Brings together films from a wide spectrum of territories and approaches, this year’s International Feature-Length Competition at Festival Film Dokumenter (FFD) 2025 ranging from deeply rooted cultural narratives to formally experimental work. The lineup includes entries from Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas, each film offering a distinct vantage point on current documentary practice and global concerns.
The jury for this category consisted of Ondřej Kamenický, Krishna Sen, dan Farah Wardani, bringing backgrounds in programming, research, and visual arts respectively. In a candid conversation with the festival communications team, they discussed how they engaged with the films, how they reached consensus, and what made the winning work stand out.
Reflecting on how the varied subject matter and styles in this year’s selection shaped the juries’ deliberation. They observed that while many films addressed major global issues in clear ways, others took more radical formal risks, blurring facts and style. The jury noted that this prompted a rethink of “what documentary filmmaking actually is today.” What stood out also the geographic and methodological diversity of the competition program. This pluralism matters for audiences and for the festival’s role in showcasing documentary practice beyond a single dominant approach.
When asked about how the juries arrived at a decision despite their different professional orientations, they stated simply that the film “selected itself,” meaning that it had enough clarity of form and purpose to unite their views. The juries shared that because they watched all films together in sequence and began informal discussion early, the formal deliberation became a process of consolidation. They added that shared political sensibilities and overlapping preferences for certain films as factors making consensus possible and highlighted that the winning film ticked every criterion in their checklist.
While many films in the competition were strong and innovative, the winning work distinguished itself not only in craft but in impact, and has the potential to move beyond the festival setting into broader cultural or social platforms. Best Film FFD 2025 for International Feature-Length Competition is awarded to Devi (2024), directed by Subina Shrestha, producer Rosie Garthwaite and Heejung Oh, produced by Mediadante, Seesaw Pictures, Film Crew Nepal.
The deliberation concluded by the jury members stating their remarks by affirming that the strength of the festival lies in its programme diversity and commitment to films that challenge form and meaning. Each juror indicated that although the process was rigorous, they left the deliberation with the belief that the winning film merited the recognition.
Jury’s Statement for Best Film Award
This film’s storytelling is precise yet deeply affecting, intimate yet politically resonant. Following the intertwined personal and public journey of its protagonist, the film traces the life of a survivor of wartime sexual violence. It is exemplary in its command of cinematic language, capturing the emotional truth of individual testimonies while maintaining a clear commitment to collective advocacy. This is a work of deep humanity, courage, and purpose.
Festival Film Dokumenter is grateful to all the jury members (Ondřej Kamenický, Krishna Sen, Farah Wardani) and selectors (Varadila Nurdin, Patrick F. Campos, Swann Dubus) of the International Feature-Length Competition category. Festival Film Dokumenter is presented by Forum Film Dokumenter, Indonesia. (Vanis, 25/11/2025)
