OPUS BONUM
Best World Documentary Film 2026
Main Award:
Mohabat (dir. James Longley / United States, Afghanistan / 2026)
Jury statement: Meticulously researched and exquisitely crafted, our chosen film casts a revealing light on life in rural Afghanistan under the Taliban through the story of twelve-year Mohabat, mourning the loss of his father in an American drone strike. Patiently observing the boy’s interactions with his two older brothers and the routines and rhythms ofl ife in his village school, the film creates a complex and sympathetic portrait of an individual, a family, and a community stripping away the customary cliches.
I. Special Mention:
Songs from Within (dir. Elvis A-Liang Lu / Taiwan / 2026)
Jury statement: With very simple means and through the strong presence of its protagonists this film makes palpable the difficulty of non-conformity, especially when gender norms are determined by both Indigenous and Christian rules. Visually alluring, tender and full empathic contrasts between extrovert spectacle and introvert gloom, the Opus Bonum Special Mention goes to Songs from Within by Elvis A-Liang Lu.
Best Central and East European Documentary Film:
Sacred Songs (dir. Nona Giunashvili / France, Georgia / 2026)
Jury statement: Shot through with pictorial intelligence and a keen observational sensibility, our chosen film creates a sublime and surprising portrait of a community and an artistic practice caught between the currents of tradition and modernity. Juxtaposing, the layered, resonant vocal harmonies and dynamic dancing rhythms of the Sufi spiritual songs performed by the women of the Kist community in Georgia, with closely observed, telling moments in their everyday lives, the Opus Bonum prize for best Central and East European film goes to Nona Giunashvili’s Sacred Songs.
Best Documentary Film in the Visegrad Region:
Love Exposed (dir. Filip Remunda / Czech Republic, Slovakia / 2026)
Jury statement: Our chosen film in this category is an amusing portrait of the editor of the film’s genius but totally ego maniacal father, nude photographer Vlastimir Kula. Editing the film becomes personal therapy resulting in a funny, daring and challenging portrait of a man who failed in his role as a father, but eventually leads to much needed reconciliation and a measure of forgiveness.
Original Approach:
Life is There (dir. Ishtar Yasin Gutiérrez / Egypt, Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico, United Kingdom / 2026)
Jury statement: What if a moving image had the power of being alive, unpredictable, rough, free? What if a film were like a river, or a volcano, that moves, pushing forward what it finds in its way? Our chosen film in this category is built on an experience that unfolds, opening itself at each encounter, embracing the ghosts of the present and the past.... A film in the making, haunted and haunting, a film that reminds us that life and creation are also about getting lost, maybe the only guarantee to find our way back.
Best Editing:
Yi-ling Huang, Songs from Within (dir. Elvis A-Liang Lu / Taiwan / 2026)
Jury statement: In an intelligent and subtly way, this film conveys much of its meaning through its suggestive editing that stirs the viewer’s imagination and leaves room for empathic understanding of its characters.
Best Cinematography:
Ania Winiarska, Good Girls (dir. Ania Winiarska / Sweden, Finland / 2026)
Jury statement: Filming life is about being present. The camera needs to find its place: the right distanceto touch and be touched in return. In this film, the filmmaker's gaze discovers such closeness and intimacy that it makes others' vulnerability ours... our chosen film creates such a shared, sympathetic space that makes it impossible not to care about others' lives.
Best Sound Design:
Diana Martínez, 19th floor (dir. Patricia Ayala Ruiz / Colombia / 2026)
Jury statement: Our chosen film explores the boundaries between distance and intimacy, public space and the private worlds of people living in the Bolgotá city. Through its self-reflexive approach and audiovisual counterpoint, the film creates a dialogue between political reality and an inner world processing the loss of loved ones. Bringing together three years of observations, the film layers time-lapse imagery from a 19th-floor window with urban soundscapes and the voices of the family members who are heard but never seen. It is this acoustic presence of memory and absence that turns the footage into a deeply layered diary essay.
Student Jury Award:
For the Moon (dir. Éric Baudelaire / France / 2026)
Jury statement: The jury commends a film that, in an era of visual smog, disinformation, and constant overstimulation, seeks a space within the blind spot of contemporary trends and technological advancements. The director has entrusted both the camera and creative freedom to those who perceive the world around us through touch, sound, and inner intuition. In doing so, he reveals an alternative—free from algorithms—rooted in mutual understanding, respect, and the pursuit of common ground.
FIRST LIGHTS
Best World Documentary Feature Debut or Second Feature 2026
Main Award:
After the Rehearsal (dir. Philipp Fröhlich / Burundi, Germany / 2026)
Jury statement: In the spirit of the theatre of the absurd, this film creates a stunning yet mysterious cinematic investigation of the African now. With wit and delicate ferocity, it celebrates perfomance and parable. The phantasmal power of images that embrace fiction sets free the discourse surrounding Burundi, a country in constant transformation.
