Mstislav Chernov will head the jury for the Cannes Film Festival’s documentary film award
World-renowned Ukrainian director and documentary filmmaker Mstislav Chernov has been officially appointed president of the jury for the L’Œil d’or (“Golden Eye”) Award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
This prestigious award is traditionally presented for the best documentary film featured in any of the festival’s programs.
The information about the new appointment was confirmed by Tetyana Landesman, the director’s communications manager.
The jury, led by Chernov, will conduct a detailed analysis and select the winner from among the documentary films competing for the top prize in their genre.
The award ceremony is scheduled for May 22 during the festival events in Cannes.
The international jury, chaired by the Ukrainian, will include four other recognized experts in the film industry. Tabitha Jackson, Géraldine Paille, Lina Soualem, and Victor Castane will work alongside Chernov.
This representation ensures a professional and multifaceted evaluation of the submitted works, taking into account the diversity of styles and themes in contemporary documentary cinema.
Mstislav Chernov already has an impressive list of international awards, making his candidacy for the position of jury president entirely logical and well-deserved. In February 2024, he won the Directors Guild of America (DGA) Award.
He was awarded the prize for “outstanding directorial achievements in documentary film,” which was a significant contribution to the recognition of Ukrainian cinema on the world stage.
In addition, in January 2026, the director once again found himself in the spotlight of the American film community. Chernov was nominated for a Directors Guild of America Award for the second time for his new work—the documentary film “2000 Meters to Andriivka.”
This film continues the tradition of deeply and honestly documenting events that are critical to understanding Ukraine’s contemporary history.
Mstislav Chernov has won prestigious awards from the Writers Guild of America and the American Society of Cinematographers
As a reminder, the film “2000 Meters to Andriivka” made the BAFTA longlist.
The film “2000 Meters to Andriivka” was named one of the top 50 best films of the year by The Guardian.
