‘Coexistence, My Ass!’ Wins Prime Prize At Thessaloniki Int’l Doc Pageant

Coexistence, My Ass!, a movie about Israeli comic Noam Shuster-Eliassi who dares to advocate for peaceable coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians, received the Golden Alexander Sunday on the Thessaloniki Worldwide Documentary Pageant, TiDF’s prime award.

Shuster-Eliassi attended the awards ceremony within the Greek port metropolis, together with director Amber Fares and fellow members of the manufacturing. The comic, whose one-woman present grew to become the idea for the documentary, acknowledged her dad and mom who have been readily available for the occasion.

“My first political trainer, my father, is up there [in the balcony]. The primary reminiscence I’ve of my father is him going out and in of Israeli army jail for refusing to serve within the occupied Palestinian Territories,” Shuster-Eliassi famous. “Our activism and the way we show equality, and freedom, and liberation isn’t just in a single protest or one exercise or one factor or one joke. It’s demonstrating what we envision the choice is along with your physique, along with your languages… utilizing our privilege to be sure that my Palestinian buddies might be free.”

She additionally referenced the latest arrest of Nidal Badarny, an Arab Israeli citizen, who was picked up by Israeli authorities for posting movies to the web which authorities mentioned have been “crass” and “raised a suspicion of a violation of public order.”

“Two weeks in the past, a Palestinian comic, a colleague of mine, made jokes in Israel and the police confirmed up in at his house and took him and arrested him for telling jokes,” Shuster-Eliassi mentioned. “And I’m right here as a result of there may be nonetheless somewhat crack of freedom of speech that I get due to my privilege as an Israeli Jew.”

On a extra humorous observe, Shuster-Eliassi additionally introduced up the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“Once I modified from political activism into comedy, it was as a result of I heard that in The Ukraine, a Jewish comic wrote a sitcom about changing into the president and he grew to become the president!” she mentioned. “So, I assumed if I wish to take my political profession severely, I want to start out writing jokes as a result of I do know that if you’re laughing, you’re listening.”

Successful the Golden Alexander mechanically qualifies Coexistence, My Ass! for consideration as Greatest Documentary Characteristic on the Academy Awards. Along with the Golden Alexander, Fares’s movie additionally received the Human Rights in Movement Award, introduced by the Council of Europe.

The jury for TiDF’s Worldwide Competitors consisted of Dimitris Athiridis, the Greek photographer, documentary filmmaker, producer, and editor; filmmaker and photographer Lauren Greenfield, and Signe Byrge Sørensen, the Danish producer and four-time Oscar nominee. The jurors awarded the Silver Alexander to Free Leonard Peltier, the documentary concerning the Native American activist who served nearly 50 years in jail for the alleged homicide of two FBI brokers in 1975. On his final day in workplace on January 20, Pres. Biden commuted Peltier’s sentence, ordering the rest of his sentence to be served in house confinement.

Free Leonard Peltier, directed by Jesse Quick Bull and David France, earned a further two awards on the Thessaloniki competition: the FIPRESCI critics prize as the most effective movie in Worldwide Competitors, and the Worldwide Amnesty Award.

The jury for the Amnesty Worldwide prize jury saluted the movie “for its compelling portrayal of a case that illuminates the blatant violation of indigenous rights in America… With wealthy archival footage and highly effective testimonies, the movie highlights not solely the non-public ordeal of an activist, but additionally the tenacious wrestle of Native People for justice, freedom and restoration of historic reality.”

The Golden Alexander within the Newcomers Competitors was awarded to the documentary Construct a Library by Maia Lekow and Christopher King. The Golden Alexander within the Movie Ahead part went to the documentary Limitless Cookie by Seth Scriver and Peter Scriver.