Special Mention:
Journey (dir. Eli Maene / Democratic Republic of Congo / 2026)
Jury statement: The journey of an artist-pastor and a dancer through the streets of Kinshasa offers a compeling glance at the challanges and the everyday beauty of Congolese society. We see scenes of pollution and poverty, while also recognizing the comunity's natural strength. By mixing fiction and documentary, this film invites viewers into the city of Kinshasa through these two charasmatic and sassy characters.
Original Approach:
Erotic Blossoms in a Dream (dir. Jihyeon Oh / Republic of Korea (South Korea) / 2026)
Jury statement: When watching a film sends us to another universe, we know we have encountred a new way of thinking about the alchemy of cinema. This film presents us with a remarkable awarnes of our desires - both abjects and aesthetic. It offers an intelligent, mature and original take on an essential concept employing powerfull methaphors and inventive editing.
Best Cinematography:
Emma Boccanfuso, Saudades Eternas (dir. Emma Boccanfuso / Switzerland, France / 2025)
Jury statement: In this film the camera follows a cast of characters whose magnetic presence fills the sceen. Their strength and sense of humor transform a documentary about a city marked by extreme violence into a compelling portrait of an extraordinary family. The camera captures their essence through a visual style that conveys both their beauty and their spontaineity. Here we discover a remarkably accomplished director with a camera in her hand.
Best Sound Design:
Leinad Pájaro De la Hoz, Manuel Escorihuela, Voices from Neptune (dir. Leinad Pájaro De la Hoz / Colombia, Germany / 2026)
Jury statement: This is a film in which images comliment the explosive power of sound which emerges as the central narrative and emotional force. Oral testemonies and empty landscapes interwine to evoke a deep sense of loss. By pushing us to a heightened state of listening, the film makes us profoundly aware of absence and longing.
FIPRESCI Prize:
Journey (dir. Eli Maene / Democratic Republic of Congo / 2026)
Jury statement: Within a highly globalised debut section, this film struck us as the most authentic. It's an honest portrait of an unforgiving metropole that still gives space for spiritual connection, artistic creation and existential reflection. The filmmaker dares to depict his immediate surroundings as being in damnation. Yet, his generous gaze makes us believe that salvation still seems within reach. For this delicate balance, the first ever FIPRESCI award at Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival goes to Mobembo by Eli Maene.
CZECH JOY
Best Czech Documentary Film 2026
Main Award:
Glowing (dir. Martin Páv / Czech Republic / 2026)
Main Award:
Land of Fire (dir. Nikola Klinger / Czech Republic, Germany / 2026)
Jury statement: This year’s Czech documentary competition featured a record twenty-seven films, ranging from short student films to feature-length works by star filmmakers. The selection reflected the diversity of creative approaches, formats and themes, as well as the unflagging energy of the domestic documentary scene. The jury decided not to award a special mention, but instead to highlight two films whose filmmakers – each in their own unique way – inspire by stepping beyond local, Czech contexts and, through thoughtful directorial choices, explore the possibilities of personal freedom under mounting pressures in distant corners of the globe. The award for Best Film is shared equally by Land of Fire and Glowing.
Original Approach:
Love video letter (dir. Karolína Hovězáková / Czech Republic / 2026)
Jury statement: This exceptional student work impressed us with its authenticity and the ease with which it challenges conventions regarding the subject matter of documentary film. We found it a refreshing piece, situated somewhere between an amateur recording and a significant statement from the younger generation. The filmmaker’s own presence in the film further enhanced a sense of positive, uninhibited spirit. We look forward to future films that embrace a similar narrative freedom, as we see in this approach the potential for fresh, personal perspectives on the contemporary world.
Best Editing:
Sebastian Kučkovský, Anatomy of a Crash (dir. Vít Klusák / Czech Republic / 2026)
Jury statement: This masterful editing brings documentary footage and staged scenes together into a cohesive narrative, gives it a compelling emotional rhythm, and transforms it into a gripping cinematic experience. The film would not have such a powerful impact without it.
Best Sound Design:
Jakub Jurásek, Marek Buranovský, Wasteland Chronicles (dir. Viera Čákanyová, Barbora Sliepková, Lucia Kašová / Slovakia, Czech Republic / 2026)
Jury statement: We wish to highlight the thoughtful handling of the film’s sound and its role in developing the narrative. The sound design was particularly compelling in moments that allowed for a deeper immersion into the subject matter, enabling a focus on the core content itself. Furthermore, it added an extra dimension to the film through an experimental approach and a rich sonic texture. We also commend the sensitive use of tension and rhythm, which bolstered the narrative dynamics and created space for an emotional connection between the viewer and the film.
