DOXA Documentary Film Festival, Western Canada’s largest documentary film festival wrapped up its 11 day festival with the announcement of the winners of its 2025 competitions.
The five awards were presented to the following;
The Colin Low Award for Best Canadian Director, presented by the Directors Guild of Canada
Winner: Patrick Shannon for Saints and Warriors, DOXA’s Closing Gala presentation.
Honourable Mention: Lyana Patrick for Nechako – It Will Be A Big River Again,
“For its beautifully layered narrative, its honest and intimate portrayal of contemporary Indigenous life, and a final act that was deeply moving and offered us an inspiring hope for the future, the award for Colin Low Award for Best Canadian Director goes to Saints and Warriors, directed by Patrick Shannon,” say jurors Chris Chong, Fabianny Deschamps, and Corey Payette.
The jurors also would like to recognize Lyana Patrick, director of Nechako – It Will Be A Big River Again: “For its urgent depiction of a community’s fifty-year fight to reclaim land, its vision of sovereignty, and the strength of collective action, we’re proud to give an Honourable Mention to Nechako, directed by Lyana Patrick.”
The DOXA Short Documentary Award
Winner: Correct Me if I’m Wrong, directed by Hao Zhou.
Honourable Mention: From Paris to Pyongyang, directed by Helen Lee.
Jurors Terra Long, Sasha Bondartchouk and Rami Katz say, “This strikingly contemporary study of filial loyalty offers a complex portrayal of both compliance and resistance to tradition. As the filmmaker’s family attempt to exorcise their queerness, speaking up for one’s truth proves exceedingly difficult. The jury was moved by the film’s beautiful photography and personal storytelling techniques which, through an intimate and tempered perspective, highlight the painfully volatile tensions between love, care, concern, misunderstanding, and refusal of acceptance. The award goes to Correct Me If I’m Wrong by Hao Zhou.”
“For its compelling personal storytelling techniques, poetic imagery, and meta narrative filmmaking, we would like to give the Honourable Mention to From Paris to Pyongyang, directed by Helen Lee.”
The Vancouver Film Studios Award for Best BC Director, a new award presented by Vancouver Film Studios and Pacific Backlot.
Winner: Damien Eagle Bear for #skoden.
Honourable Mention: Elizabeth Vibert and Chen Wang for Aisha’s Story.
“For its clarity of directorial vision, its compassionate depiction of a much-seen but seldom-understood community, we are pleased to award Damien Eagle Bear the Vancouver Film Studios Award for Best BC Director for his film #skoden,” say jurors Rame Ibrahim, Faith Sparrow-Crawford, Morgan Sears-Williams, Mimi Dejene, and Brandon Wint.
“For its ability and willingness to foreground the love, food and generational plant wisdom within Palestinian life, we would also like to give honourable mention to co-directors Elizabeth Vibert and Chen Wang for the film Aisha’s Story.”
The Best Feature Documentary Award, for international documentaries
Winner: Sudan, Remember Us directed by Hind Meddeb.
Honorable Mention: To Use a Mountain byCasey Carter & Mistress Dispeller by Elizabeth Lo
Jurors Michael Scoular, Jae Woo Kang and Jamila Pomeroy say, “As an authentic portrait that preserves the vitality of a uniquely youth-led resistance, in which we bear witness to a movement that’s equal parts civil disobedience, art, poetry, and music, Sudan, Remember Us impressed the jury with its cultural authenticity, bravery, and commitment to bringing light to one of the largest and most suppressed human rights crisis of our generation. We are proud to give the DOXA award for Best Feature Documentary to Sudan, Remember Us, directed by Hind Meddeb.”
The jury also gives an honourable mention to two other films: “Out of an entanglement of damage and division—made by policy and media and long neglect—a portrait, advanced through confident graphic design, elegant narrative structure, and community storytelling and memory emerges in Casey Carter’s To Use a Mountain. For these qualities the jury is proud to give this film an honourable mention.”
“For its stunning ability to navigate secrets, lies, and documentary form, all while honouring the perspectives of participants who might otherwise have little reason to trust the actions of the people closest to them, we’re proud to give an honourable mention to Mistress Dispeller by Elizabeth Lo.”
The Nigel Moore Award for Youth Programming
Winner: They Are Sacred directed by Kim O’Bomsawin.
Jurors Laura Moore, Darius Darabi, Olivia Moore, Emily Ash Cutajar and Anna Hetherington say, “We are thrilled to present the Nigel Moore Award in the Rated Y for Youth category to They Are Sacred directed by Kim O’Bomsawin. They Are Sacred is a touching and intimate look at the relationship between a father and son that reframes one’s understanding of neurodiversity through an Indigenous lens. With increasing misinformation and harmful rhetoric centred around neurodiversity, this film powerfully showcases how autism is not a deficit but in fact, a sacred gift, according to Cree traditions. The film additionally highlights the systemic barriers and trade offs Indigenous families in Canada face in accessing autism support or care that is culturally resonant. They Are Sacred is a beautiful film that resonates with viewers of all ages. For youth especially, it offers an empowering story of reclamation, acceptance, and community that is vital at this moment.”
For details about DOXA and the 2025 Award winner visit doxafestival.ca