FIPRESCI, the international film critics organization, will launch the Documentary Grand Prix at the Polish documentary film festival Millennium Docs Against Gravity, the 23rd edition of which will be held from May 8th to 17th.
This award is given to the best documentary film of the year. The winners, chosen by a vote of all FIPRESCI members, will be announced at the MDAG opening ceremony.
After an initial vote by FIPRESCI members, the final list of five nominated films will be announced. Following the screening of the award-winning films, the festival will feature a talk with the director moderated by a FIPRESCI representative.
FIPRESCI has a jury that awards awards at numerous festivals around the world, including Cannes, Venice, and Toronto, and its crown jewel, the Grand Prix, is presented each year in San Sebastian.
“FIPRESCI’s commitment to promoting great films and defending freedom of expression continues with this new initiative in partnership with MDAG. For over 25 years, the Grand Prix has been FIPRESCI’s highest annual film award,” said Ahmed Shawky, FIPRESCI Chairman Now is the perfect time to extend equal recognition to documentary films with partner film festivals that share our values.
“The fact that FIPRESCI has chosen Millennium Docs Against Gravity as the venue to present this award each year is an indescribable recognition for us. It is a testament to the efforts of our entire team, the hundreds of volunteers at each edition, and the entire documentary industry that has become part of the MDAG family,” said MDAG Artistic Director Karol Pikarczyk.
“For me personally, this privilege is a guiding light, and each time we prepare a new edition of the festival, it reminds us why we are here, what our mission is, and how lucky we are to work with such great films and filmmakers.”
In addition to the Documentary Grand Prix, from 2026 MDAG will host a three-member FIPRESCI jury that will award prizes to the best films of the main competition.
“Millennium Document Against Gravity” will be held in theaters in Warsaw, Wrocław, Gdynia, Poznań, Katowice, Bydgoszcz, Lodz and online at mdag.pl from May 19th to June 1st.
