Festivals - Deauville 2025 : Documentaries selection — truth, memory, and resilience on the big screen

By Mulder, 21 august 2025

Each year, the Festival du Cinéma Américain de Deauville dedicates a space to documentaries that interrogate our world with urgency, poetry, and often with a raw intimacy that fiction cannot replicate. The 2025 edition, running from September 6 to 14, presents a particularly striking slate, one that balances geopolitical conflicts, deeply personal journeys, environmental testimonies, and cinematic homages to figures who left their mark on culture. These works, created by award-winning filmmakers and emerging voices alike, reflect not only the turbulence of our present moment but also the power of cinema to document, interpret, and challenge the narratives we inherit. The very essence of Deauville’s programming this year seems to underscore one truth: documentary filmmaking is no longer confined to a corner of nonfiction but has become one of the most vital arteries of contemporary cinema.

The most politically urgent film in this lineup is undoubtedly 2000 Meters To Andriivka, directed by Mstyslav Tchernov, whose name will forever be associated with the visceral war imagery captured during the siege of Mariupol. Here, Mstyslav Tchernov turns his camera once again to Ukraine, chronicling a platoon’s daunting mission to cross a heavily fortified mile of forest in order to liberate a strategic village. The journey, at once claustrophobic and expansive, reflects the sheer uncertainty of a war that seems without end. Produced by Raney Aronson, Michelle Mizner, Mstyslav Chernov, and Raney Aronson-Rath, and released in the United States in July 2025 through PBS Distribution, the documentary combines the director’s own cinematography with the editing precision of Michelle Mizner and the haunting score by Sam Slater. The result is a work that blurs the line between frontline journalism and cinema, a film that festival audiences in Deauville are likely to experience as both reportage and elegy.

From the collective trauma of war, the program shifts to the deeply personal and irreverent journey of André is an Idiot, directed by Tony Benna. This American documentary follows André Ricciardi, who, after neglecting to get a colonoscopy, receives a terminal diagnosis. Rather than collapse into despair, he embarks on a journey marked by humor, absurdity, and a curiosity about death that feels both liberating and deeply human. Produced by André Ricciardi, Tory Tunnell, Joshua Altman, Stelio Kitrilakis, and Ben Cotner, the film carries the hallmark of A24’s willingness to back unconventional stories. With cinematography by Ethan Indorf, editing by Parker Laramie, and music by Dan Beacon, the 88-minute film refuses sentimentality, instead crafting a surprisingly joyous exploration of how one might embrace life even in the face of imminent mortality. It is the kind of documentary that may leave Deauville audiences laughing through their tears, a balance that few films achieve.

Another story of personal endurance, though one situated firmly in the international geopolitical arena, is Holding Liat, directed by Brandon Kramer. The film traces the ordeal of Liat Beinin Atzili, an Israeli-American kidnapped on October 7, and the agonizing conflict within her family as they struggle to secure her release. Produced by Darren Aronofsky, Lance Kramer, Yoni Brook, Ari Handel, and Justin A. Gonçalves, the film delves into the painful intersections of national identity, personal loss, and political stalemate. With cinematography by Yoni Brook, editing by Jeff Gilbert, and music by Jordan Dykstra, the 97-minute documentary explores not only the story of one family but also the larger, fractured landscape of a region defined by conflicting narratives. At Deauville, its screening is likely to resonate as one of the most emotionally raw entries, demonstrating how personal stories reflect—and humanize—geopolitical realities.

Not all of the documentaries are rooted in contemporary conflict. Kim Novak’s Vertigo, written and directed by Alexandre O. Philippe, turns its gaze to cinema itself, tracing the life of Kim Novak through archival footage and her own voice. Produced by Terri Piñon and Alexandre O. Philippe, with cinematography by Robert Muratore, editing by David Lawrence, and music by Jon Hegel, the film revisits her iconic role in Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo while also exploring her withdrawal from Hollywood to a quiet life as an artist in Oregon. At only 77 minutes, this film promises to be one of the most intimate portraits of a Hollywood legend in years, giving Deauville audiences both nostalgia and revelation.

