Described as “a bridge between distant worlds, able to touch the heart and spark the mind,” the 2025 VEGANOK Award was presented to Thomas Pickering by Renata Balducci, President of AssoVegan (Italian Vegan Association), during a special screening at Cinema Barberini in Rome.
With this documentary, Thomas Pickering has built a bridge between distant worlds, offering an authentic, human, and necessary perspective—a work that truly touches the heart and ignites the mind.
Renata Balducci
Accepting the award on behalf of Pickering was Francesco Notarangelo of NFILM, the film’s Italian distributor.
“I’m deeply grateful and still can’t quite believe I’ve been given this honour,” Pickering said in a video message. “I can’t wait to hear what people think of the film. I hope it can make a difference — creating a kinder, more compassionate world, keeping animals off the menu, because ultimately, that’s what it’s all about.”
During the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, Francesco and Luca Notarangelo of NFILM personally presented Pickering with the VEGANOK Award — a recognition that VEGANOK was determined to grant in celebration of this extraordinary documentary. The film, praised for its profound ethical value, has been enjoying remarkable success across Italy.
I Could Never Go Vegan is currently screening in Italian cinemas, distributed by NFILM in collaboration with VEGANOK and under the patronage of AssoVegan, with the title “Non sarò mai vegano“.
A film that doesn’t set out to convert anyone, but invites audiences to view the world — and their own choices — through fresh eyes.
