With 14 powerful feature-length documentary films the European Film Academy is presenting a strong Documentary Film Selection for the European Film Awards 2023. The Academy has revealed the titles today. A committee consisting of a diverse range of invited European experts has chosen these 14 productions that have been recommended for nomination for the European Film Awards 2023. The European Film Awards, honouring the greatest achievements in European cinema, will be presented on 9 December in Berlin.

With 16 European countries represented – both EU and non-EU – the selection demonstrates the great diversity in European cinema.

Please find the list of all selected documentaries here as well as further information on all films including synopsis, cast, credits, and statements of directors (if available).

Eligible for the European Film Awards are European documentaries which, among other criteria, had their first official screening between 1 June 2022 and 31 May 2023 and have a European director*. Additional titles of documentary films premiering at summer festivals might be added and announced in September.

In the coming weeks, the 4,600 members of the European Film Academy will start to watch the selected films and after the final announcement of all films vote on the nominations in the category ‘European Documentary’. Based on the votes of all members, the nominations will be made public on 7 November 2023. The members of the European Film Academy will then vote for the winner who will be announced at the European Film Awards ceremony in Berlin on 9 December 2023.

The selection is based on the Diversity & Inclusion Standards of the European Film Academy.

The ceremony of the European Film Awards – the most renowned and prestigious award for European film - is presented by the European Film Academy and European Film Academy Production gGmbH.

*Should a film director not be European, “provided they have a European refugee or similar status or have lived in Europe and worked in the European film industry for at least five consecutive years”, exceptions by the Board can be made. Regulations for the 36^th European Film Awards, 1.6. p. 2.

DOCUMENTARY SELECTION

APOLONIA, APOLONIA / APOLONIA, APOLONIA

Denmark, Poland

Directed by: Lea Glob
Written by: Lea Glob
BETWEEN REVOLUTIONS / ÎNTRE REVOLUTII

Romania, Croatia

Directed by: Vlad Petri
Written by: Vlad Petri, Lavinia Braniste
FOUR DAUGHTERS / LES FILLES D'OLFA

France, Tunisia, Germany, Saudi Arabia

Directed by: Kaouther Ben Hania
Written by: Kaouther Ben Hania
IN THE REARVIEW / SKAD DOKAD

Poland, France, Ukraine

Directed by: Maciek Hamela
Written by: Maciek Hamela
LIGHT FALLS VERTICAL / ARA LA LLUM CAU VERTICAL

Spain, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands

Directed by: Efthymia Zymvragaki
Written by: Efthymia Zymvragaki
MOTHERLAND

Sweden, Ukraine, Norway

Directed by: Hanna Badziaka, Alexander Mihalkovich
Written by: Hanna Badziaka, Alexander Mihalkovich
ON THE ADAMANT / SUR L'ADAMANT

France, Japan

Directed by: Nicolas Philibert
ORLANDO, MY POLITICAL BIOGRAPHY / ORLANDO, MA BIOGRAPHIE POLITIQUE

France

Directed by: Paul B. Preciado
Written by: Paul B. Preciado
OUR BODY / NOTRE CORPS

France

Directed by: Claire Simon
PARADISE / PARADIS

France, Switzerland

Directed by: Alexander Abaturov
Written by: Alexander Abaturov
SMOKE SAUNA SISTERHOOD / SAVVUSANNA SÕSARAD

Estonia, France, Iceland

Directed by: Anna Hints
Written by: Anna Hints
THE HEARING / DIE ANHÖRUNG

Switzerland

Directed by: Lisa Gerig
Written by: Lisa Gerig
WE WILL NOT FADE AWAY / MY NE ZGASNEMO

Ukraine, France, Poland

Directed by: Alisa Kovalenko
Written by: Alisa Kovalenko
WHO I AM NOT / WHO I AM NOT

Romania, Canada , Germany

Directed by: Tunde Skovran
Written by: Tunde Skovran