Emerging documentary talents from across Central and Eastern Europe gathered in Warsaw for the Short Pitch Program 2026, where projects Bell Boy, Naples, Florida and Kyiv Under My Wheels received awards at the MDAG Industry ceremony.
The awards for the Short Pitch Program 2026 were presented during the MDAG Industry Award Ceremony held on 10 May at the State Ethnographic Museum in Warsaw, as part of the 5th edition of MDAG Industry accompanying the Millennium Docs Against Gravity festival.
The biggest success of this year’s edition went to Bell Boy by Finnish filmmaker Akseli Leppänen, which received both the Polish Filmmakers Association Award and the East Doc Award. Alongside a cash prize of 5,000 PLN, the project will receive specialist consultations on the rough cut and a tailored festival distribution strategy supporting the film’s further development and international circulation.
The Documentary Association of Europe (DAE) Award went to Naples, Florida directed by Modesta Žemgulytė and produced by Akvilė Žilionytė-Khan (Artišokai). The award includes an individual consultation session with an experienced DAE consultant, offering the team expert guidance on the project’s next steps.
The Rising Producer Award, presented by the Polish Producers Alliance (KIPA), was awarded to Kyiv under my wheels directed and produced by Marina Baibarza. The prize provides an individual mentoring programme led by an experienced industry specialist, designed to support the producer’s professional development.
Award Winners
East Doc Award – Bell Boy (dir. Akseli Leppänen, prod. Akseli Leppänen (Baltic Film and Media School), 20 min., Estonia, planned premiere: June 2026)
DAE Award – Naples, Florida (dir. Modesta Žemgulytė, prod. Akvilė Žilionytė-Khan (Artišokai), 17 min., Lithuania, planned premiere: August 2025)
Polish Filmmakers Association Award – Bell Boy (dir. Akseli Leppänen, prod. Akseli Leppänen (Baltic Film and Media School), 20 min., Estonia, planned premiere: June 2026)
Rising Producer Award – Kyiv under my wheels (dir. Marina Baibarza, prod. Marina Baibarza (Process Films), 20 min., Ukraine, Poland, planned premiere: August 2026)
Organized by the Institute of Documentary Film in cooperation with Millennium Docs Against Gravity, the Short Pitch Program supports emerging documentary filmmakers through pitching sessions, industry consultations, networking opportunities, and meetings with international festival representatives, distributors, and sales agents.