The prestigious L’Œil d’or award for Best Documentary was presented at the Cannes Film Festival on May 22. Established by the Festival de Cannes and LaScam, in partnership with INA, the prize honors excellence in documentary filmmaking within the official selection.
Thierry Frémaux, General Delegate of the Festival de Cannes, underscored the vital role of documentary cinema in today’s turbulent global climate. This year’s jury was chaired by Ukrainian director Mstyslav Chernov and included Tabitha Jackson, Géraldine Pailhas, Lina Soualem, and Victor Castanet.
The award was granted to the powerful Iranian documentary Rehearsals for a Revolution, directed by Pegah Ahangarani. The film traces the director’s family history from 1979 to the present, offering an intimate portrait set against decades of political and social upheaval.
Accepting the award alongside her family, who traveled from Iran for the occasion, Ahangarani expressed both gratitude and resolve. She dedicated the prize to the people of Iran, stating that despite enduring years of oppression, they have never stopped fighting. “I have a dream that one day my daughter, and all the children of Iran, will live in a democratic and free Iran,” she said.
The jury is pleased to award the L’Œil d’or – Best Documentary Prize at the Cannes Film Festival – to Rehearsals for a Revolution by Pegah Ahangarani. The film immerses us in the complex reality of contemporary Iranian history through a subtle interweaving of personal, poetic, and historical cinema. In its ongoing search for a language that captures the truth of the moment, Rehearsals for a Revolution does not hesitate to question its own approach, laying bare its doubts and vulnerabilities. The jury was struck by the excellence of its storytelling, the urgency and vitality of its narrative, and the artistic vision of a filmmaker who guides us through the turbulence of history while never losing sight of the value of every human life. – The Jury Statement
The L’Œil d’or recognizes a documentary presented across the Cannes Official Selection, including Competition, Un Certain Regard, Out of Competition, Midnight Screenings, Special Screenings, and Cannes Classics. Think-Film proudly supports the award, celebrating outstanding documentary storytelling at Cannes.
by Ron Fogel & Nicole Muj
