Filmmaker Eugene Jarecki has been awarded the first-ever Cannes Golden Globe Prize for Documentary

Filmmaker Eugene Jarecki has been awarded the first-ever Cannes Golden Globe Prize for Documentary, Presented by Artemis Rising Foundation.

Jarecki is a two-time winner of the Sundance Grand Jury Prize, as well as multiple Emmy and Peabody Awards. His latest film, “The Six Billion Dollar Man”, premieres at Cannes on 21st May.

The Golden Globe prize honours a filmmaker for their contribution in shaping the documentary genre and challenging the way audiences see the world. The prize jury is : President of Golden Globes, Helen Hoehne; award-winning Founder & CEO of Artemis Rising Foundation, Regina K. Scully; Academy Award winning producer and Co-Founder of Impact Partners, Geralyn White Dreyfous; and, Actor & Producer Tessa Thompson.

In deciding to award Jarecki, the jury highlighted how “his films combine the skills of a journalist with the voice of a poet.” They commended him for “balancing penetrating analysis with fearlessness, compassion and empathy” - emphasising particularly “he helps us broaden our view of what is right and wrong,” and that “he is not afraid to look ‘under the hood’ of society and expose what is being rewired without our consent.” They felt overall that “Jarecki's films deeply challenge our perspectives, and inspire us to defend our most fundamental freedoms.”

The jury said: “Eugene Jarecki embodies the very spirit of what this prize was created to honor. His documentaries are fearless, unflinching, and profoundly human - they don’t just inform, they transform. At a time when truth is under pressure, Eugene’s work reminds us of the power of storytelling to provoke, enlighten, and ultimately defend democracy itself. We are proud to recognise his extraordinary contribution with the first-ever Cannes Golden Globe Prize for Documentary.”

The prize winner was announced by Thompson at a special Marché du Film event. In her remarks, Thompson said, “I think in exposing the vigor required in pursuit of truth, we cannot assume any government is interested in our proximity to it. The art and power of documentary is to show the ultimate cost and sacrifice of those who work to expose the truth - and how hugely important it is to continue to dig, question, and protect both the truth and the people and institutions who devote themselves to it.”

The prize launch highlights the Golden Globes’ and Artemis Rising Foundation’s joint commitment to recognising and elevating the importance of documentary filmmaking, together with supporting partner Think-Film Impact Production.

About Golden Globes

As a premier entertainment awards show since 1944, the annual Golden Globes has honored achievements in both television and film. Over the last three decades, the Golden Globes has enabled donations of more than $55 million to entertainment-related charities including scholarship programs, film restoration projects and humanitarian efforts. This funding has also supported diverse programs in partnership with advocacy groups aimed at promoting greater access in Hollywood for underserved communities. Dick Clark Productions is the owner and producer of the Golden Globes. For more information on the Golden Globe Awards, please visit GoldenGlobes.com and follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, and in Spanish on X, and Facebook. 

About Artemis Rising Foundation

Artemis Rising Foundation is dedicated to supporting media, arts and education projects that transform our culture and challenge the status quo. Led by Founder and CEO, Regina K. Scully, the foundation champions powerful stories about some of the most challenging social justice issues of our time — including, healing, trauma, mental health, addiction recovery, women’s empowerment and regeneration of our planet. Artemis Rising Foundation has helped produce some of the most impactful documentary films of our time, inspiring meaningful changes in legislation, education, corporate policies, cultural and behavioral norms. Award winning films such as; THE INVISIBLE WAR, THE HUNTING GROUND, THE TALE, FED UP, MISS REPRESENTATION, WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? COMMON GROUND, KISS THE GROUND, ATHLETE A and THE FANTASTIC FUNGI- address issues such as trauma recovery, regenerative farming, sexual assault in the military and on college campuses, women’s representation in the media and the importance of fierce compassion and empathy in our culture. Working closely with renowned journalists and filmmakers, including Amy Ziering, Edoardo Ponti, Katie Couric, Mariska Hargitay, Morgan Neville, Ross Kauffmann, Louie Schwartzberg, Freida Mock, Liz Garbus, Josh and Rebecca Tickell, Laura Dern and Alex Gibney, Artemis Rising Foundation has supported hundreds of films, many of which have received Peabody, Emmy and Academy Awards. In addition to documentaries, Artemis Rising Foundation supports a variety of projects that include narrative film, television, theater, education, and social programs. You can find the Foundation on Instagram here and the Foundation film website here

About Think-Film Impact Production

Think-Film Impact Production is Europe's leading impact media company. Think-Film partners with international independent feature storytellers to advance social justice at the highest levels of international policy and governance. Think-Film has brought impact into the big festival circuit including, co-launching the Cannes Marche du Film impACT programme in 2021 and launching the annual Venice Collateral Impact Award from 2023. Film credits include NAVALNY (Academy Award and BAFTA winner), BLACK BOX DIARIES (Peabody winner, BAFTA and Academy Award nominee), THE END (Tilda Swinton feature from Joshua Oppenheimer), and DARK WATERS (Mark Ruffalo feature from Todd Haynes). Think-Film’s first co-production is the 2025-premiered FACING WAR, a documentary following the final years of former NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, which made history as the first non-Danish film to open CPH:DOX Festival.