The 36th edition of Sunny Side of the Doc brought together 2,100 participants from 60 countries in La Rochelle over the course of four days (broken down into 1,000 companies, 85 exhibitors and 260 international decision-makers, including the main broadcasters, streamers, foundations, distributors and financiers, plus 32 delegations hailing from countries such as Africa, China, Brazil, Canada and Spain). It’s worth noting that there was a surge in the number of broadcasters (the BBC, Channel 4, Mediaset, National Geographic, TG4, RTP, PBS), and for the first time, buyers came from India (IN10 Media) and Brazil (Globoplay). Now, the international documentary market has revealed the full list of projects that won awards during its seven pitching sessions.

European production got some love in two categories. The Current Affairs & Investigation strand saw the triumph of the project In Front of Us, set to be directed by Inna Sahakyan. The pitch goes thus: when Lala’s sister is murdered by a genocidal regime, an experienced international judge asks her to become the key witness in a gruelling criminal case. Two women from different worlds unite to bring the perpetrators before the International Criminal Court. The jury statement went like this: “This project sheds light on a forgotten conflict that is crucial for peace in this region. The struggle of the powerful women characters striving to seek justice and their personal destiny moved us very much."

The second production from the continent that featured on the winners’ list was one from the Arts & Entertainment category: the project Leonard Cohen: Behind the Iron Curtain, set to be directed by Eric Bednarsk. It’s a film about legendary singer and poet Leonard Cohen’s ground-breaking tour of Poland in 1985, and how his music inspired a generation of Poles struggling to end the rule of the Soviet Union. It’s all told through never-before-seen stock footage and unparalleled access to those who were there.

The remainder of the main awards list saw projects from Australia (the project Heart, rewarded in the Science category, and Kingdom of the Crocodile, in Nature & Environment), Chile (The Letelier File, which won in the History pitch), Ecuador (Mama, which was crowned as champion in the Impact Campaigns strand) and China (Restless Farewell, rewarded in New Voices) win trophies.

The 37th Sunny Side of the Doc will take place from 22-25 June 2026, and next year will also see the LatAm Content Meeting return for its second edition, unspooling from 13-15 April in São Paulo, in conjunction with Sunny Side.

Here is the full list of award winners:

Current Affairs & Investigation
In Front of Us - Inna Sahakyan (Armenia/Belgium)
Producers: Bars Media, Associate Directors

Nature & Environment
Kingdom of the Crocodile - Nick Robinson (Australia)
Producer: Wild Pacific Media

Science
Heart - Gloor Alaneo (Australia)
Producers: Millstream Productions, Green Marble Productions

History
The Letelier File - Rafael Valdeavellano, Carola Fuentes (Chile)
Producer: La Ventana Cine

Arts & Entertainment
Leonard Cohen: Behind the Iron Curtain - Eric Bednarsk (Canada/Germany/Poland)
Producers: Nomad Films Inc, Fireglory Pictures gmbh, Silver Frame

Impact Campaigns
Mama - Ana Cristina Benítez (Ecuador)
Producer: Eterea sas

New Voices
Restless Farewell - Nan Yang, Peiyun He (China)
Producer: Shangai Media Group

Special awards

AIDC Prize
Taalim - Vaibhav Jadhav (India)
Producer: Paper Planes Pictures pvt ltd

Pitch the Doc Prize
Taalim - Vaibhav Jadhav

Special Student Prize
The Other Gaza - Wafa Jamil Espvall (Sweden)
Producer: Sard Films ab

IMZ Prize
Leonard Cohen: Behind the Iron Curtain - Eric Bednarsk

Roch Bozino Social Engagement Prize
In Front of Us - Inna Sahakyan

BIM Prize
Mama - Ana Cristina Benítez

IDF Prize
In Front of Us - Inna Sahakyan

DocEdge Prize
Restless Farewell - Nan Yang, Peiyun He

Movies That Matter Prize
Miss Albinos - Cynthia Pinet (France)
Producer: Petites Poupées Production

Lionel Guenoun Prize by Will Production
The Letelier File - Rafael Valdeavellano, Carola Fuentes

AJD Industry Days Prize
Tutankhamen, Royal Garden: Replanted - Ahmed Hussein (Egypt/USA)
Producers: Masr Media Production, Soura

The End Prize
The Other Gaza - Wafa Jamil Espvall

XRoam Immersive Prize
Zefar - Sara Nacer, Colas Wohlahrt (Canada)
Producer: L'Equipage