Eugene Jarecki Wins First Golden Globes Documentary Prize
In a landmark collaboration, the Golden Globe Awards and the Artemis Rising Foundation have launched a prize honoring excellence in documentary filmmaking. The initiative marks the Golden Globes’ return to recognizing documentaries for the first time in nearly five decades.
Filmmaker Eugene Jarecki received the inaugural award, presented May 19 at the Plage des Palmes during the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and the concurrent Marche du Film. His recognition comes just two days ahead of the Cannes premiere of his film, The Six Billion Dollar Man, which centers on Julian Assange.
Golden Globes president Helen Hoehne and Artemis Rising Foundation founder-CEO Regina K. Scully spearheaded the initiative, underscoring a shared commitment to the cultural and artistic impact of documentary storytelling.
“I believe that we’re really in the golden age of documentary; it’s such an incredible platform to tell the truth, to tell stories that resonate with the audience. We felt the Globes should support that genre. It’s really the most pure form of truth-telling, elevating stories in impactful way,” said Hoehne.
This initiative, supported by Think-Film Impact Production, signals the global film industry’s increasing appreciation of documentary cinema. While the Golden Globes previously gave a special award to a 1953 documentary about Queen Elizabeth and briefly included a documentary category from 1972 to 1976, this marks the first formal documentary honor in nearly 50 years.
Hoehne added, “This prize represents our dedication to celebrating filmmakers who challenge perspectives and inspire audiences through powerful documentary work.”
Scully added, “Documentaries have the unique ability to illuminate truth and foster empathy, values that both the Golden Globes and Artemis Rising Foundation champion.”
The jury included Hoehne, Scully; Geralyn White Dreyfous, an exec producer of the award-winning 2022 docu Navalny; and actress Tessa Thompson, who announced the winner. The jury praised Jarecki’s body of work for “combining the skills of a journalist with the voice of a poet.” The statement added, “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.”
Thompson noted, “The art and power of documentary is to show the ultimate cost and sacrifice of those who work to expose the truth.”
The new prize represents a pivotal shift in film recognition, addressing the genre’s historical marginalization within the industry, while potentially inspiring broader industry change. By elevating documentary work to prominence, it acknowledges the form’s unique power to illuminate truth and catalyze social discourse—qualities that deserve celebration alongside narrative filmmaking.