German Documentary Film Award 2025

Ten documentaries have been shortlisted for the 2025 German Documentary Film Award in the two categories of Main Prize and Sponsorship Prize. The three nominees for the Music Film Award have been announced. An independent jury selected the nominees from a total of 120 submissions. The awards ceremony will take place on 13 November 2025 as part of the 74th Mannheim-Heidelberg International Film Festival.

Nominated productions for the German Documentary Film Award / Main Prize and Promotion Prize:
The following productions have been nominated for the German Documentary Film Award – in accordance with the competition criteria, some works also have a chance of winning the Promotion Prize awarded by the House of Documentary Film:
- ‘Baldiga, entsichertes Herz’ (Baldiga, Unlocked Heart), written and directed by Markus Stein.
- ‘Das leere Grab’ (The Empty Grave), written and directed by Cece Mlay.
- ‘Der dritte Bruder’ (The Third Brother), written and directed by Kathrin Jarreiß.
- ‘Der Wunsch’ (The Wish), written and directed by Judith Beuth.
- ‘Die Unbeugsamen 2 – Guten Morgen, Ihr Schönen!’ (The Unbreakables 2 – Good Morning, Beautiful People!), written and directed by Torsten Körner.
- ‘House Number Zero’, written and directed by Lilith Kugler.
- ‘In Principle, Family’, written and directed by Daniel Abma.
- ‘Petra Kelly – Act Now!’, written and directed by Doris Metz.
- ‘Tell Them About Us – About Us, By Us’, written and directed by Rand Beiruty.
- ‘Survival – A Doctor and His Cancer’, written and directed by Volker Heise.

Nominierte Produktionen für den Dokumentarfilmpreis aus dem Bereich Musik:
- „Beethoven Neun – Ode an die Menschlichkeit“, Buch und Regie: Jerry Weinstein.
- „MPS – Die Legende lebt“, Buch und Regie: Sascha Schmidt.
- „Sisterqueens“, Buch und Regie: Clara Stelle Hüneke.