This year, the International Ethnographic Film Festival «OKO» brought together participants from two countries and five cities, including Kiev, Bolhrad, Sofia, Kamianets-Podilskyi, and Odesa, creating a platform for cultural exchange and dialogue.

In the capital of Bulgaria, at the City Mark Art Center, esteemed guests — politicians, filmmakers, cultural researchers, and cinema enthusiasts gathered to summarize the festival outcomes, announce the laureates, and celebrate the most significant films that «transcend» time, traditions, and human stories.

Winners of OKO GLOBAL FICTION:

• Jury Grand Prize — «Reed», directed by Cemil Aadjikoglu (Turkey, Bulgaria);
• Special Jury Prize for Ethnographic Representation — «Banza», directed by Margarida Cardoso (Portugal, France, Netherlands);
• Jury Special Mention — «Id», directed by Youssef Abo Madeghim (Israel).

Winners of OKO GLOBAL NON-FICTION:

• Jury Grand Prize — «To the West. To Zapata», directed by David Beam (Cuba, Spain);
• Special Jury Prize for Ethnographic Representation — «Silent Observers», directed by Eliza Petkova (Bulgaria, Germany);
• Jury Special Mention — «Mashtat», directed by Sonia Ben Slama (France, Lebanon, Tunisia).

Winners of NASHE OKO:

• Jury Grand Prize — «Father's Lullaby», directed by Lesya Dyak (Ukraine, Romania, Croatia);
• Special Jury Prize for Ethnographic Representation — «A Bit Alien», directed by Svitlana Lishchynska (Ukraine, Germany, Sweden).

A special mention from the jury was awarded to the film «Checkpoint 'Zoo'», directed by Joshua Zeman (USA, Ukraine) — for its truthful portrayal of Russian crimes against people and animals.

Additionally, the special jury prize for the best Ukrainian film went to «My Morning Routine», directed by Vadym Adamov (Ukraine).
The jury also recognized the film «I Died in Irpin», directed by Anastasia Falileieva (Ukraine, Slovakia, Czech Republic) — for its beautiful storytelling about pain and its delicate impact.

Best films as voted by the audience:

• Ukrainian Edition Audience Prize - «Search Trilogy: Separation», directed by Sofia Hhera (Ukraine);
• Ukrainian Online Edition Audience Prize — «Rock, Paper, Scissors», directed by Franz Biem (United Kingdom);
• Bolhrad City Council Audience Prize — «Spirit of Masquerade Games», directed by Rositsa Lazarova Sbarali (Italy, Bulgaria);
• Bulgarian Edition Audience Prize — «2000 Meters to Andriyivka», directed by Mstyslav Chernov (Ukraine, USA).