Peacemaker

Source: DOK Leipzig

‘Peacemaker’

Croatian director Ivan Ramljak’s Peacemaker has won the Golden Dove in the international competition for documentary film at DOK Leipzig, which ran from October 27 – November 2.

Peacemaker, which takes home a €10,000 prize, looks at the beginnings of the war between Serbia and Croatia, centring on a chief of police in Slavonia who was determined to mediate between the conflicting parties.

Scroll down for full list of winners

“A specific event in a specific region was made into a film of universal importance,” the jury said in its statement about the winning film.

In the international competition for animated film, the €3,000 Golden Dove for feature-length film went to Canada’s Seth Scriver and Peter Scriver for Endless Cookie, centring on the two half-brothers – one who lives in Toronto, the other in Shamattawa.

“This is a film that draws strength and hope from the chaos of everyday life. A story about filmmaking, intergenerational wisdom and love,” said the jury. Earlier this year, Endless Cookie won the Contrechamp prize at Annecy.

In the German competition documentary film, the Golden Dove for feature- length film went to Active Vocabulary by Yulia Lokshina. Based on a story of a young teacher, the documentary examines how the Russian state uses schools to further its own agenda.

The Golden Dove in the audience competition went to the documentary film Cutting Through Rocks by Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni. In the documentary, the protagonist Sara advocates feminist values in her rural community in northwestern Iran and decides to be the first woman in the history of her community to run for the local council.

Industry prizes

Meanwhile, 12 prizes were awarded at the DOK Industry platform. 

Seven awards were presented at the DOK Co-Pro Market, the festival’s co-financing and networking event. They included the Saxon Award for the best documentary project by a female director, which went to nava mamă by Ana Vijdea, produced by Romania’s Remora Films, in co-production with Romania’s Saga Film and France’s Les Steppes Productions (France).

The Deutsche Welle Award was presented to Olivia Yao’s Between Three Waters, produced by FMEDIA (Benin), in co-production with STEPS (South Africa).

Showcasing the innovative use of archival footage, The Chef Suffragette by Magdalena Szymków, produced by Raban (Poland), in co-production with Kerekesfilm (Slovakia), received the IMAGO Archive Award. 

DOK Leipzig winners 2025

International Competition Documentary Film

Golden Dove Feature-Length Film
Peacemaker dir. Ivan Ramljak

Golden Dove Short Film
After the Silence dir. Matilde-Luna Perotti

Silver Dove Feature-Length Film
Elephants & Squirrels dir. Gregor Brändli

Silver Dove Short Film
String Pieces dir. Vatae Kimlee

International Competition Animated Film

Golden Dove Feature-Length Film
Endless Cookie dir. Seth Scriver, Peter Scriver

Golden Dove Short Film
Paradaïz dir. Matea Radic

German Competition Documentary Film

Golden Dove Feature-Length Film
Active Vocabulary dir. Yulia Lokshina

Golden Dove Short Film
Boma a Bopa dir. Jana Rothe

Audience Competition

Golden Dove
Cutting Through Rocks dir. Sara Khaki, Mohammadreza Eyni

DOK Industry 2025 winners

DOK Co-Pro Market

Saxon Award for the Best Documentary Project by a Female Director
nava mamă dir. Ana Vijdea, prod. Remora Films (Rom), in co-pro with Saga Film (Rom) and Les Steppes Productions (Fr)

Deutsche Welle Award
Between Three Waters, dir Oliiva Yao, prod. FMEDIA (Benin), in co-pro with STEPS (SA).

IMAGO Archive Award
The Chef Suffragette dir. Magdalena Szymków, prod. Raban (Poland), in co-pro with Kerekesfilm (Slovakia).

Jacob Burns Film Centre Residency Award
Sense and Sensibility dir. Hanna Nordenswan, prod. Zone2 Pictures (Finland). 

No Nation Films Fellowship Award
My Aunties dir. Hazal Hanquet, prod. Aslıhan Altuğ (Turkey) and istos film (Turkey), in co-pro with Little Big Story (Fr)

Unifrance Doc Award
Akal dir. Basma Rkioui, prod. Kasbah Films (Morocco), in co-pro with Massala Production (Fr).

Willow Avocats Consultations Award
Speak Image, Speak, dir. Pary El-Qalqili, prod. SEERA Films (Germany).

DOK Preview Germany

D-Facto Motion Works-in-Progress Prize
Finding Connection, dir Florian Karner

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