Under is the total listing of awards introduced on the twenty seventh Thessaloniki Worldwide Documentary Pageant:

The Worldwide Competitors Golden Alexander was bestowed to the documentary:

Coexistence, My Ass! by Amber Fares

Reasoning: This can be a highly effective documentary about one of the divisive, painful and enduring conflicts on this planet in the present day, the Israeli-Palestinian disaster. Its major protagonist is the Jewish comic Noam Shuster-Eliassi, who’s equally fluent in Arabic and Hebrew. Her upbringing in the one neighborhood in fashionable Israel the place  Palestinians and Jews have lived collectively as neighbors and buddies since 1970, “Oasis of Peace”, provides her a novel perspective on real co-existence in a society the place peace and mutual understanding looks like a pipe dream.  With a compellingly constructed narrative and a fearless problem to each taboo within the area, Noam’s disarming voice and humor invite the viewers to a deeper understanding as we snigger and cry together with her, and rethink our biases with open minds and hearts.

The Worldwide Competitors Silver Alexander was bestowed to the documentary: 

Free Leonard Peltier by Jesse Quick Bull and David France

Reasoning: This investigative documentary delves into the case of the Native American activist Leonard Peltier, who, originally of the movie, has been imprisoned for practically 50 years. By way of unbelievable archival footage, skillfully crafted into an unfolding political thriller, the movie exposes how the unique court docket case relied on false testimony and omitted essential proof. Regardless of this injustice, relentless strain from the FBI prevented Peltier from accessing parole for many years. It’s an pressing and extremely related story, with as much as the minute protection, of how the youthful era of Native American leaders continues to struggle for Peltier’s launch.  This highly effective movie speaks to the historical past of human rights abuses in opposition to the Native People, and their multi-generational resistance, whereas highlighting the continued wrestle over their sovereign nation land rights and assets.

A Particular Point out was bestowed to the documentary:

Baby of Mud by Weronika Mliczewska

Reasoning: We wish to give a particular point out to Baby of Mud. This intimate and transferring movie follows Sang, the son of a Vietnamese lady and an American soldier, in his seek for his American father and their troubled reunification. It’s a superbly shot cinèma vèritè portrait that tells a common story concerning the generational penalties of battle and the eager for paternal love.

NEWCOMERS COMPETITION AWARDS

Ten movies of over 50 minutes in size, created by younger filmmakers, will compete for the Golden Alexander “Dimitri Eipides” and the Silver Alexander Award. The Golden Alexander “Dimitri Eipides” award is accompanied by a €10,000 money prize. The Silver Alexander Award is accompanied by a €4,000 money prize.

The Newcomers Competitors jury consists of: Inka Achté (filmmaker and DocPoint Head of Programming); Tina Mandilara (journalist); Tünde Skovrán (filmmaker)

The Newcomers Competitors Golden Alexander “Dimitri Eipides” was bestowed to the documentary:

Construct a Library by Maia Lekow & Christopher King

Reasoning: This can be a story of how particular person conviction can problem corruption, outdated methods, and political inertia to construct neighborhood and reclaim an area of information. With ardour, the filmmakers expose the lasting imprints of colonialism whereas celebrating activism and the struggle of two feminine buddies for actually accessible public areas; locations the place folks can interact with their very own narratives and histories. At a time when libraries all over the world face ideological battles and funding shortages, this movie is a reminder that data have to be defended!

The Newcomers Competitors Silver Alexander was bestowed to the documentary:

They Speak about Worship Right here by Byron Kritzas

Reasoning: The jury was moved by the nice and cozy coronary heart and rebellious spirit of this movie, which regardless of giving us an area story,  reminds the viewers concerning the therapeutic and connecting qualities that artwork, on this case music, can have for folks throughout generations and borders.

A Particular Point out was bestowed to the documentary:

Pet Farm by Finn Walther, Martin A. Walther

Reasoning: This can be a movie about loneliness, the necessity to discover a misplaced self via the reference to essentially the most primitive model of nature. It additionally raises ethical dilemmas and makes us see with its stunning cinematography the issues of the civilized and supposedly progressive world we stay in.