The lineup also makes space for environmental testimony in Lowland Kids, directed by Sandra Winther. Focusing on the last two teenagers living on Isle de Jean Charles, a Louisiana island disappearing under the weight of climate change, the documentary is both a family portrait and a requiem for a landscape. Produced by William Crouse, with music by Katya Mihailova, cinematography by Andrea Gavazzi, and editing by Eva Dubovoy and Per K. Kirkegaard, the film captures not only ecological devastation but also the emotional resilience of those who refuse to abandon their home. Running 94 minutes, it fits neatly within Deauville’s longstanding commitment to showcasing American cinema that grapples with urgent societal issues.

One of the festival’s most anticipated titles is Orwell: 2+2=5, directed by Raoul Peck, the Academy Award-nominated and BAFTA-winning filmmaker behind I Am Not Your Negro. Produced by Alex Gibney, Blair Foster, Tamara Rosenberg, and Nick Shumaker, this 119-minute work benefits from the exclusive cooperation of the Orwell Estate and seeks to frame George Orwell not as a relic of literary history but as a prophetic voice for our own time. With cinematography by Benjamin Bloodwell, Stuart Luck, and Julian Schwanitz, editing by Alexandra Strauss, and music by Alexeï Aïgui, the film explores authoritarian “newspeak” in contemporary forms—from AI algorithms to state propaganda and the banning of books in the American South. Distributed by NEON in the United States, with an October 2025 release, this documentary will undoubtedly stand as one of the festival’s centerpiece works, intellectually provocative and culturally urgent.

The selection also includes Viktor, directed and shot by Olivier Sarbil, which portrays a deaf young man in Kharkiv grappling with the early days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Fascinated by samurai films yet barred from military service due to his disability, Viktor becomes a poetic stand-in for countless individuals searching for meaning in the midst of destruction. Produced by Darren Aronofsky, Dylan Golden, Brendan Naylor, Sigrid Jonsson Dyekjær, Philippe Levasseur, and Olivier Sarbil, and edited by Atanas Georgiev with music by Disasterpeace, the 89-minute film promises to be a profoundly visual experience, one that redefines what it means to “witness” war when sound is absent.

Finally, the profoundly moving Why We Dream, directed and produced by Meredith Danluck alongside Casey Engelhardt, Matthew Shattuck, and Drake Springer, provides Deauville audiences with a living bridge between past and present. Featuring a score by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg, cinematography by Jake Burghart, and editing by Brian Gersten and Ronnie Silva, the 93-minute documentary follows centenarian World War II veterans—including Arlester Brown, Sam Carlile, Gideon Kantor, Wally King, Jake Larson, George Mullins, Andy Negra, and Betty Huffman-Rosevear—on a pilgrimage to Normandy for the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Walking among the beaches and cemeteries of France, these veterans confront landscapes where their youth was lost and history was made. The film is not simply about memory but about survival, humor, and the endurance of human dignity even after a century of life.

Together, these documentaries form a selection that is remarkably diverse in scope yet united by its thematic ambition. From war zones in Ukraine to the vanishing coast of Louisiana, from Hollywood legends to Orwellian warnings, and from the humor of dying to the commemoration of survival, the Deauville 2025 documentaries remind us of the power of nonfiction cinema to both inform and inspire. They challenge us not only to watch but to listen—to individuals, to history, and to the future we are collectively shaping. This year, the festival’s documentary section is not a sidebar; it is one of the most vital and resonant components of the program, proving that in Deauville, as in the world, truth remains stranger, stronger, and often more beautiful than fiction.

2000 Meters To Andriivka

Directed by Mstyslav Tchernov
Produced by Raney Aronson, Michelle Mizner, Mstyslav Chernov, Raney Aronson-Rath
Music by Sam Slater
Cinematography : Mstyslav Chernov
Edited by Michelle Mizner
Production companies :
Distributed by PBS Distribution (United States)
Release date: July 25,2025 (United States)
Running time: 106 minutes
Synopsis :  A Ukrainian platoon's mission: traverse a heavily fortified mile of forest to liberate a strategic village from Russian forces. A journalist accompanies them, witnessing the ravages of war and the growing uncertainty about its conclusion.

André is an Idiot (United States)

Directed by Tony Benna
Produced by André Ricciardi, Tory Tunnell, Joshua Altman, Stelio Kitrilakis, Ben Cotner
Music by Dan Beacon
Cinematography: Ethan Indorf
Edited by Parker Laramie
Production companies : A24, Sandbox Films, Safehouse Pictures
Running time : 88 minutes
Synopsis :  André is a brilliant idiot. He is dying because he didn’t get a colonoscopy. His sobering diagnosis, complete irreverence, and insatiable curiosity, send him on an unexpected journey learning how to die happily and ridiculously without losing his sense of humor. 

