September 10, 2025 | Wednesday
“Messages of resistance in various forms and against numerous injustices are at the core of DokuFest’s activism and engagement – both through the festival’s chosen themes, as well as through the selection of films and numerous debates. This edition, in addition to DakhaBrakha’s performance, also brought several important films from Ukraine, shedding light on the complex situation there,” says Dokufest’s Founder and Artistic Director Veton Nurkollari, reflecting on this year’s edition of the festival and the EU-funded participation of the Ukrainian folk music quartet DakhaBrakha.
ENDLESS GREED MENTAL VOID was the theme under which this year’s Dokufest – International Documentary and Short Film Festival took place from August 1 to August 9 in Prizren, Kosovo.
From 3,500 applications on FilmFreeWay, the respective category curators selected 100 films in total under seven competition sections and 116 others for 12 curated programs. Many of them had their World, International, and European premieres, further establishing DokuFest as a space for new voices and powerful storytelling.
In line with this year’s Dokufest theme, the European Union in Kosovo, proudly hosted the Ukrainian folk music quartet DakhaBrakha at DokuNights on August 4, 2025. Widely known as the ambassadors of free Ukraine, in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing struggle for liberation, their performance at Dokufest in itself represents a powerful symbol and political message. The band conveys this not only through their music but also with their continuous calls for resistance.
Marko Halanevych, Iryna Kovalenko, Olena Tsybulska, and Nina Garenetska, the four members of Dakha Brakha, took the Sonar stage of DokuNights to convey messages of solidarity through a range of diverse instruments, including the cello, rhythmic hand drums, a twinkling keyboard, a series of tambourines, and a device that mimics birdsong. People of DokuFest danced to both an electric guitar and an accordion, all the while becoming part of a collective transmission of messages of peace and resistance.
The symbolism of DakhaBrakha at DokuNights takes even more significance in light of the celebration of Ukraine’s Independence Day on August 24. The EU in Kosovo is proud to have celebrated Ukrainian culture throughout the month and to have joined millions across Europe calling for peace in these troubling times.
At this year’s DokuFest, recognising the importance of people coming together and networking in culture in general and film industry in particular, the EU in Kosovo also hosted a reception. In a relaxed atmosphere, the reception brought together a considerable number of people from the film industry, partners and friends , reinforcing the importance of events like DokuFest for networking and exchange of experiences.
Dokufest’s 2025 theme ENDLESS GREED MENTAL VOID reflected today’s reality filled with wars, injustices, and normalized violence, inviting the public to resist apathy and to reawaken responsibility to listen, bear witness, and act, says the festival producer Alba Çakalli.
Dokufest 2025 welcomed over 15 thousands visitors, supported by over 100 staff members and 70 volunteers and we are proud to have been part of this collective of people sending out messages of unity and solidarity.