Unlock the practical strategy behind a successful European Film Awards (EFA) campaign using Fiume o Morte! by Igor Bezinović as a case study, with exclusive insights from Lightdox Sales.
Following the film’s historic 2026 win for Best European Documentary, this session will provide step-by-step, actionable advice on digital marketing, press outreach, and activating your local partners. Breaking down exactly what works and what doesn’t, as well as the associated costs, this guide demystifies the key components of an awards campaign and helps position your film for the Selection Long List and Nomination Short List.
Lightdox is a Swiss- and French-based international sales and distribution agency representing powerful documentary storytelling. They are passionate about high-quality, author-driven documentaries with a distinctive cinematic language and emotional impact.
They tend to each film and partner with an individual approach and support filmmakers every step of the way, through festival, theatrical and non-theatrical distribution, marketing and outreach campaigns.
Their portfolio shines with acclaimed documentaries such as Intercepted by Oksana Karpovych (Berlinale 2024: Ecumenical Jury Special Mention, Amnesty International Film Award Special Mention), Bye Bye Tiberias by Lina Soualem (Venice FF, TIFF 2023), How to Save a Dead Friend by Marusya Syroyechkovska (Visions du Réel and ACID Cannes 2022), Little Palestine, Diary of a Siege by Abdallah Al-Khatib (Visions du Réel and ACID Cannes 2021), and Paris Calligrames by Ulrike Ottinger (The Berlinale Camera Award 2020).
Among their latest titles are Fiume o Morte! by Igor Bezinović (Tiger Award & FIPRESCI Prize, IFFR 2025; European Film Awards Documentary winner 2026), Agatha’s Almanac by Amalie Atkins (CPH:DOX, Hot Docs Best Canadian Feature Documentary 2025), Flophouse America by Monica Strømdahl (Special Mention, DOX:AWARD Competition, CPH:DOX 2025), and Do You Love Me by Lana Daher (Giornate deli autori 2025).
Participants:
Anna Berthollet, Radina Vladimirova, Brigid O’Shea
Moderator:
Brigid O’Shea
Anna Berthollet is an international sales and distribution expert specializing in creative documentaries. After earning a Master’s degree in Media and Marketing Sciences from the University of Geneva and an early career as a project leader in the banking sector, she shifted to the documentary field in 2013. She graduated from the École Documentaire de Lussas and attended several leading European workshops for producers and filmmakers. Since 2015, she has been dedicated to international distribution and today oversees all activities at Lightdox, with a particular focus on Acquisitions, Theatrical, and Impact Distribution. Alongside her work with filmmakers, Anna is regularly active as a mentor and jury member at international industry platforms and festivals, supporting emerging talent and innovative voices in documentary cinema.
Radina Vladimirova is a strategic communications expert and publicist specializing in creative documentaries. After earning a Master’s degree in Film and Media Studies from the University of Copenhagen, she dedicated her career to the documentary field as a creative storyteller connecting filmmakers with global audiences. Since 2020, she has served as International Press Manager at CPH:DOX, managing global media relations and strategic industry communication for one of the largest documentary film festivals in the world. Since 2023, she has worked as Programmer & Partnerships Manager at the Sofia DocuMental International Film Festival, curating the festival’s film and events programme while forging key partnerships. As a freelance publicist, she has led several world premiere press campaigns, including the 2026 awards strategy that helped secure the Best European Documentary award for Fiume o Morte! at the European Film Awards. Most recently, in early 2026, she joined the Lightdox team, where she handles international press outreach and targeted communication campaigns for the Lightdox portfolio.
Brigid O’Shea is a tutor and consultant who helps documentary projects and filmmakers reach their full global potential. She has worked with ARTE on Generation Africa and Generation Ukraine, developing festival strategies for film collections, and sat on the boards of B2B Doc, Circle Women Doc Accelerator, and Dokufest in Prizren, Kosovo. Brigid co-founded and serves now as director of The Documentary Association of Europe, a network and support system for documentarians. As an internationally known curator with a diversified network, she teaches festival strategy, international co-financing, pitching, and cultural management.