Holding Liat (United States)

Directed by Brandon Kramer
Produced by Darren Aronofsky, Lance Kramer, Yoni Brook, Ari Handel, Justin A. Gonçalves
Music by Jordan Dykstra
Cinematography: Yoni Brook
Edited by Jeff Gilbert
Production companies : Meridian Hill Pictures, Protozoa Pictures
Running time : 97 minutes
Synopsis :  After Liat Beinin Atzili is kidnapped on October 7th, her Israeli-American family faces their own conflicting perspectives to fight for her release and the future of the places they call home.

Kim Novak’s Vertigo

Written and directed by Alexandre O. Philippe
Produced by Terri Piñon, Alexandre O. Philippe
Starring : Kim Novak
Music by Jon Hegel
Cinematography : Robert Muratore
Edited by David Lawrence
Production companies : Gull House Films, Medianoche Productions
Running time : 77 minutes
Synopsis :  Explores Kim Novak's life, highlighting her role in Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo, and her journey from stardom to a reclusive life as an artist in Oregon, using rare archival footage and Novak's own reflections.

Lowland Kids

Written and directed by Sandra Winther
Produced by William Crouse
Music by Katya Mihailova
Cinematography: Andrea Gavazzi
Edited by Eva Dubovoy, Per K. Kirkegaard
Production companies : Willy Bob Films
Running time: 94 minutes
Synopsis : As climate change erases the Louisiana coast, the last two teenagers on Isle de Jean Charles fight to stay on an island that's been in their family home for generations.

Orwell: 2+2=5

Directed by Raoul Peck
Produced by Alex Gibney, Blair Foster, Tamara Rosenberg, Nick Shumaker
Music by Alexeï Aïgui
Cinematography: Benjamin Bloodwell, Stuart Luck, Julian Schwanitz
Edited by Alexandra Strauss
Production companies : Closer Media, Anonymous Content, Jigsaw Productions
Distributed by NEON (United States)
Release date: October 3, 2025 (United States)
Running time: 119 minutes
Synopsis : From Academy Award®-nominated and BAFTA-winning director, Raoul Peck (I Am Not Your Negro), Orwell is the definitive feature-length documentary on visionary author George Orwell, with the exclusive cooperation of the Orwell Estate. ‍"Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past...," wrote Orwell in his novel, 1984. Today, the "newspeak" of authoritarian rule is alive and well and in unexpected places, from the rise of AI Chatbot to the Russian propaganda machine, from the marketing webs of commercial metaverses to the political banning of books in the Southern United States. Peck's "Orwell" will use George Orwell's life, work and legacy as a maverick iconoclastic writer to jam the signals of the algorithms gone rogue which, in the name of personal freedom, threaten to close our minds to a greater possibility.

Viktor (Denmark)

Directed by Olivier Sarbil
Produced by Darren Aronofsky, Dylan Golden, Brendan Naylor, Sigrid Jonsson Dyekjær, Philippe Levasseur, Olivier Sarbil
Music by Disasterpeace
Cinematography: Olivier Sarbil
Edited by Atanas Georgiev
Production companies : Protozoa Pictures, Real Lava, Newen Studios, Time Studios, Impact Partners
Running time: 89 minutes
Synopsis :  Viktor, a young deaf man living in Kharkiv, anxiously witnesses the early days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Fascinated by samurai films and nourished since childhood by stories of war, he dreams of becoming a fighter but is repeatedly rejected from enlistment. In search of meaning, Viktor tries to find his place in the heart of a war he cannot hear.

Why We Dream (United States)

Directed by Meredith Danluck
Produced by Meredith Danluck, Meredith Danluck, Casey Engelhardt, Matthew Shattuck, Drake Springer
Starring  Arlester Brown, Sam Carlile, Gideon Kantor, Wally King, Jake Larson, George Mullins, Andy Negra, Betty Huffman-Rosevear
Music by Hans Zimmer, Christian Lundberg
Cinematography: Jake Burghart
Edited by Brian Gersten, Ronnie Silva
Production companies : Pulse Films
Running time: 93 minutes
Synopsis :  When a group of centenarian World War II veterans travel on a pilgrimage to Normandy to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, these landscapes scarred by war and frozen in time awaken memories of lives lost—and of those who survived.

(Source : press release)