Daniel Mann’s Uganda and Samuel Chouffrin’s Job 1:21 are among the top films at VdR-Industry 2026, which will be held in conjunction with Switzerland’s leading documentary film festival Vision du Lille in Nyon.
La Bete and Acqua Alta’s “Uganda,” a reimagining of a little-known 1904 expedition related to the so-called Uganda Plan, in which European envoys were sent to survey land for potential Jewish settlements, won the Eurimage Co-Production and Development Award, which carries a cash prize of 20,000 euros ($21,500).
The jury, made up of producer Karim Aituna, director Salome Jassi, and Ilse Rontertap from the Dutch Film Fund, declared: “We were particularly attracted to projects that demonstrate a strong and unique artistic vision combined with a thoughtful and coherent sculptural approach. We were particularly struck by this project’s ability to approach historical material in a way that feels both inventive and critical conscious.”
Produced by Les Films du Bilboque and Kit Films and set in Haiti, “Job 1:21” follows a group of former female prisoners in Port-au-Prince as they stage a play that exposes the country’s broken justice system. The work won the Visions Sud Est Award worth 10,000 Swiss Francs ($11,000).
“Trade,” by Hot Docs winner Todd Chandler (“Bulletproof”), examines the buying and selling rituals that take place behind closed doors at American trade shows, and stood out by winning two awards: the RTS Award (10,000 euros (approx. $10,800) advance purchase) and the Light Docs Award (3,000 euros, about $3,200).
Milton Gillen and Fiona Guy Hall’s My Skin and I won the Party Film Sales Award (€3,000, approximately $3,200), followed by Sophie Benue’s Hello?! Winner of the IDA Documentary Culture Award and a prize of $2,000.
Other winning films included “Transposition,” “Stuttering Fluidity – How My Father Became a Sea Creatur,” “Liberal Arts,” “The People Outside,” “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and “La Linda.”
In total, more than 80,000 Swiss Francs ($88,000) in cash and in-kind prizes were handed out to 13 projects.
Sabine Fayou Cantillo, who was celebrating her first win as an industry director, congratulated the team, saying the jury’s decision “can have a huge impact on the trajectory of a project” and noted “the depth, breadth and scope of the projects recognized across this year’s awards. I look forward to seeing these films take to the next stage with support, confidence and the right collaborators.”
Sectors under stress
This award comes at a time when the mood across the VdR industry is significantly more cautious. Buyers are biding their time, projects are becoming harder to finance, and conversations in Nyon give the sense that the situation is tense. Producers, distributors and financiers all describe a more bleak picture. “We’re still here,” said the founder of an Amsterdam-based global sales organization just three years after launching the company. This word itself tells us a lot about the current state of the market.
A more cautious takeover market
This sense of caution is also reflected on the acquirer side. Distributors are more selective, and even films from major film festivals are not guaranteed to be picked up. One spokesperson said: What matters is that the movie has to sell.
Collaboration is essential
The projects announced in Nyon reflect an increasingly modular funding logic. If co-production was once a strategy, it is now a prerequisite for most projects circulating in the VdR industry. The project is being built in multiple countries, and producers are carefully planning which funding to approach and when.
The backbone of European financing
This was a recurring theme in industry discussions, including sessions with Eurimages and Creative Europe MEDIA, and is reflected in the project itself. In many cases, it is European support that makes the production of films possible. Particularly in the French and Swiss ecosystems that are heavily present in VdR-Industry, public broadcasters, regional funds and institutional capital remain the backbone.
Roundtable as a competitive advantage
What continues to set this platform apart is its format. Rather than competing with large markets in volume, VdR-Industry continues to position itself as a precision tool for selected encounters. After the pitch, filmmakers proceed to a series of roundtable discussions with buyers, commissioners, and potential collaborators. It’s in these small conversations that the project clicks. One industry executive said that directors often really “come alive” away from the pressure of the stage.
The starting point for creating new talent
True to its reputation, VdR-Industry remains a place where new voices can be heard. There are a lot of first-time filmmakers in attendance, and several of this year’s winners fit into that category. This is an early boost that can make a big difference when producing your project.
VdR-Industry will be held from April 19th to 22nd in parallel with Visions du Réel.
The winners of the 2026 VdR-Industry Award are:
Yuri Images Co-production and Development Award
“Uganda” by Daniel Mann, produced by La Bête and Acqua Alta
Visions Sud Est Award
“Job 1:21” Written by Samuel Suffran, Produced by Les Films du Bilboque and Kit Films
RTS award
“Trade” by Todd Chandler, produced by Spectrascope, AJNA Films and Breezy Circle
Light Docs Award
“Trade” by Todd Chandler, produced by Spectrascope, AJNA Films and Breezy Circle
party movie sales award
“My Skin and I” by Milton Gillen and Fiona Guy Hall, produced by Mayana Films and Solaris Films
IDA Documentary Culture Award
“Hello?!” written by Sophie Benuto, produced by Quetzalcoatl, Altitude100, GROM, Guča Films
Unifrance Doc Award (in partnership with TitraFilm)
“Transposition” Composed by Vladlena Sandu, Produced by Diepteskelpte BV
Tenku Post Production Award
“Stuttering Fluidity – How My Father Became a Sea Creature” by Stefan Pavlovich, produced by Serendipity Films and Art Trace Foundation
Tenku Opening Scene Award
“Welcome to Set” by Sian Bey, produced by Ping Ping Press
Cannes Document Award
“Stuttering Fluidity – How My Father Became a Sea Creature” by Stefan Pavlovich, produced by Serendipity Films and Art Trace Foundation
DOK Leipzig Prize
“Liberal Arts” by Pacho Velez Produced by Pacho Works
No Nation Film Fellowship Award
“The People Outside” written by Jewel Maranan, produced by Cinema is Incomplete
AIDC Award
“Over the Rainbow” directed by Koval Bhatia, produced by Bellota Films, What Took You So Long and Little Anarchy Films
DAE Encouragement Award
“Over the Rainbow” directed by Koval Bhatia, produced by Bellota Films, What Took You So Long and Little Anarchy Films
Mase Studio & Color Grade Award
“My Skin and I” by Milton Gillen and Fiona Guy Hall, produced by Mayana Films and Solaris Films
Raggio Verde Subtitle Award
“La Linda” written by Francina Carbonell, produced by Maria Una Vez and Gema Films