>>FILM FORWARD COMPETITION AWARDS

The Movie Ahead Competitors Part consists of 10 movies of over 45 minutes, which experiment with the shape and technique of documentary filmmaking. The movies will compete for the Golden Alexander, which is accompanied by a €6,000 money prize, and the Silver Alexander, which is accompanied by a €3,000 money prize.

The Movie Ahead Competitors jury consists of: Nadja Argyropoulou (artwork curator); Grant Keir (producer); Anne Marie Kürstein (movie marketing consultant)

The >>Movie Ahead Competitors Golden Alexander was bestowed to the documentary:

Limitless Cookie by Seth Scriver & Peter Scriver

Reasoning: Golden Alexander Award goes to a movie that could be a true labor of affection. A pointy and humorous meditation on “a movie inside a movie”, on household neighborhood and shared tradition. It’s a celebration of the soundtrack of the on a regular basis life that takes us inside a world that’s not often accessed with out condescension. An authentic contribution to a character-led documentary. The award goes to Limitless Cookie by Seth Scriver and Peter Scriver.

The >>Movie Ahead Competitors Silver Alexander was bestowed to the documentary:

In the meantime by Catherine Gund

Reasoning: The Silver Alexander Award goes to a movie that traverses a number of documentary conventions, efficiently deploying a type of “poethics” with out dropping precision, social and historic markers and a way of collective artwork making that takes us contained in the profound resilience of black tradition. The award goes to In the meantime by Catherine Gund.

A Particular Point out was bestowed to the documentary:

Museum of the Night time by Fermín Eloy Acosta

Reasoning: For the intensive analysis right into a largely unknown archive and the try and create a visible language that corresponds to the subject material.

IMMERSIVE: ALL AROUND CINEMA AWARD

The Immersive competitors part of the twenty seventh Thessaloniki Worldwide Documentary Pageant embraces creations that make use of high-end applied sciences to current completely different views of prolonged actuality, transcending movie genres and immersing the viewer in an thrilling interactive viewing expertise. The Golden Alexander awarded to the most effective movie of the part is accompanied by a financial award of €2,000.

The Immersive: All Round Cinema Competitors jury consists of: Karen Cirillo (visible artist, curator, and journalist); Scott Morris (Head of DIgital Productions for Tate); Stella Ntavara (CPH:LAB and XR exhibition at CPH:DOX)

The Immersive Golden Alexander was bestowed to the movie:

Candy Finish of the World! by Stefano Conca Bonizzoni

Reasoning: Candy Finish of the World! appears at first an expertise concerning the destruction of our world and dropping a way of freedom, however we have been impressed that someway it gave us freedom: to look the place we wished to feel and appear what we would have liked to really feel; to come across brutal truths or take refuge in photographs of hope or safety. Regardless of its sturdy perspective, there aren’t any expectations to come across it in a sure approach, which is a uncommon and empowering factor in VR. Candy Finish of the World! is difficult and disorientating, with a cinematic poetry that captivated and left us with an providing to the longer term – how will we select to take it?

PODCAST AWARDS 

The podcasts chosen for the Podcast Competitors part have their eyes set on the Greatest Podcast Award, accompanied by a money prize of €2,000. As well as, all podcasts participating within the twenty seventh Thessaloniki Documentary Pageant, each from the Competitors part and the Out of Competitors part, are eligible for the ENS Louis Lumière-French Institute of Greece Award for Upcoming Audio Documentary Creator. The recipient of the award may have the possibility to attend the 6-week Sound Documentary Worldwide Summer time Programme hosted by ENS Louis Lumière, in France, addressed to younger professionals of the audio-visual area (authors of blogs, podcasts, or some other audio challenge).

