Romania Competition
The Romania Competition jury, which considered documentaries by filmmakers from Romania and the Republic of Moldova exploring the realities of this geographical and cultural space, had nine films to choose from.
The Award for Best Documentary went to A Train Passes Every Day and It Never Stops (Romania, 2026), by Vlad Petri. “The film is a moving reflection on mortality, belonging and the passage of time. With humour, candour and a keen eye, A Train Passes Every Day and It Never Stops pays tribute to the rituals through which a community accompanies its dead and sustains the bonds between those who leave and those who remain,” reads the jury’s statement. The jury comprised Johannes Klein, Crăița Nanu and Audrius Stonys.
The Award for Best Director went to Dragoș Turea for Lenin’s Pawn (Romania, Republic of Moldova, 2026), “for its humorous and engaging portrait of a man whose mission to remove Lenin’s monuments opens up a much wider conversation about memory, history and the generation gap.” The jury also noted that the film explores, “with wit and warmth, how a society negotiates its relationship with the past, and how differently that past lives on across generations.”
The Astra Film Special Mention was awarded to How to Talk to Lydia (Georgia, Germany, 2025), directed by Rusudan Gaprindashvili, “a film that plunges us into an AI dystopia. Wiederholen, Lydia—may you live only on the big screen,” according to the jury.
Eastern Europe
The Eastern Europe Competition, featuring documentaries from a region that has undergone profound transformations in recent decades, was judged by Csaba Bollók, Apostolos Karakasis and Irene Lusztig.
Of the ten films selected for the competition, the Award for Best Documentary went to To Hold a Mountain (Serbia, France, Montenegro, Slovenia, 2026), by Biljana Tutorov and Petar Glomazić.
“At first glance, the film appears to tell the story of a courageous struggle to protect a traditional way of life in harmony with nature. At its heart, however, it is an extraordinary portrait of an intense and loving relationship between a mother and her daughter. Working on both levels, the film creates a complex intertwining of homeland and motherhood, powerfully connecting environmental violence and domestic violence,” the jury said.
Emerging Voices of Documentary
The Emerging Voices of Documentary International Competition spotlighted debut directors and filmmakers making their first feature-length documentaries, celebrating the aesthetic daring, fresh perspectives and narrative boldness of a new generation of documentary filmmakers. Ten films were selected, and the jury, Christine Camdessus, Tue Steen Müller and Dorottya Zurbó, chose three award winners.
The Best Film Award went to If Pigeons Turned to Gold (Czech Republic, Slovakia, 2026), by Pepa Lubojacki. The jury described it as “an extraordinary, intense and playful film, full of inventive cinematic solutions. The director approaches reality without judgement, allowing it to unfold naturally and meeting it with humour and love. It is a tribute to humanity and dignity.”
Karin Pennanen was named Best Director for Days of Wonder (Finland, Denmark, Norway, 2025). “We are invited to undertake a thorough exploration of the artistic work left behind by the director’s late uncle. She uses every tool of cinematic language to bring the artist’s multifaceted work to life. At the same time, the film offers an intimate glimpse into the dynamics of a Finnish family. What begins as an exploration of an artist’s world gradually becomes a playful portrait of an enigmatic man longing for love,” the jury said.
The Astra Film Special Mention went to From Dawn to Dawn (Spain, France, 2026), by Xisi Sofia Ye Chen.
“The film offers a rare glimpse into the closed world of the Chinese diaspora in Barcelona through an intimate and sensitive portrait of the director’s older brother. Lingering on small details, textures and almost imperceptible gestures, the observational camera captures both the distance between the siblings and their desire to reconnect. Through fragmented memories and silences, we discover the experience of a generation growing up in the diaspora, often without their parents, who are away working. The jury’s decision recognises the film’s remarkable ability to sensitively express the invisible emotional dynamics between people through a subtle and poetic cinematic language.”
DocSchool
DocSchool featured the largest number of selected films, with 12 documentaries in a competition dedicated to short documentary films for young audiences and educational settings. The jury, comprising Max T. Ciorbă, Andrew C. Evans and Marina Kostova, presented two awards.
The Award for Best Documentary went to Sassy Spartans (Germany, New Caledonia, 2026), by Maud Mascré. The jury described it as “a journey that avoids predictable clichés and delves into the world of a diverse group of characters of different ages and backgrounds, all confronting their insecurities. Set on a small island, the film tells an intimate and authentic story, exploring inner struggles rooted in deeply personal experiences. The characters’ journey towards self-affirmation and confidence unfolds as they prepare for the anniversary burlesque performance, while the cinematography keeps their intimacy firmly in the foreground.”
The Astra Film Special Mention went to Kartikeya Saxena for Amma, Do Giraffes Cry? (Czech Republic, 2026), described by the jury as “a deeply moving film” and “a beautifully crafted work with exceptional sound design, which follows parallel stories of the director’s relationship with his mother and the inner lives of zoo animals.”
Astra Film Online
Although screenings in cinemas come to an end on Sunday, Astra Film continues online. For two weeks, until 8 November, audiences in Romania can watch online most of the films in the AFF2026 official selection, including five awarded movies. Full details are available on the festival’s social media channels and at https://astrafilm.ro/festival/online.
About Astra Film Festival
Founded in 1993, Astra Film Festival is Romania’s longest-running documentary film festival and one of Europe’s leading events dedicated to non-fiction cinema. The festival is included by the European Film Academy among the festivals entitled to make direct nominations for the European Film Awards. Astra Film Festival is a strategic cultural project of the Ministry of Culture, organised by Astra Film, CNM Astra and the Astra Film Foundation. The festival is held under the High Patronage of the President of Romania and is co-funded by Sibiu City Hall and Sibiu County Council.
Institutional partners: CNC, UNATC, UCIN, Sibiu State Philharmonic, DRRM, Dacin Sara
Main sponsor: ING
Industry partner: VOYO
Mobility partner: Peugeot
Sponsors: Unimat, Simpa, Zizin, Cotnari, Ursus
Main media partner: DIGI 24
Recommended by: Europa FM
Media partners: Radio România Cultural, HotNews, G4Media, Spotmedia, Edupedu, Scena9, Vorbitorincii, PressHub, LiterNet, MovieNews, Cinefan, Cinefilia, IQads, Smark, Totul despre mame, Tribuna, Turnul sfatului, Sibiu 100, Ora de Sibiu, Mesagerul de Sibiu, Sibiu independent, Sibiul azi, Știri de Sibiu, Sibiul în imagini, Hermannstädter Zeitung, Nine O’Clock, Cineuropa, Film New Europe
Media monitoring partner: mediaTRUST
