A Sanctuary of Stuff Wins the Sunny Side of the Doc Prize at CPH:DOX 2025

The last edition of CPH:LAB has just come to a close, confirming once again its commitment to pushing back the boundaries of documentary storytelling. This year's edition featured nine bold and innovative projects, each challenging conventional forms of storytelling.

As part of this inspiring showcase, Sunny Side of the Doc was honoured to award its Special Prize to the project: A Sanctuary of Stuff, an interactive installation by Francesca Tremulo & Eszter Várhidi (Denmark, Italy & Hungary).

© Francesca Tremulo & Eszter Várhidi

A Sanctuary of Stuff delves into the overlooked world of digital assets—pre-made 3D objects sold in online stores for as little as $10—that serve as the foundation for countless creative projects, from personal experiments to full-fledged video games. The installation transforms these digital fragments into a surreal museum, inviting visitors to explore the strange and sometimes absurd world of these assets. Through the voices of game developers who use them, the project highlights the cultural significance and hidden value of these digital building blocks, sparking reflections on creativity, reuse, and preservation in the digital age.

 

About the prize

As the recipient of the Sunny Side of the Doc Special Prize, A Sanctuary of Stuff will receive two free accreditations for Sunny Side of the Doc 2025, held from June 23-26 in La Rochelle, France and will be automatically selected for the Sunny Innovation Lab, an exclusive support program designed by Sunny Side of the Doc to help creators refine their projects and prepare for international exposure.

Project holders will benefit from:

  • Mentoring and industry insights to enhance project development
  • Online sessions prior to the marketplace event
  • On-site workshops and networking opportunities during Sunny Side of the Doc
  • A live presentation in front of top industry professionals, providing crucial visibility and feedback

 

 

2024-2025 CPH:LAB projects

  • A Sanctuary of Stuff – Francesca Tremulo & Eszter Várhidi (Denmark, Italy & Hungary)
  • Becoming Lucien – Lucien Pin & Alex Haugmard / Thibault Elie (France)
  • BrainRot Revolution – Brett Gaylor / Mike Wozniewski (Canada)
  • Cripping Up – Amy Crighton / Meg Fozzard (United Kingdom)
  • Futuristic Pagan: Bridal Homecoming – Sabina Mutsvati / Chipo Mapondera (United Kingdom & Zimbabwe)
  • Not So Far Away Places – Renato Borrayo Serrano & Yulia Vishnevets (Germany, Georgia & Guatemala)
  • Scratching the Surface – Wiktor Filip Gacparski & Line Hoven / Alexander Mettin & Felix Patzke (Germany)
  • The Place Beyond – Elena Lyubarskaya & David Steiner (France & Germany)
  • Tuner – Anne Jeppesen / Omid Zarei (Denmark, United States & France)