EXCLUSIVE: Sandbox Films and CPH:DOX — the prestigious documentary film festival in Copenhagen — are teaming up on a new award that will elevate the profile of science-themed storytelling.
The Sandbox Films Science Pitch Prize at CPH:FORUM, announced today, “will be presented to a science documentary project presented at the CPH:FORUM that demonstrates exceptional innovation in the genre, artistic merit, and a commitment to inclusivity,” according to release. CPH:FORUM is the festival’s “long-standing financing and co-production event dedicated to visually strong creative documentary projects with international potential.”
The new prize comes with a $25,000 cash award.
Sandbox Films, a leading production company that occupies the intersection of science and cinema, and CPH:DOX have a long-standing partnership, “united by a shared passion for science documentaries that push creative boundaries,” the release noted. “Both organizations are dedicated to supporting films that explore science in bold, innovative ways, reflecting a mutual love for projects that blend artistic merit with scientific inquiry. This new award builds on that collaboration, recognizing and supporting filmmakers whose work embodies this spirit.”
The inaugural prize will be awarded at the conclusion of the next CPH:FORUM in March 2025.
“We are thrilled to be able to offer this award at CPH:FORUM,” said Jessica Harrop, executive director, Sandbox Films. “Every year we are blown away by the quality of projects highlighted there, and are excited by the focus on innovative science storytelling. This award is another way to help support artists experimenting in this space.”
Previous science-related projects to be pitched in the Forum include Architecton, directed by Victor Kossakovsky; Fathom, directed by Drew Xanthopoulos; and De Humani Corporis Fabrica, directed by Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Verena Paravel.
“We are more than excited to collaborate with Sandbox Films on this award,” said Mara Gourd-Mercado, head of Industry & Training at CPH:DOX. “Science documentaries have the unique power to bridge art and knowledge. At CPH:DOX, we are committed to supporting bold, visionary storytelling, and this prize further amplifies our mission to champion films that explore new ways of seeing and understanding the world around us.”
CPH:DOX
Today’s announcement specified additional criteria for the Sandbox Films Science Pitch Prize at CPH:FORUM: “[S]trong artistic vision around a clear scientific focus, reflecting the ethos of curiosity and exploration that drives scientific inquiry. It should balance accessibility with depth, making complex ideas both engaging and understandable for a wide audience. In addition to its creative and scientific strengths, the project must demonstrate a commitment to diversity in representation, expanding the range of voices telling science stories.”
The next edition of the Forum will run from March 24-27 in the Danish capital.
Sandbox Films, launched in 2020, “is a documentary studio that illuminates the art and beauty of scientific inquiry,” according to the company’s website. “Our films celebrate this sense of possibility, in pursuit of revealing deeper truths about our world. Our films ask more questions than they give answers. They convey scientific ideas, embedded in culture, designed to inspire new and diverse audiences.”
Documentaries from Sandbox Films include the Oscar-nominated Fire of Love, directed by Sara Dosa; Confessions of a Good Samaritan, directed by Penny Lane; All Light, Everywhere, directed by Theo Anthony; Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds, directed by Werner Herzog and Clive Oppenheimer; and the aforementioned Fathom, Drew Xanthopoulos’s Emmy-winning film.
Sandbox Films is supported by the Simons Foundation, a nonprofit whose mission is to “advance the frontiers of research in mathematics and the basic sciences.”