The winners of the East Doc Platform 2026 were announced on March 24 at the French Institute in Prague, where a total of 16 awards were presented across the programme, recognizing outstanding documentary projects at various stages of development. “The winning projects showcase a compelling and diverse slate defined by bold artistic vision, urgent social themes, and strong international potential,” write organisers.
The awarded projects received a combination of financial support and industry opportunities aimed at advancing their development and bringing them to international audiences. Key financial awards included the Czech Television Award (CZK 150,000 licence fee), the HBO Award (EUR 2,000), and the Docs Up Fund Award (EUR 2,000), alongside development and post-production support such as the Golden Funnel Awards, Ex Oriente Fine Cut Award, and Cut thru the Noise Award.
In addition, several projects gained access to major international industry platforms, including DocsBarcelona Pro, DOK Leipzig Co-Production Market, Baltic Sea Docs, East-West Talent Lab, and Sheffield DocFest. Further support was provided through the DAE Talent Encouragement Award and the Pitch the Doc Prize.
The Silver Eye Award, presented earlier on March 23, recognized outstanding documentary projects in the rough-cut stage from the East Doc Market.
COMPLETE LIST OF AWARDS AND JURY STATEMENTS
- Silver Eye Award: Inside by Dorota Vlnová (Prod. Roman Pivovarník, co-prod. Katarina Prpić, SK, HR, 15 min., status: post-production) Citation: “Sometimes political debates are useless or at least should not be at the center of sharing our most private experiences. And there are things that cannot be fully explained with the help of words and arguments. In such instances, the sensorial serves as the language to communicate the experience of cultivating a life within oneself and the decision to terminate it…This film offers a truly innovative and poetic cinematic approach to the highly political topic of abortion rights and has the potential to shift the conversation in another direction.
- Silver Eye Award – Special Mention: Animals of the East by Anna Ďurišíková, Andrej Kolenčík (Prod. Andrej Kolenčík, SK, 70 min., status: post-production) Citation: “In today’s world, where the so-called strongmen promote the so-called masculine values of force and aggression and the social media run by greedy oligarchs is driving us further apart, caring for the weaker becomes a revolutionary act regardless of gender. The heroes are not the ones that bomb and kill, but the ones that devote their time and energy to the ones that need it the most, be they humans or other living beings, which is the ultimate act of humanity. We think that we should counter-position stories of empathy to the grand narratives of good and evil and put the light on real heroes in the shadows.”
- The Golden Funnel – For Features: Children of the Moon Land by Roman Ďuriš (Prod. Richard Šimeček, Michal Sikora, co-prod. Albin Bourgeois, SK, CZ, FR, status: development) Citation: “The director demonstrates a rare, high-level ability to elevate documentary observation into a “magical” visual experience, capturing the daily lives of three pairs of Romani siblings not merely as a struggle for survival, but as an act of cosmic imagination. The camera captures moments of growing up in this specific, polluted space of Jelšava with an intimacy that feels both protective and challenging. It succeeds in transferring the inner geography of adolescence. It captures the fragile, fleeting moments of the teenage years in its beauty and horror at the time. The Jury is honored to grant Golden Funnel for Feature Length Documentary to Children of the Moon Land, for the cinematic work and emotional precision.”
- The Golden Funnel – For Series: World Divided by Soňa Nôtová, Štefan Straka (Prod. Richard Chudý, SK, status: development) Citation: “Dedication to the development of a unique series, with openness and bravery. And challenging conventions of serial storytelling.”
- Ex Oriente Fine Cut Award: I Had a Dream about an Elephant by Štefan Straka (Prod. Tereza Tokárová, co-prod. Mátyás Prikler, SK, status: production) Citation: “The jury has decided to award the Fine Cut support to this project for its compelling and satirical yet documentary exploration. Through a sharp, satirical lens, the film offers a profound insight into a Slovak society where in 90s the state became almost an abstraction and charismatic Mob-type figures raised to fill that void. We believe this editing support will provide the necessary touch to balance its complex narrative layers and deliver a powerful, provocative cinematic experience.”
- Cut thru the Noise Award: I was told to save the world by Hana Piščević, Nebojša Resanović (Prod. Savina Smederevac, RS, HR, status: production) Citation: “Tender relationship between characters, both humans and animals, their kindness and incredible energy are captivating. We appreciate the humour with which the characters are treated, while facing hardest times.”
- Czech Television Award: Not so far away places by Renato Borrayo Serrano, Yulia Vishnevets (Milana Christitch, Albin Bourgeois, Vlad Ketkovich, FR, status: development) Citation: “This project offers a unique insight into the contemporary Russian repressive system, confronting it from within and helping us better imagine what anyone prosecuted for anything in Russia’s prison system goes through.”
