The 2017 Berlin Film Festival will feature a new award, honoring documentary films, The Hollywood Reporter said.

The Glashutte Original Documentary Award, endowed with a $56,000 (€50,000) cash bursary, will go to the best non-fiction film from across all Berlin's festival sections, including the competition, Panorama, Forum, Generation, Berlinale Special, Culinary Cinema and the Perspektive Deutsches Kino.

A three-member jury will pick the winner, with the cash split between the film's director and producer. The award will be presented during Berlin's official award ceremony at the close of the festival.

“The award is an important signal for the field of documentary film, and at the same time a sign of respect and appreciation for the filmmakers who often have to realize their projects at great personal risk,” said Berlin festival director Dieter Kosslick in a statement.

Documentaries, particularly on politically-controversial subjects, have long been a cornerstone of programming in Berlin. Fire at Sea, Gianfanco Rosi's doc exploring Europe's ongoing refugee crisis, won the Golden Bear at this year's festival. Ceaser Must Die, a mix of documentary and fiction set in an Italian prison from filmmakers Paolo and Vittorio Taviani, took Berlin's top honor in 2012.