The film Songs of Slow Burning Earth by director Olha Zhurba has received two nominations at the 41st IDA Documentary Awards 2025 — in the categories Best Feature Documentary and Best Director.
The film is a co-production between Ukraine, Denmark, Sweden and France. It is an audiovisual diary of the first two years of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, depicting how the initial shock and panic gradually transform into a normalized daily reality of constant danger, destruction, and the threat of death.
Following its world premiere at the 81st Venice Film Festival in 2024, Songs of Slow Burning Earth has collected a number of prestigious awards, including top prizes at the Riga International Film Festival, Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, One World International Human Rights Film Festival, Docville, and several other international festivals.
In November 2025, the film was also shortlisted for the 38th European Film Awards in two categories — European Documentary Film and European Film.
The nominations at the IDA Documentary Awards — one of the most respected documentary honors worldwide — further highlight the film’s international recognition and the important role of Ukrainian documentary cinema in reflecting on the ongoing war.
We look forward to the announcement of the winners and remain hopeful for the film’s success.