Nick Cunningham

Twenty-four new projects will be pitched January 28 and 29 2026 in Biarritz. “Without the questions, challenges and dilemmas that documentaries raise, we risk losing some of the essential element in our democratic systems: dialogues, debates and narratives that bridge the divide rather than creating confrontations and information bubbles,” write organisers. “The 2026 Fipadoc International Pitches is our contribution to democracy, so we better can avoid a future of 'democrazy.'”

“Which spaces are open to us? Which ones do we conquer and defend? These are central questions posed by the programme so far,” writes Berlinale Panorama of the first selections for 2026. The Generation team also hail their first selections. “Curiosity, anger and hope, grief and tender solidarity - from Brazil to Taiwan, the programme immerses itself in the lived realities of young protagonists,” they write. Furthermore, eight docs are selected for Berlin Retrospective. The 76th Berlinale runs February 12 to 22 2026.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced December 16 the shortlists in the documentary categories of the 98th Academy Awards®. Fifteen films will now advance within each of the Documentary Feature Film and Documentary Short Film categories. Two hundred and one films were eligible for the Doc Feature category, while 117 films qualified in the Short Doc category.

Netherlands-based Aboozar Amini’s study of two brothers in the Afghan capital won in Main Competition. Additionally, Weronika Mliczewska's Child of Dust got the jury nod in Polish Competition, while Dmytro Hreshko’s Divia picked up the Green Dog Award. The 25th edition of the Polish-based human WATCH DOCS ran December 5-14.

Impact Days 2026 kicks off in earnest on January 15 2026, bringing together international experts for the annual Impact Filmmaking for Social Justice webinar. The 75-minute session will focus on choosing the right team to best articulate and implement impact goals, and will feature Ishtar Lakhani of Rogue Union, and Prince Odera Onyore Nyambok II of DocA – Documentary Africa.

Eighty Plus by Želimir Žilnik wins the Laceno d’Oro 50 Award, as decided by a jury composed of the filmmaker Andrei Ujică, the producers Jani Pösö and Donatella Palermo and the editor Joe Bini. The film, which receives a €3,500 prize. The Audience Award “Franca Troisi” was won by Je suis la nuit en plein midi by Gaspard Hirschi. The 50th Laceno d’Oro International FF ran December 1 to 8 2025.

In 2026 DocsBarcelona Pro will double the value of its awards to nearly 60,000 euros, of which 42,500 euros are paid in cash. The event will run May 9 to 14 during the 29th edition of DocsBarcelona (May 7 to 17, 2026). Professionals from around the world can apply for sic initiatives which include the Public, Rough Cut and New Tech pitches. The deadline for submissions is January 30, 2026, through Docs&Me.

Organisers of the Sundance Film Festival announced Dec 10 their program for the upcoming edition, running January 22–February 1, 2026, and online Jan 29 to Feb 1. Documentaries will compete in World Cinema Documentary Competition and US Documentary Competition, and a raft of docs are selected within the Next, Premieres, Midnight, Non-fiction Showcase, Spotlight, Family Matinee and Special Screenings sections. Read on for all doc selections.

Matt Alesevich and Hemal Trivedi’s short documentary focusses on the deeply personal relationship between Aney, a New York–based healthcare worker, and Farida, a wise and resilient teenager from an Indian nomadic tribe. “People say that there are three types of C that get funded, which are films about cult, crime, or celebrity,” co-director Trivedi tells BDE. “But there's a fourth C which people don't talk about, which is community. And our film is about building community.”

The Nyon-based docfest is inviting films for its Official Selection, which includes six competition sections, as well as projects for VdR–Industry activities. Films in competition receive their world, international or European premiere. The final date for submissions for both Festival and Industry is Dec 15. The 57th edition of Visions du Réel will run 17 to 26 April 2026.