- HBO Award: nava mama by Ana Vijdea (Prod. Ana Gheorghe, Ana Vijdea, co-prod. Louis Beaudemont, RO, FR, 90 min., status: in development) Citation: “With a striking cinematic approach, this project follows the life of a young trans boy whose family, village, and society repeatedly fail him at every crucial stage of his coming of age. Told with tenderness and sensitivity, it has the potential to become a powerful and deeply human story carried as much by images as by emotion. We award this project to encourage the team to further develop the film and to find a clear, confident direction in shaping this delicate narrative into a bold and resonant cinematic work.”
- DocsBarcelona Pro Award: EL DORADO by Rati Oneli (Prod. Rati Oneli, co-prod. Valérianne Boué, Marianna Kaat, GE, FR, EE, 90 min., status: in development) Citation: “For its evocative power, the project draws us into a dreamlike inner world shaped by memory and time, revealing a profound sensitivity to the subtle transformations political forces imprint on nature and civilization. This Award includes a direct selection for the participation at the Speed Meetings for DocsBarcelona Pro 2026. DocsBarcelona Pro will take place from 9th to 14th of May and the Speed Meetings from 11, 12 and 13th of May.”
- The Docs Up Fund Award: Crossing Oxus by Svitlana Lishchynska (Prod. Olga Gibelinda, co-prod. Fredrik Lange, Ilyas Yourish, UA, SE, BE, status: development) Citation: “This project offers a powerful and unflinching portrayal of war in the full extent of its violence and resonates deeply with ongoing conflicts around the world. Through a profoundly intimate and personal lens, the work explores how war and violence permeate the family unit, as all society with the return of the combatants to civilian life. It reflects on the enduring impact of trauma, evoking what is now understood as post-traumatic stress and its transmission across generations. The use of rare archive material from a country that continues to symbolize systemic violence — especially against women — strengthens the project’s historical and political depth. At the same time, its focus on a single family story, allows it to reach a universal dimension.”
- DOK Leipzig DOK Co-Pro Market Award: Two Of Us by Juratė Samulionytė (Prod. Dagne Vildziunaite, Danielė Kunčinaitė, LT, status: development) Citation: “This film project stands out for its profound portrayal of love, resilience, and dignity. It follows a queer couple who, after decades together in secret, are finally given the chance to obtain legal recognition of their partnership in court. The film captures a deeply personal story set against a shifting social and political landscape in Lithuania. It is not only about human right, but also about memory, time, tenderness, and what it means to remain together through life’s most fragile moments.”
- DAE Talent Encouragement Award: House in a Bottle by Anna Morawiec (Prod. Agata Jujeczka, PL, status: development) Citation: “Without effort I can name at least five friends who never knew how they would find their parents, who early on learned to tiptoe around them, made up stories of why they would not be able to attend their school play or parent-teacher meeting, and spent a lot of energy keeping concealed what happens in their house. All of them have their own coping mechanisms — some forgave, others didn’t, some lock the past away, justify, or became co-dependent. Regardless of the different journey, this kind of pain travels in many families until the silence is broken. This project does this from a courageous, beautiful, personal and collective place.
- Pitch the Doc Prize: I was told to save the world by Hana Piščević, Nebojša Resanović (Prod. Savina Smederevac, RS, HR, status: production) Citation: “In these challenging times, when our values are often put to the test, it’s easy to overlook not only animals but also the relationships and responsibilities that connect us all. We believe this story offers a powerful moment to reflect – on the lives of our most loyal and selfless companions, and on the people who dedicate themselves to their care, often at great personal cost. For its empathy and its honest look at these bonds, we are proud to [give ths] award.”
- Baltic Sea Docs Award House in a Bottle by Anna Morawiec (Prod. Agata Jujeczka, PL, status: development) Citation: “A thoughtfully and creatively developed project on a topic that resonates all too widely, exploring how early experiences shape the ways we move through the world as adults. In creating space for connection and shared reflection, it offers something genuinely needed in our societies.”
- East-West Talent Lab Award: Dance with Me by Leila Basma (Prod. Natalia Pavlove, co-prod. Christian Eid, Marisa Meier, Baptiste Bertin, CZ, FR, DE, LB, status: development) Citation: “The director invites us to join her personal journey to different continents and times. We will take a deep dive in a broken family, and in a wider sense we see a miniature of the Lebanese society. The career of her uncle, as the first male solo belly dancer in Los Angeles was kept as a “family secret“. He left the family in 1970s and followed his dream, and was discovered decades later by his niece. An important film about identity, belonging and acceptance. The award goes to Leila Basma for Dance with Me.”
- Sheffield DocFest Networking Award: Stitch by Stitch by Alina Baitokova (Prod. Marianna Kaat, Adilet Karzhoev, EE, KG) Citation: “A project that offers a quiet yet powerful look into a deeply personal story set against the backdrop of harsh socio-economic reality. The film poignantly tackles the systemic issues facing divorced women—forced into difficult labor and often separated from their children. The director’s clear point of view, expressed through a delicate, observational approach, invites the audience into this intimate space. More than a critique of labor exploitation, the project is ultimately a profound exploration of familial resilience, demonstrating how love and a family’s bond can be rebuilt amidst hardship.”
