Documentary on reprisals in Belarus wins Berlin Freedom Award
November 12, Pozirk. Letters from the Silenced Country, a documentary by Andrej Kuciła about resistance in Belarus, was awarded the Berlin Freedom Award in the Fighting for Democracy category, the film’s production team said on Instagram.
“For a film that amplifies the voices of those silenced by the Belarusian regime, this recognition carries a particularly powerful meaning. It reminds us why these stories matter and why they must continue to be told,” it noted.
The award is part of Stories of Freedom, a special film program organized during Berlin Freedom Week in partnership with Doxumentale, Berlin’s international documentary film festival.
The film follows several Belarusians, whose lives have been disrupted by state violence and politically-motivated repression, offering a portrait of life in contemporary Belarus.
Each story in the film shows a different experience of reprisals. The characters include a father who hides from surveillance to avoid arrest and separation from his daughter; a former criminal investigator who fled Belarus; a student convicted for participating in protests; and 50-year-old dissident Vitold Ašurak, who died in prison.
Earlier this year, the film was awarded the Golden Dove Prize at the 69th edition of the DOK Leipzig film festival and the Impact Golden Globes Prize for Documentary at the Venice International Festival.
Kuciła, born in Baranavičy in 1983, holds academic degrees in journalism and fine arts.
Documentary on reprisals in Belarus awarded 2026 Golden Dove in Leipzig
November 2, Pozirk. Letters from the Silenced Country, a documentary by Andrej Kuciła about resistance in Belarus, was awarded the Golden Dove Prize at the 69th edition of DOK Leipzig film festival in Germany on October 31. The film follows …
