The 2023 edition of East Doc Platform (EDP), the largest industry platform for Central and Eastern European documentaries, organised by the Institute of Documentary Film, welcomed industry professionals to Prague from 24-30 March. On Thursday 30th, producers and directors were presented with 15 awards from EDP’s partners during the closing ceremony of One World and East Doc Platform.

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The 2023 East Doc Platform Award jury members – Hanka Kastelicová, HBO Max; Thomas Beyer, MDR; and Alexandra Derewienko, CAT&Docs – singled out a project about the struggles of refugees under the Lukashenko regime, I Made a Mistake Coming Here, to receive prize money of €7,500. The project is being directed by Kseniya Halubovich, and according to the jury, her “involvement in bringing attention to the large-scale humanitarian scam led by Lukashenko is of striking relevance, and it reveals what his regime fears the most: courageous citizens who only follow their conscience to support people in need, whatever the cost”.

A Special Mention was handed to May It Be a Girl by Katerina Suvorova, a project “with a unique approach to a very important topic, where through what each of us uses several times a day – a name – we can better understand Kazakh society, and especially the position of women”. The project also received the Cut Thru the Noise Award, as it is a “project from an underrepresented region that sheds light on a phenomenon that has remained unknown to the general public”.

The Soldier's Journey, a Romanian-Ukrainian project portraying the director herself as she fights for a free Ukraine, received two major prizes. The jury bestowed the Current Time TV Director's Award upon it, for “wishing to support filmmakers”, with the jurors further explaining that they wanted “to extend our gratitude to them for making the hardest decision of picking up both the camera and arms to protect and save their homeland”. The project also snagged the HBO Max Award, as the film’s team “are not just observers; they are active players in their stories”.

Cuba & Alaska, the story of two paramedics who save lives while keeping their spirits up during the war in Ukraine, received the Czech TV Co-production Award. Directed by Yegor Troyanovsky, the project was said to home in on people “saving others while risking their own lives today for a better tomorrow; this represents hope”. The project also received the inaugural Docs Ireland Award, as it “frames the brutal realities of war through the experiences of two charismatic and warm-spirited characters, using a nuanced lens to explore bravery and resilience in the face of intense adversity, and the enduring strength of the human spirit”.

The Ex Oriente Fine Cut Award was given to European Union Wolf by Jadran Boban, who has “undertaken yearlong research across Europe in an effort to find the links and structures of the dangerous organisations that have been fighting a hybrid war against the constitutional rights of citizens in liberal democracies”. It also received the DOK Leipzig Accelerator Award for DOK Preview Training.

Finally, the Silver Eye Award, for the best feature-length documentary, was given to We Will Not Fade Away [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Dávid Mikulán and Bálint Révész. The winner received not only a unique trophy, but also prize money of €2,500, plus one year’s worth of festival-related services courtesy of East Silver Caravan, worth an additional €3,500.

Here is the full list of award winners at the 2023 East Doc Platform:

East Doc Platform Award
I Made a Mistake Coming Here - Kseniya Halubovich (France/USA)
Producers: Louis Beaudemont (Les Steppes Productions), Current Time TV

Special Mention
May It Be a Girl - Katerina Suvorova (Kazakhstan/Austria)
Producers: Aruan Anartaev, Mischief Films

Current Time TV Director's Award
The Soldier's Journey - Helena Maksyom (Romania/Ukraine)
Producer: Adrian Pirvu (Pirvu A Adrian PFA)

HBO Max Award
The Soldier's Journey - Helena Maksyom

Czech TV Co-production Award
Cuba & Alaska - Yegor Troyanovsk (Ukraine/France)
Producers: Olga Beskhmelnytsina (2Brave Productions), Christian Popp (Tag Film)

Cut Thru the Noise Award
May It Be a Girl - Katerina Suvorova

Ex Oriente Fine Cut Award
European Union Wolf - Jadran Boban (Croatia)
Producer: Dana Budisavljević (Hulahop)

Golden Funnel Award
War on Women - Maris Salumets (Estonia)
Producer: Volia Chajkouskaya (Allfilm)

DocsBarcelona Award
One Day I Wish to See You Happy - Maryna Nikolcheva (Ukraine)
Producer: Oleksandra Kravchenko

Docs Ireland Award
Cuba & Alaska - Yegor Troyanovsk

Sunny Side of the Doc Award
Brothers in the Hunt - Ieva Ozolina (Latvia)
Producer: Madara Melberga (Fa Filma)

DOK Leipzig Accelerator Award for DOK Co-Pro Market
War on Women - Maris Salumets

DOK Leipzig Accelerator Award for DOK Preview Training
European Union Wolf - Jadran Boban

Pitch the Doc Prize
World of Walls - Lucia Kašová (Slovakia/Czech Republic)
Producers: Matej Sotník, Wanda Kaprálová (Guča sro), Claw AV

DAE Pitch Talent Encouragement Prize
Insurance Against Meteorites - Natalia Śliwowska, Jorik Galama (Poland)
Producer: Kasia Kuczyńska (Haka Films)

Silver Eye Award
We Will Not Fade Away [+leggi anche:
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Special Mention
KIX [+leggi anche:
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