Best Cinematography:
Matěj Piňos, Light it Before it Burns (dir. Markéta Ekrt Válková / Czech Republic / 2026)
Jury statement: We appreciated the original approach to the film’s visual realization within the framework of a more classical style of documentary storytelling. We particularly highlight the well-conceived visual consistency in the portrayal of the individual protagonists, which functions as an imaginative device in its own right. The cinematographer succeeded in conveying the gravity of the subject matter to the viewer through a playful and engaging visual style, thereby making a significant contribution to the film’s exceptional artistic quality.
Award for the Best Czech Short Documentary Film:
Donbas within Reach (dir. Dariia Kovalchuk / Czech Republic, Ukraine / 2026)
Jury statement: What can one take away from a home that is ceasing to exist? How does one remember a personal space that, amidst a horrific conflict, is reduced to a mere statistic? Returning as a way forward. A journey through places and memories that conveys—with almost tactile immediacy—something otherwise difficult to grasp: the trauma of loss caused by war, and the power of memory to hold onto what is truly essential.
Student Jury Award:
My Father from the Island Russia (dir. Georgij Mežujev / Czech Republic / 2026)
Jury statement: A film that boldly addresses a political taboo won the favor of the student jury for its intimacy, sincerity, and authenticity. Even within a short timeframe, it manages to captivate the viewer and draw them into a disturbing reality. Facing difficult circumstances brought about by the geopolitical situation, the filmmaker utilizes virtual contact with his father.
TESTIMONIES
Best Film Testimony 2026
Main Award:
Barbara Forever (dir. Brydie O'Connor / United States / 2026)
Jury statement: A compelling cinematic study that breaks several taboos simultaneously: lesbian and female emancipation, aging, and terminal illness. This exceptionally empathetic film incorporates experimental footage—shot by the protagonist herself over the span of five decades—in a highly creative manner.
Special Mention for Best Film on Politics:
771 Days (dir. Zainab Entezar / Afghanistan / 2026)
Jury statement: The director is also a participant in a courageous struggle for women’s rights under an emerging authoritarian regime. The subtle motif of changing attire serves here as a testament to intensifying oppression.
Special Mention for Best Film on Knowledge:
The Sessions (dir. Sien Versteyhe / Belgium / 2025)
Jury statement: A minimalist documentary revealing the inner experience of a survivor of sexual violence. In an understated yet all the more impactful way, it reconstructs the experience of trauma, which the protagonist processes through therapy.
Special Mention for Best Film on Nature:
Light it Before it Burns (dir. Markéta Ekrt Válková / Czech Republic / 2026)
Jury statement: The film approaches a complex ecological topic in an accessible and humorous way, demonstrating that even a fire can bring a new lease on life to nature. It illustrates, in a straightforward manner, that what appears to be a catastrophe can actually be a crucial step toward recovery.
FASCINATIONS
Best Experimental Documentary Film 2026
Main Award:
Elusiveness of Today (dir. Dominika Kováčová / Belgium, Slovakia / 2026)
Jury statement: For its gentle ability to take the viewer from the confines of the physical space in which an elderly woman is bound, to the boundless jam of her mental universe, and for the eloquent play of light and accomplished camera work, the jury gives the Award for the Best World Experimental Documentary Film award 2026 to Elusiveness of Today directed by Dominika Kováčová.
I. Special Mention:
Identity and Transit Document No.4 (dir. Rocío Salima / Cuba / 2026)
Jury statement: For its dexterous play between silences and testimony, lensing from anonymous faces in a crowd to a personal story of a mother and daughter in the journey of migration, the jury would like to recognize in a special mention the film Identity and Transit Document No.4 directed by Rocío Salima.
FASCINATIONS: EXPRMNTL.CZ
Best Czech Experimental Documentary Film 2026
Main Award:
On the Peaks of All the Beech Mountains (dir. Klára Trsková, Anežka Horová / Czech Republic / 2026)
Jury statement: For the political courage of recalling one among many dark chapters in our contemporary history, for the relevance of denouncing ethnic cleansing during complex and painful historical moments today, for the sophisticated and stirring filmmaking, the jury gives the Award for the Best Czech Experimental Documentary Film 2026 to On the Peaks of All the Beech Mountains directed by Klára Trsková and Anežka Horová.
AUDIENCE AWARD 2026
Main Award:
Mushroom Seconds (dir. Aleš Pojar / Czech Republic / 2026)
SHORT JOY
Best Short Documentary Film 2026
Main Award:
never been there, never. (dir. Joseph Vitali / Philippines / 2026)
This section’s jury was general public, which has voted online for the films in competition.
CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORLD CINEMA AWARD 2026
Helena Třeštíková
CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORLD CINEMA AWARD 2026
Trinh T. Minh-ha
