Amidst a warm and moving ambience, turning the spotlight on documentaries, the filmmakers and the protagonists of their films, the awards of the 28th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival were bestowed on Sunday, March 15th 2026.
The host, Vassilis Terzopoulos, the Festival's Greek Program Coordinator, welcomed the audience at the awards ceremony, stating that "during a difficult period for both our region and the entire planet, Thessaloniki once again became the focal point for revealing the truth about the world around us, a truth we genuinely need," while noting that the Festival honors all those who document and share this truth with us.
Three films were awarded with the Golden Alexanders of the Festival's competition sections. The International Competition Golden Alexander was bestowed upon the documentary Closure by Michał Marczak, which will automatically be eligible to submit for Academy Awards® consideration in the Documentary Feature category. The Newcomers Golden Alexander was awarded to the documentary At No Cost by Mary Bouli, whereas the Film Forward Golden Alexander went to the documentary Dear Future by Christiana Cheiranagnostaki.
The Thessaloniki Documentary Festival presents an International Competition Section. Ten films over 70 minutes compete for the Golden and Silver Alexander Awards. A €12,000 cash prize accompanies the Golden Alexander award. A €5,000 cash prize accompanies the Silver Alexander Award. The International Competition Golden Alexander was bestowed upon the documentary Closure by Michał Marczak.
Organisers said that the Golden Alexander goes to a film that mobilises cinema to the fullest, giving us the experience of being one with the interior life of a father in an impossible state and making something radically present out of absence.
The International Competition Silver Alexander was bestowed upon the documentary Birds of War by Janay Boulos & Abd Alkader Habak. The Silver Alexander goes to a movie about the crucial role that everyday citizens play in protecting our humanity, defending democracy, and insisting on love in the face of intractable violence, hate, and war. Special Mentions were bestowed upon the documentaries The Beauty of Errors by Jukka Kärkkäinen & Around Paradise by Yulia Lokshina.
The Newcomers Competition Golden Alexander "Dimitri Eipides" was bestowed upon the documentary At No Cost by Mary Bouli. The Newcomers Competition Silver Alexander was bestowed upon the documentary Replica by Chouwa Liang.
The Film Forward Competition Golden Alexander was bestowed upon the documentary Dear Future by Christiana Cheiranagnostaki. The Film Forward Competition Silver Alexander was bestowed upon the documentary Level by Carlos Mora Fuentes and Anna Berkhof.
The Immersive Golden Alexander was bestowed upon the film Another Place by Domenico Singha Pedroli.
The Best Podcast Award was bestowed upon the podcast:
The Last Projectionist by Nikos Theodosiou.
A Special Mention was bestowed on the podcast:
Lightly My Beautiful Mermaid by Yorgia Karidi & Miss BwO.
The Scholarship award ENS Louis Lumière Award – French Institute of Upcoming Audio Documentary Creator was bestowed upon:
Panagiota Vagiou for the podcast December Headlines
The Mermaid Award was bestowed upon the documentary:
Barbara Forever by Brydie O'Connor
An Honourable Mention was bestowed upon the documentary:
A Song Without Home by Rati Tsiteladze
The Alpha Bank Accessibility Award was bestowed upon the documentary:
Echoes of Beneath by Vasilis Barachanos
The "Human Rights in Motion" Award was bestowed upon the documentary:
Birds of War by Janay Boulos and Abd Alkader Habak
Special Mentions were bestowed upon the documentaries:
EXILE(S), Tales From an Island by Yorgos Iliopoulos & Around Paradise by Yulia Lokshina
The ERT Award was bestowed upon the documentary:
EXILE(S), Tales From an Island by Yorgos Iliopoulos
The EKKOMED Award was bestowed upon the documentary:
Stories of a Lie by Olia Verriopoulou
The Hellenic Parliament bestows its "Human Values" award to a film from the International Competition section.
The "Human Values" Award of the Hellenic Parliament was bestowed upon the documentary:
La Pietà by Rafa Molés and Pepe Andreu
The International Amnesty Award was bestowed upon the documentary:
American Doctor by Poh Si Teng
An Honourable Mention was bestowed upon the documentary:
Scarlet Girls by Paula Cury
The "City Stories" Municipality of Thessaloniki Award was bestowed upon the documentary:
Bugboy by Lucas Paleocrassas
The FIPRESCI Award for the Best Documentary of the International Competition was bestowed upon the documentary:
Birds of War by Janay Boulos & Abd Alkader Habak
The FIPRESCI Award to a Greek film that participates in one of the three International Competition sections:
EXILE(S), Tales From an Island by Yorgos Iliopoulos
The PEKK Award was bestowed upon the documentary:
Bugboy by Lucas Paleocrassas
The WIFT GR Award was bestowed upon the documentary:
Birds of War by Janay Boulos & Abd Alkader Habak
The WWF Greece Award was bestowed upon the documentary:
Time and Water by Sara Dosa
Τhe Best Greek Film Award of the Youth Jury was bestowed on the documentary:
Where Shadows Rest by Marianna Economou
The Special Jury Prize of the Youth Jury was bestowed upon the documentary:
Born Twice by Stelios Kouloglou
Five Audience Awards are bestowed upon three Greek and two international films.
The "Peter Wintonick" Audience Award for an international film over 50 minutes was bestowed upon the documentary:
American Doctor by Poh Si Teng
The Audience Award for a film under 50 minutes was bestowed upon the documentary:
Square of the Unseen by Theodore Selekos
The Audience Award for a Greek film over 50 minutes was bestowed on the documentary:
Echoes of Beneath by Vasilis Barachanos
The Audience Award for a film in a competitive section was bestowed upon the documentary:
Sentient by Tony Jones
The Fischer Platform+ Audience Award for a Greek film was bestowed upon the documentary:
Single Headlocks by Panagiotis Papoutsis
