‘The Tale of Silyan’ Wins Best Feature at IDA Awards 2025
UPDATE: The International Documentary Association (IDA) Awards concluded with a bang on Saturday, October 28, 2025, as The Tale of Silyan snagged the prestigious Best Feature Documentary award. This compelling film, produced by National Geographic, tells the poignant story of a North Macedonian immigrant who forges an unexpected bond with an injured white stork while navigating life in a new country.
This stunning documentary, directed by Tamara Kotevska, who is also known for the Oscar-nominated film Honeyland, not only won the top honor but also earned Best Cinematography for Jean Dakar. His visual storytelling has captivated audiences before, with prior work on The Walk and the series Radius.
The film has already made waves on the international stage, having previously received the Cinema and Arts award at the Venice Film Festival and being selected as North Macedonia’s entry for the Best International Feature category at the upcoming Oscars.
Other notable winners at the 2025 IDA Awards included Brittany Shyne, who took home the Best Director award for her powerful documentary Seeds, which highlights the lives of Black farmers in the United States. Apocalypse in the Tropics, a deep dive into the intersection of evangelism and Brazilian politics, captured two awards for Best Production and Best Writing.
In addition to these accolades, the ceremony, hosted by former Sundance Film Festival director Tabitha Jackson, recognized several other remarkable works. Looking for a Donkey won Best Short Documentary, while WTO/99 earned awards for Best Editing, and The Sorcerer: Julio Zachrisson was honored with Best Original Score.
The full list of winners showcases the diversity and talent in documentary filmmaking today. The complete awards ceremony took place over three days at the Los Angeles Athletic Club, culminating in a celebration of storytelling that resonates with audiences globally.
As the dust settles on this year’s IDA Awards, industry insiders and fans alike will be watching closely to see how these films perform in the upcoming awards season. The impact of The Tale of Silyan and the other winners has already sparked conversations about immigration, culture, and the power of documentary storytelling.
Stay tuned for more updates as these films continue to gain recognition and acclaim on the world stage.
