Winner of the 2025 IDA Documentary Awards: 'The Tale of Silyan' tops the list

The Tale of Silyan emerged as the standout winner at the 2025 International Documentary Association (IDA) Awards, securing honors for both Best Documentary Feature and Best Cinematography. Funded by National Geographic and directed by Tamara Kotevska, the documentary follows a North Macedonian immigrant who forms an unexpected bond with an injured white stork while adjusting to life in a new country. The film has also been selected as North Macedonia's official submission for the Best International Feature category at the Oscars.

The documentary is among 201 entries competing for the Best Documentary Feature Oscar and 86 contenders for Best International Feature. Oscar shortlists will be revealed on December 16, providing further insight into its chances.

Other notable winners at the IDA Awards included:

• Best Documentary Short: Looking for a Donkey (Mexico, Venezuela)
• Best Director: Brittany Shyne, Seeds (United States)
• Best Editing: Alex Megaro, Ian Bell, WTO/99 (United States); Frdric Filiatre, The Sorcerer: Julio Zachrisson (Panama)
• Best Score: The Sorcerer: Julio Zachrisson
• Best Production Design: Alessandra Orofino, Petra Costa, Apocalypse in the Tropics (United States)
• Best Sound: Thomas Perez-Pape, Only on Earth (Denmark, Spain)
• Best Writing: Petra Costa, Alessandra Orofino, Nels Bangerter, David Barker, Tina Baz, Apocalypse in the Tropics (United States)
• Best Curated Series: 99 (France)
• Best Episodic Series: Citizen Nation (United States)
• Best Music Documentary: One to One: John & Yoko (United Kingdom)
• David L. Wolper Student Documentary: What a Day, What a Life (United Kingdom)
• ABC News Videosource Award: Deaf President Now! (United States)
• Pare Lorentz Award: River of Grass (United States)

This years IDA Awards spanned three days and concluded with a ceremony at the Los Angeles Athletic Club, hosted by Sundance Film Festival director Tabitha Jackson.

Author: Lucas Grant