CPH:DOX has announced its contenders across six award categories, presenting 66 films in competition, including 47 world, 17 international and two European premieres. This marks the second consecutive year that all main competition films will debut in Copenhagen. The festival, scheduled from 13-24 March for its 21st edition, continues its tradition of showcasing top documentary films globally, addressing contemporary issues through discussions and events. After reviewing numerous submissions, the programming team is finalising a curated selection of over 200 titles, with the complete festival programme set for announcement on 21 February.

Niklas Engstrøm, CPH:DOX's artistic director, comments, “We're thrilled to present this year's competition films, which range from global geopolitics to intimate, existential queries. What unites these films is their ambition to engage with the world in a meaningful way. This year's competition sharpens its focus on the most urgent issues of our time, from the wars in Ukraine and Gaza to gang violence in Sweden, exploring themes of identity politics, colonialism, the foundational struggles for democracy and the fight against climate change. These films offer fresh perspectives, challenge aesthetic boundaries and delve deeper into issues we thought we understood. We are delighted to unveil this programme, which promises to enlighten and inspire.”

At CPH:DOX, awards signify both artistic recognition and a significant career milestone, aligning winners with esteemed documentary filmmakers. This year, a new HUMAN:RIGHTS Award, organised in partnership with the Institute for Human Rights, for which ten titles will compete, commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, emphasising the enduring importance of such guarantees. Collaborative events and discussions on universal rights, including a photo exhibition, lead up to the awards ceremony on 22 March.

CPH:DOX features six competition categories, each meticulously assessed by international juries, spotlighting films recognised for their artistic brilliance, societal relevance and unique storytelling. Notably, the DOX:AWARD, sponsored by DR and offering €10,000, exclusively showcases world premieres for the second year running. The selection includes 12 titles: Balomania [+lire aussi :
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fiche film] by Sissel Morell Dargis (Denmark/Spain), The Black Garden [+lire aussi :
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bande-annonce
fiche film] by Alexis Pazoumian (France/Belgium), E.1027 – Eileen Gray and the House by the Sea [+lire aussi :
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fiche film] by Beatrice Minger and Christoph Schaub (Switzerland), The Flats [+lire aussi :
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fiche film] by Alessandra Celesia (France/UK/Ireland/Belgium), Immortals [+lire aussi :
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fiche film] by Maja Tschumi (Switzerland/Iraq), Life and Other Problems [+lire aussi :
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fiche film] by Max Kestner (Denmark/Sweden/UK), Motherboard [+lire aussi :
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fiche film] by Victoria Mapplebeck (UK), Once Upon a Time in a Forest by Virpi Suutari (Finland), Phantoms of the Sierra Madre [+lire aussi :
interview : Håvard Bustnes
fiche film] by Håvard Bustnes (Norway/Finland/USA/Mexico), Two Strangers Trying Not To Kill Each Other [+lire aussi :
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fiche film] by Manon Ouimet and Jacob Perlmutter (UK), Night of Nights by Truman (USA), and Wilfred Buck by Lisa Jackson (Canada).

NEXT:WAVE comprises 14 titles, exemplified by The Base [+lire aussi :
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fiche film] by Vadim Dumesh (France), Blueberry Dreams by Elene Mikaberidze (Georgia/France/Belgium) and Invisible People by Alisa Berger (France/Germany), while NORDIC:DOX includes ten works, such as Hard to Break by Anna-Maija Heinonen and Krista Moisio, Mina and the Radio Bandits by Kari Anne Moe (Norway), and medium-length film Our Father Wears a Sun by Jasper Spanning and Rosalinde Mynster (Denmark). F:ACT, meanwhile, takes in ten titles, including Daughter of Genghis [+lire aussi :
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fiche film] by Kristoffer Juel Poulsen and Christian Als (Denmark), Democracy Noir by Connie Field (USA/Germany/Denmark) and Lie to Me by Baar Tyrmi (Norway). Another award category is NEW:VISION, which includes short documentaries such as And Still, It Remains by Arwa Aburawa and Turab Shah (Algeria/UK), Dieseline Dreams by Max Göran (Sweden) and Single File by Simon Liu (Italy/USA/UK/Hong Kong). 

Each prize is valued at €5,000, serving to highlight art films, emerging filmmakers, Nordic works, and the intersection of documentary and journalism. The Audience Award, also worth €5,000, lets attendees vote for their favourite film, embodying the festival's dedication to engaging audiences and celebrating diverse documentary storytelling.

The complete competition line-up is available to peruse here.