Cottbus 2026

Jury Statement:

A captivating film in this year’s International Competition, the command of the narrative for its persuasive character development was a standout strength. This film also impressed with its stylistic accomplishments, particularly the clarity of movement between the story’s spaces. Through the internalized journey of the character, the filmmaker reimagines the loner road movie as a psychological and emotional concept. They also show a keen eye on human nature and the human experience. For example, the loneliness of community and how the individual’s desire for transformation must navigate and contend with their social milieu. And even if it is a strange story, it shines with a relatability that creates a space for the audience to enter the film. We are pleased to award the FIPRESCI Prize to What Belongs to Others by Grzegorz Dębowski.

One of the leading international festivals of East Central, South Eastern and Eastern European film and one of the most notable cultural events in the Berlin-Brandenburg metropolitan area, it targets both regular audiences and industry experts. The festival “territory” includes also Central Asisa, the Baltic and the Caucasian countries as well as Greece, Finland and Turkey. As the gateway to the East, Cottbus is located in close proximity to its Polish neighbour in the bilingual (German/Sorbian) region of Lausitz in the German state of Brandenburg. The festival showcases around 120 films from more than 40 coproduction countries, along with a number of workshops, masterclasses, film education activities, panel discussions, moderated Q&A sessions, workshops for school children and co-operation with universities. Our jury of three members will give its award to a film in the main competition.