Winner Interview
Martyna Wojciechowska and Jowita Baraniecka, Directors of the documentary “Stolen Children” 

We are proud to highlight the work of Martyna Wojciechowska and Jowita Baraniecka, directors of the documentary Stolen Children, which received the Grand Award in Documentaries & Reports, Best Use of Emotion, and Gold Award in Social Issues at the 2026 US International Awards.

Martyna Wojciechowska is one of Poland’s best-known journalists, television presenters, and documentary filmmakers. She is the creator and host of the acclaimed Woman at the End of the World, Poland’s most recognizable travel-documentary series, which has taken her to 68 countries across six continents. Her work focuses on human rights and the stories of women and communities whose voices are rarely heard, and has earned numerous international awards.

Jowita Baraniecka is an award-winning television producer and director with more than 20 years of experience in documentary and television production. A graduate of the University of Warsaw and the Film School in Łódź, she has worked on productions for TVN and created and produced projects filmed around the world, including Lena in the Caucasus. Her international work spans countries including the United States, India, South Korea, Brazil, Japan, and Cameroon.

Both filmmakers share a commitment to telling deeply human stories from places and communities that are often overlooked—and to bringing difficult, complex subjects to audiences with sensitivity and journalistic integrity.

It was through Woman at the End of the World that the two first met Tamuna Museridze. Her search for the truth about her own origins ultimately uncovered a vast network that had stolen and sold babies in Georgia for decades, affecting up to 100,000 families. What began as a single episode evolved into a feature documentary that has since received international recognition.

The jury praised Stolen Children as “an excellent blend of journalistic investigation and documentary storytelling” and “a compelling piece of storytelling and an important act of social accountability,” adding: “The film tells a fantastic and deeply moving story.”

In this interview, the two directors discuss how the project came to life, the challenges of telling such a personal and sensitive story, and what they hope audiences will take away from the film.

Winner Interview
Katrin Schwarzkogler, CEO of Monte Nero Productions GmbH

Today, we interviewed Katrin Schwarzkogler, CEO of Monte Nero Productions GmbH, a production company known for taking on unconventional projects, from branded content to experimental exhibitions. The studio primarily operates in the German-speaking market but serves clients across Europe. It works across film, digital media, and live events, frequently blending traditional production methods with modern technologies.

Monte Nero Productions' achievements at the US International Awards 2026 showcased their diverse excellence. They were named Production Company of the Year, won the Best Use of AI for "Future Radio – AI Special Exhibition Room," and earned two Silver Awards for "Loginns – From Graphite To Graphene" and "Riedel – Fatto a Mano – Black Tie." Additionally, "Kärntner Originale" and "Digital Austria Summit" were finalists in other categories, highlighting their impressive performance across multiple disciplines.

To learn more about the work behind this success, we spoke with the team about their creative approach and how they build a project from concept through delivery. The conversation covered their storytelling philosophy, the practical challenges of delivering award-winning work under tight deadlines, and how they approach technology and AI as creative tools that support, rather than replace, the creative process.