immersive experience that can easily engage audiences all over the world. This documentary reverses the gaze by elevating the work and voices of scientists from unrepresented communities. Combining humor and human gentleness with scientific rigour, the film also highlights some of the most pressing issues of our time – immigration, healthcare and climate change. All through a very unique and creative lens. This film will certainly create a buzz. ”
- The Al Jazeera Documentary Channel Co-Production Award (€10,000 prize) Winner: UNTITLED EDWARD SAID DOCUMENTARY by Maiken Baird and produced by Paul Dallas, Alex Gibney & Sarah Mowaswes. On their motivation for choosing UNTITLED EDWARD SAID DOCUMENTARY, the jury said: “At a time when Palestinians are being ethnically cleansed before our eyes, and the international community has done little to intervene, it is more important than ever to understand how history has shaped our present reality. In this context, the ideas of the protagonist — a singular figure who carried the Palestinian cause from the local to the global stage—are more vital now than ever.”
- The Rise and Shine Award (€3,000), for the best pitch project with international potential and no sales agent attached) Winner: HOUSE NO.7 by Rama Abdi and produced by Hazar Yazji. On their motivation for choosing HOUSE NO.7, the jury said: “In a post-war world where the conflict has faded from the headlines, the project reminds us that its aftermath still shapes lives in profound ways. Through the intimate struggle of three young women seeking freedom within the walls of their fragile sanctuary, it crafts a powerful tale of resilience, sisterhood, and the pursuit of normalcy in a place where even safety can become a prison.”
- The Unifrance/Titrafilm Doc Award (nearly €5,500 in benefits) Winner: THE SALT OF THE SOUTH by Rami Jarboui and produced by Ramzi Laâmouri & Julien Coquet. On their motivation for choosing THE SALT OF THE SOUTH, the jury said: “With a distinctive cinematic language, the project weaves an urgent climate story through the intimate journey of a family whose bond with the sea transcends borders, revealing the lasting impact of colonial structures. Rooted in a local struggle with global resonance, it powerfully captures resilience in the face of ecological collapse and forced migration.”
- Millennium Docs Against Gravity Award (Travel, expenses and pitch selection) Winner: MISSING IN ACTION by Marharyta Melnychuk & Kateryna Holovko and produced by Aliona Kachkan.
Additionally, three awards dedicated to the CPH:LAB project were handed out at the CPH:LAB Prototype Pop-up Event in Odd Fellow Palace on March 24:
- The Onassis ONX Studio Award (10 hours of online mentorship by the studio team in NY and Athens) Winner: THE PLACE BEYOND by Elena Lyubarskaya & David Steiner. The award was handed out by Anastasia Mavrogiannis (Innovation Officer at the Onassis Foundation).
- The Sunny Side of the Doc Award (attendance at the 36th Sunny Side of the Doc to present the work in a case study) Winner: SANCTUARY OF STUFF by Francesca Tremulo & Eszter Várhidi.
- The Newimages – Forum Des Images Award (participation in the XR Development Market 2025) Winner: BECOMING LUCIEN by Lucien Pin & Alex Haugmard and produced by Thibault Elie.
