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DokuBaku International Documentary Film Festival 2026
proudly presents its Official Selection!
The journey to DokuBaku 2026 began with more than 260 documentary films submitted from over 88 countries—a constellation of stories, each carrying its own rhythm, memory, and unique way of seeing the world. Every submission broadened the horizons of this year's edition and reaffirmed that documentary cinema remains one of humanity's most powerful forms of dialogue.
After months of careful viewing, thoughtful discussion, and deep appreciation for every work, our Selection Committee has chosen 54 documentaries to form the Official Selection of DokuBaku 2026: 27 Feature Documentaries and 27 Short Documentaries. Together, these films embody bold artistic visions, uncompromising perspectives, and an extraordinary diversity of voices from across the globe.
Among the selected works are 5 outstanding Azerbaijani documentaries, celebrating the creative vitality of a new generation of local filmmakers. Standing confidently alongside internationally acclaimed productions, these films demonstrate that authentic stories transcend borders and speak a universal language.
This October, more than a hundred filmmakers, producers, industry professionals, artists, and cultural voices will gather in the Land of Fire, transforming Baku into a vibrant meeting place for cinema, culture, and dialogue. Through screenings, discussions, workshops, and shared experiences, directors, audiences, and guests will discover not only exceptional films, but also new perspectives, unexpected encounters, and lasting creative connections.
The Official Selection of DokuBaku 2026 is united by a common spirit: the desire to explore the unknown, illuminate overlooked realities, and deepen our understanding of one another. These documentaries do more than document life—they challenge perception, preserve memory, embrace complexity, and invite us to imagine a more conscious future. Echoing this year's theme, "Stellar Civilization" they remind us that every human story is part of a far greater cosmic narrative, where every individual experience contributes to our shared journey through the universe.
To every filmmaker who entrusted us with their work, we extend our heartfelt gratitude. Your creativity, passion, and generosity made this year's selection process both inspiring and exceptionally difficult. While only a limited number of films could be included in the Official Selection, every submission enriched the festival and became an essential part of the remarkable mosaic of contemporary documentary cinema.
We warmly invite audiences from Azerbaijan and around the world to join us in Baku this October for seven unforgettable days of outstanding documentary cinema, inspiring conversations, cultural exchange, and discoveries that extend far beyond the screen.
Welcome to DokuBaku 2026—where documentary cinema expands our horizons and every
story becomes a star in humanity's shared constellation.
DOKUTAM - Best International Feature Documentary
Deleau: Cinema Unchained | Michel La Veaux | Canada | 1:39:00
Herland | Kallol Mukherjee | India | 1:00:00
Mar Musa | Schahab Kermani | Germany | 1:37:00
Militantropos | Alina Gorlova, Yelizaveta Smith, Simon Mozgovyi | Austria, France, Ukraine | 1:51:00
Paikar | Dawood Hilmandi | Netherlands | 1:37:00
The Days Will Come | Chema Rodríguez, Chema Ramos | Spain | 1:25:00
The Destiny of Panacea | Iván Zahinos | Spain | 1:28:00
The Land Where the Angel Stumbled | Rodion Ismailov | Azerbaijan, Russian Federation | 1:34:50
The Whale Song | Michał Hytroś | Poland | 1:04:00
Women and Roads: The Way to Yourself. Azerbaijan | Kristina Kretova, Anna Kameneva | United Arab Emirates | 0:52:00
DOKUBOX: Best Debut Documentary Film
Electing Ms Santa | Raisa Razmerita | Romania | 1:36:15
Grandma | Muhammed Aliyev | Azerbaijan | 0:12:36
Mystery of the Starry Squadron | Jan Borowiec | Poland | 1:15:00
Saip Mon Amour | Delal Yatçi | Türkiye | 0:43:14
Shadowless World | Afag Mammadova, Jamila Hashimova | Azerbaijan | 0:49:43
The Kartli Kingdom | Tamar Kalandadze, Julien Pebrel | France, Georgia | 1:44:00
The Inheritors | Serge-Olivier Rondeau | Canada | 1:19:00
Will Power | Lauro Rocha | United States of America | 1:07:22
Yugo Goes To America | Filip Grujić, Aleksa Borković | Croatia, Serbia | 1:27:00
DOKUMUSE: Best Documentary about Music, Dance, Rhythm
Anchor Points | Victor Quijada, Samuel Greffe | Canada | 0:25:13
Puuluup: Cables In The Car | Taavi Arus | Estonia |1:36:00
Sheltering Gestures | Adrián Villa-Dávila, Andrés Prado | Colombia | 0:10:53
Someday Again | Kajetan Łukasz Pochylski | Poland | 0:17:00
The Caterpillar Funeral | Daria Razumnikova, Leonid Rybakov | Russian Federation | 0:26:30
The Table | Ivan Vlasov | Russian Federation | 0:20:00
From Zero to One | Rustam Babazade | Azerbaijan | 0:25:47
DOKUECHO: Best Documentary about Nature, the Ecosystem of our Mother Earth
If Not You | Charlotte Weinreich, Rosa-Lena Lange | Germany | 0:33:23
Krakatoa | Carlos Casas | France, Poland, Spain, United Kingdom | 1:18:00
Like Any Other Mortal | Maria Molina Peiró | Netherlands, Spain | 1:33:00
Parasisi | Zaïde Bil, Sébastien Segers | Belgium, Suriname | 1:01:00
Saury Seaweed: Whisper of the Sea | June-ho Lee | South Korea | 0:45:05
The Berm | Agustin Dominguez Cordero | Spain | 1:30:00
Wisdom of Gunung Sewu | Ira Setiawati | Indonesia | 0:51:37
Our Journey With Gray Whales | Natalia Sokol | Russian Federation | 0:26:43
Three Sisters | Lolita Izmailova | Russian Federation | 0:26:10
DOKUKIDS: Best Documentary for Kids
Ángeles FC | Roberto Ortiz | Mexico | 1:41:51
Chasing Barnaland | Ellen Morgenstierne, Nils Petter Devold Midtun | Norway | 0:20:00
My Grandmother is a Skydiver | Polina Piddubna | Ukraine | 0:10:00
Our Village | Dastan Borkosh | Kyrgyzstan | 0:14:36
Resonancia | Ted Nash, Cathy Barbash | United States of America | 0:37:56
Rocket Girl | Agnes Swiercz | Poland, Sweden, United States of America | 1:10:02
Submitting Tigers | Luke Kellerhouse | Germany, Ireland, United States of America | 0:25:41
DOKUSHORT: Best International Short Documentary
A Sacred Pause | Jonathan Bregel | United States of America | 0:30:00
Actually I Didn't Want To Stay Long | Andreas Grützner | Germany, Ireland, United States of America | 0:23:22
Colors of Nazar | Fatih Diren | Türkiye | 0:17:45
From a Balcony, 90km Up | Talila Frank | Israel | 0:16:30
Human in Quest | Aslı Akdağ | Türkiye | 0:39:35
I Believe The Portrait Saved Me | Alban Muja | Kosovo | 0:10:00
I Wanted To Hear Your Voice | James Pellerito | United States of America | 0:12:00
Light Through the Blindfold | Alireza Kazemipour | Canada | 0:25:00
Step-By-Step Towards Home | Evrim İnci | Azerbaijan | 0:25:00
Towards The Light | Elshad Arshadoglu | Azerbaijan | 0:22:20
