The documentary Peacemaker by Croatian director Ivan Ramljak won the Golden Dove for Best Feature-Length Documentary in the International Competition at the DOK Leipzig Festival, whose 68th edition held its award ceremony at the Schaubühne Lindenfels in Leipzig. The jury praised the film “for turning a specific event in a specific region into a work of universal importance.” The film, which explores the beginnings of the war between Serbia and Croatia through the story of a police chief in Slavonia who sought to mediate between the warring parties, received a €10,000 award sponsored by Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk and presented by Thomas Beyer, editor in the documentary department at MDR.

In the same category, the Golden Dove for Short Documentary went to After the Silence (Después del silencio) by Matilde-Luna Perotti, a Canadian work about domestic sexual abuse. The jury commended its minimalist approach and the way it “prioritizes listening to the unspoken and the difficulty of receiving such a painful testimony within the family.”

Among other awards, Swiss filmmaker Gregor Brändli received the Silver Dove for Best Feature-Length Documentary by an emerging director for Elephants & Squirrels, while the Silver Dove for Best Short Documentary went to String Pieces (Garak) by South Korean director Vatae Kimlee, recognized for creatively blending animation and documentary.

In the International Animated Film Competition, the top prize of €3,000 went to Endless Cookie by Seth and Peter Scriver, a Canadian story praised by the jury for its originality and humor in portraying the relationship between two half-brothers living in contrasting worlds. The short film Paradaïz by Matea Radic received the Golden Dove in its category for its sensitive depiction of childhood memories during the Bosnian War.

In the German Competition, the Golden Dove for Best Feature-Length Film was awarded to Active Vocabulary by Yulia Lokshina, which examines how the Russian state uses schools as tools of propaganda. Boma a Bopa by Jana Rothe won Best Short Film for its intimate portrayal of family memory.

Finally, the Audience Award went to Cutting Through Rocks by Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni, which tells the story of an Iranian woman who breaks barriers by running for her local council in a rural community. The jury praised the film for its honest and moving portrayal of women’s struggle in traditional settings.

All winners: