The international documentary film festival ARTDOCFEST/RIGA has announced the winners of its competitive programs. The Grand Prix was awarded to the film "Mission 200" by Ukrainian director Volodymyr Sydyk.

This was reported by the chief editor of Ukrainska Pravda, Sevgi Musaeva, at the award ceremony in Riga.

The documentary "Mission 200" tells the story of volunteer Tetyana Pototska–Yevchuk from Lutsk, who, after the onset of the full-scale war, is engaged in locating and delivering the bodies of fallen Ukrainian soldiers to their families.

"Like the mythological Charon who ferries souls across the river Styx, she transports the bodies of fallen warriors. Overcoming thousands of kilometers without rest or sleep, she carries those who have finished their struggle in this world to their final resting place", said the festival organizers.

The award for Best Direction was given to Ukrainian directors Tetiana Doronitsyna and Andrii Lytvynenko for their film "Everything Must Live", which tells the story of a woman who helps injured and abandoned animals during the war.

The jury awarded a special prize to the film "Close Ones" about Russian businessman Dmitry Zimin. The film "The Return of the Cinematographer" by Orkhan Agazade received a special mention from the jury.

The jury of the ARTDOCFEST/RIGA festival included Ivars Seletskis (Latvia), Kristina Kamdesus (France), and Sevgi Musaeva (Ukraine).

Other Ukrainian films were also presented in the competitive program:

• "Father's Lullaby" from the Ukrainian-Romanian-Croatian team led by director Lesia Dyak;
• "Dear Beautiful Beloved" produced in Austria by director Yurii Rechynskyi,
• "In Limbo" produced in Poland by Ukrainian director Alina Maksymenko.

The ARTDOCFEST international documentary film festival was founded in 2007 in Russia. After the start of the Russian war against Ukraine in 2014, the competitive program was first held in Riga. In 2018, the entire competition and jury activities moved to Latvia.