The 19th edition of the Pordenone Docs Fest – Le Voci del Documentario wrapped yesterday evening after five days of sold-out screenings and more than 6,000 admissions, reaffirming the Friuli-based event’s position as one of Italy’s key showcases for international non-fiction cinema. Held from 25-29 March at Cinemazero, the festival hosted over 250 guests from around the world, including filmmakers, critics, exhibitors and distributors, alongside numerous students who took part in discussions, workshops and industry encounters.

Throughout the week, screenings and side events drew full houses, underscoring the continued appetite for non-fiction cinema capable of engaging audiences with urgent contemporary issues. The festival once again framed documentary filmmaking as a space for dialogue and reflection, emphasising works that challenge perspectives, and explore social and environmental questions.

“This year’s claim was, ‘Documentaries can change the world,’” said festival head Riccardo Costantini. “Over these past few days, we have seen concrete proof of that idea: more than 6,000 people experienced the festival, and contributed to making it a vibrant and necessary space for exchange and participation.”

The Grand Jury Award went to A Fox under a Pink Moon by Iranian filmmaker Mehrdad Oskouei. The international jury – composed of writer Esther Kinsky, filmmaker Igor Bezinović (whose Fiume o Morte! recently won the Prize for Best Documentary at the European Film Awards) and acclaimed Austrian documentarian Nikolaus Geyrhalter – praised the film for its intimate portrayal of the dangers faced along migration routes.

In their statement, the jurors highlighted how the film offers “an authentic and direct look at the risks involved in undertaking a migration journey, a path marked by constant threats for those who attempt it”. Shot over five years using a simple mobile phone by the teenage protagonist herself, the documentary presents a deeply personal perspective on displacement and resilience. The jury expressed the hope that the film might reach younger audiences often distant from the human dimension of migration.

The same jury also granted a Special Mention to Peacemaker by Croatian helmer Ivan Ramljak, described as “a valuable work of archival research capable of constructing the portrait of a figure who deserves to be remembered”, while reminding viewers that impunity remains one of the most pressing issues in contemporary conflicts.

Environmental themes were foregrounded by the Green Documentary Award, which went to Super Nature by Ed Sayers. The film also scooped the Audience Award, reflecting the strong response it received from festivalgoers. According to the jury, the documentary serves as “an invitation to open our eyes to the beauty that still endures despite everything”, encouraging viewers to recognise their place within a shared narrative connecting humans, nature and the environment.

Meanwhile, the Young Jury Award, decided on by a panel of students from across Europe together with the Cinemazero Young Club, went to 32 Meters by Morteza Atabaki. The jury commended the film’s sensitive depiction of young women striving for autonomy and self-discovery, noting its authentic portrayal of aspirations, fears and determination in redefining one’s role within society.

The festival also highlighted immersive storytelling through the DocsXR Audience Award, presented to Hadeel Arja and Khalil Ashawi's Under the Same Sky, an XR experience that places viewers alongside a Palestinian journalist documenting the devastation in Gaza. By transforming observation into participation, the work underlined the growing role of immersive media in documentary practice.

Across the various competitions and side sections, the winning works reflected the festival’s broader thematic thread: stories capable of questioning perspectives, and opening up new ways of looking at the present and the future.

Here is the full list of award winners:

Grand Jury Award
A Fox Under a Pink Moon – Mehrdad Oskouei (Iran/France/UK/USA/Denmark)

Special Mention – International Jury
Peacemaker – Ivan Ramljak (Croatia)

Green Documentary Award
Super Nature – Ed Sayers (UK)

Audience Award
Super Nature - Ed Sayers

Young Jury Award
32 Meters – Morteza Atabaki (Turkey/Iran)

DocsXR Audience Award
Under the Same Sky – Hadeel Arja, Khalil Ashawi (Palestine/Turkey)