European Documentary Film Award for Ruth Beckermann

The House of Documentary Film and the Film and Media Foundation NRW Honor the Life’s Work of Austrian Director Ruth Beckermann

The House of Documentary Film – European Media Forum Stuttgart e.V. and the Film and Media Foundation NRW are awarding the EUROPEAN DOCUMENTARY FILM PRIZE, jointly established in 2026 , to Austrian filmmaker and author Dr. Ruth Beckermann. The lifetime achievement award is endowed with 15,000 euros and will be presented for the first time on June 18, 2026, as part of the DOKVILLE industry gathering (Stuttgart).

In its statement, the jury noted, among other things, that all of Ruth Beckermann’s films are characterized by a cinematic openness—both in terms of narrative structure and aesthetics—that defies all bias and contrasts seemingly conclusive, poster-like images with images that invite questioning. This approach reveals the director’s analytical core. She allows for contradictions and, with intelligent composure, invites the audience on cinematic journeys, encouraging them to explore and reflect. Ruth Beckermann dares to make observations drawn from the moments of respite in everyday life—including the past, namely everyday life that has become history.

Ruth Beckermann was born in Vienna in 1952. She studied journalism and art history in Vienna and Tel Aviv, and photography at the School of Visual Arts in New York. She has been producing documentary films since 1977. Among her best-known and award-winning works are “Die papierene Brücke,” “Jenseits des Krieges,” “American Passages,” “Those Who Go, Those Who Stay,” “Mutzenbacher,” and “Waldheim’s Waltz” (2018), which received an Oscar nomination. Her two most recent documentaries are “Favoriten” (2024) and “Wax & Gold” (2026), both of which premiered at the Berlinale. In 2016, Ruth Beckermann also produced the award-winning feature film “Die Geträumten.”

The jury for the newly established EUROPEAN DOCUMENTARY FILM AWARD consisted of Nathalie Wappler (media manager), Bettina Reitz (film and media manager), Ulrike Becker (journalist), Hella Wenders (director), Walid Nakschbandi (executive director of the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW), and Eric Friedler (executive director of the Haus des Dokumentarfilms). Wim Wenders chaired the jury and will present the award to Ruth Beckermann on June 18, 2026, at the Hospitalhof in Stuttgart. Accreditation with the DOKVILLE industry gathering is required to attend.

Registration: www.dokville.de