Awards & Juries

Awards & Juries

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Nine Golden and Silver Doves as well as numerous partnership awards will be awarded at DOK Leipzig 2026.
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Eight white porcelain statuettes in the abstract shape of doves are lined up in front of a cinema screen. Some of the figurines have golden and some silver parts.
© Hyejeong Yoo
International Competition Documentary Film

Jury

  • Diana El Jeiroudi, Syria/Germany
  • Ivan Ramljak, Croatia
  • Raul Niño Zambrano, Venezuela/UK/Netherlands
     

More about the jury

Golden Dove Feature-Length Film

10,000 €

granted by Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk

 

Silver Dove Feature-Length Film

6,000 €

granted by 3sat for the best feature-length documentary film by an up-and-coming director (with up to three directorial works)

 

Golden Dove Short Film

3,000 €

 

Silver Dove Short Film

1,500 €

granted by the Independent Saxon State Media Agency (SLM) for the best short documentary film by an up-and-coming director (with up to three directorial works)

 

MDR is dedicated to the large-scale promotion of documentary film and has been sponsoring the Golden Dove in the International Competition Documentary Film, endowed with 10,000 Euros, since 2013.

3sat has been presenting independent documentary films in its programme and supporting their production since 1993. By granting an award for up-and-coming talents at DOK Leipzig is underlining its engagement for international young directors.

As a cooperation partner and award donor of DOK Leipzig, SLM particularly promotes young filmmakers as well as offers for the development of critical media competence for all age groups. It supports the DOK Masterclasses, the implementation of the XR exhibition DOK Neuland as well as the media literacy activities of DOK Spotters and DOK Education.

The winning films of the Golden Doves in the International Competition Documentary Film will qualify for consideration for the annual ACADEMY AWARDS® provided that the films otherwise comply with the Academy’s rules.

International Competition Animated Film

Jury

  • Waltraud Grausgruber, Austria
  • Edmunds Jansons, Latvia
  • Matea Radic, Bosnia and Herzegovina/Canada
     

More about the jury

Golden Dove Feature-Length Film

3,000 €

Golden Dove Short Film

1,500 €

 

The winning film of the Golden Dove Short Film in the International Competition Animated Film will qualify for consideration for the annual ACADEMY AWARDS® provided that the film otherwise complies with the Academy’s rules.

German Competition Documentary Film

Jury 

  • David Bernet, Germany/Switzerland
  • Stefanie Eckert, Germany
  • Adele Kohout, Czech Republic/Germany 
     

More about the jury

Golden Dove Feature-length Film

10,000 €

donated by Doris Apell-Kölmel and Michael Kölmel

 

Golden Dove Short Film

1,500 €

 

 

Audience Competition

Jury

The whole audience will decide on the winner of the Audience Award in an online vote after the cinema screenings.

Golden Dove 

3,000 €

Granted by the Leipzig Stiftung

Partnership Awards

DEFA Sponsoring Prize

 

4,000 €

granted by the DEFA Foundation for an outstanding feature-length film in the German Competition Documentary Film

Jury

  • David Bernet, Germany/Switzerland
  • Stefanie Eckert, Germany
  • Adele Kohout, Czech Republic/Germany 
     

The DEFA Foundation, in accordance with its statutory motto “Rediscover the Past – Support the Future”, has been awarding the DEFA Sponsoring Prize at DOK Leipzig since 2005. The prize is intended to support up-and-coming filmmakers in the critical investigation of contemporary issues.

MDR Film Prize

 

3,000 €

for an outstanding Eastern European documentary film

Jury

  • Thomas Beyer, Germany 
  • Johannes Dicke, Germany
  • Sylva Kleemann, Germany
  • Claritta Kratochwil, Germany
  • Annett Meltschack, Germany
  • Anastasiya Miroshnichenko, Laureate 2025
  • Anja Zhukova, Germany

Since 1995, the MDR has sponsored the MDR Film Prize for an outstanding Eastern European documentary, endowed with 3,000 Euros. The developments in Eastern Europe are one of the major topics the broadcaster has been following for years.

Film Prize Leipziger Ring

2,500 €

for an outstanding documentary film about human rights, democracy or civil engagement, granted by Stiftung Friedliche Revolution

Jury

  • Christian Fuchs, Germany
  • Tilman König, Germany
  • Ute Lieschke, Germany

Prize of the Interreligious Jury

 

2,000 € 

for a film in the International Competition Documentary Film, donated by Hotel Michaelis (VCH-Hotels) in Leipzig as well as the Interreligious Round Table ans the Oratorium Leipzig.

The Interreligious Jury is appointed by INTERFILM and SIGNIS.

Jury

  • Alexandra Ell, Hungary
  • Joël Friso, The Netherlands
  • Aida Schlaepfer Alhassani, Switzerland
  • Teresa R. Tunay, Philippines

ver.di Prize for Solidarity, Humanity and Fairness

 

2,000 €

for a film in the German Competition Documentary Film

 

Jury

  • Julia Cruschwitz, Germany
  • Gundula Lasch, Germany
  • Doria Jeanne Nollez, Germany

Prize of the International Film Critics (FIPRESCI Prize)

 

 

 

 

for a feature-length film in the International Competition Documentary Film

 

Jury

  • Igor Angjelkov, North Macedonia
  • Marco D'Agostino, Italy
  • Matthias Dell, Germany

Young Eyes Film Award

 

2,000 €
granted by Rahn Dittrich Group’s European Foundation for Education and Culture, awarded by the Youth Jury in cooperation with LFD – Fachstelle für Medien und Bildung

mephisto 97.6 Award

 

for the best short animated film

 

Jury

  • Ricarda Angela Hamperl, Germany
  • Paul-Luca Matthes, Germany
  • Chantal Kupper, Germany

Gedanken-Aufschluss

awarded by a jury of prisoners of the Juvenile Detention Centre Regis-Breitingen

 

film.land.sachsen-Prize for film culture in rural areas


in cooperation with Filmverband Sachsen e.V.

The film.land.sachsen programme of the Filmverband Sachsen is committed to promoting film culture in rural areas.
 

Jury

  • Alina Cyranek, Germany
  • Mario Kegel, Germany
  • Barbara Wallbraun, Germany
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