The Podcast jury consists of: Marina Danezi (filmmaker and producer); Evi Karkiti (journalist and radio producer); Katerina Poulopoulou (journalist and radio producer)

The Greatest Podcast Award was bestowed to the podcast:

Blind Fascination by Michail Agrafiotis, Stella Kantartzi & Eleftheria Avgerinou

Reasoning: A podcast that touches upon the problem of incapacity and renders visibility to the rights of individuals residing round us, stressing the significance of putting the limelight on points reminiscent of flirting and relationships between disabled folks. The podcast’s protagonists dare to courageously converse out what troubles them, making confessions and opening a door to take a glimpse into their world.

A Particular Point out was bestowed to the podcast:

Voices of Vindication by Andreas Vagias

Reasoning: A well-produced podcast that focuses on sexual and emotional abuse, a revealing area for the circumstances below which abuse happens in an intimate setting, particularly on this planet of sports activities. It turns into clear how essential vindication is for victims of crimes, since from the beginning of the MeToo motion and in its aftermath, ladies dare to talk out.

The twenty seventh Thessaloniki Worldwide Documentary Pageant, in collaboration with the Louis Lumière College and the French Institute of Greece, presents the scholarship award ENS Louis Lumière Award – French Institute of Upcoming Audio Documentary Creator. 

The scholarship award ENS Louis Lumière Award-French Institute of Upcoming Audio Documentary Creator consists of:

Dimitris Koutsiabasakos (movie director, screenwriter and Professor on the Movie College – School of Tremendous Arts AUTh)

Raïssa Lahcine (ENS Louis Lumière Director of Worldwide Relations)

The Scholarship award ENS Louis Lumière Award – French Institute of Upcoming Audio Documentary Creator was bestowed to:

Katerina Giannisi for the podcast Koi no yokan (sixty fifth TiFF – Podcast Nexus)

A Particular Point out was bestowed by the ENS Louis Lumière Award to:

Dimos Vryzas for the podcast Salutations (sixty fifth TiFF – Podcast Nexus)

MERMAID AWARD

The Mermaid Award is introduced by the Thessaloniki Documentary Pageant to the most effective LGBTQI+ themed movie from the Pageant’s official choice. The prize, accompanied by a €3,000 money prize, is awarded by a three-member jury.

The Mermaid Jury consists of: Dina Iordanova (tutorial); Igor Myakotin (producer and director); Thanasis Patsavos (journalist)

The Mermaid Award was bestowed to the documentary: 

GEN_ by Gianluca Matarrese

Reasoning: For its humane depiction of individuals from completely different walks of life, determined for change, we current the Mermaid award to the Italian movie GEN_, for portraying a health care provider, devoted to offering them with a glimmer of hope in difficult instances.

A Particular Point out was bestowed to the documentary:

On Lavender by Makis Evangelatos and Eirini Chatzi

ALPHA BANK ACCESSIBILITY AWARD

This 12 months, the Alpha Financial institution Accessibility Award is bestowed for the second time on the Thessaloniki Worldwide Documentary Pageant. The award is accompanied by a money prize of three,000 euros and awarded to both a character or a movie that highlights accessibility points within the arts.

The Alpha Financial institution Accessibility Award was bestowed to the documentary: 

Viktor by Olivier Sarbil

Reasoning: In Alpha Financial institution we place nice emphasis on the appropriate of each particular person to participate as equally as doable within the cultural lifetime of our nation. We now have dedicated ourselves to contributing, in any doable approach and with each given probability, within the eradication of stereotypes, prejudice and obstacles that deprive folks with disabilities of their basic proper to be part of and rejoice artwork and tradition in bodily areas. Inside this framework, we’ve joined forces with the Pageant ever since 2019 within the internet hosting of universally accessible screenings. In 2022, we launched the Alpha Financial institution Accessibility Award that awards movies that foreground accessibility points in arts. This 12 months, we have been delighted to bestow the Alpha Financial institution Accessibility Award to Viktor, a gripping documentary of the acclaimed French artist and battle correspondent Olivier Sarbil. The movie director data Viktor, a deaf younger man from Kharkiv, as he skilled the primary days of the invasion in opposition to Ukraine. As his efforts to enlist are repeatedly turned down, he units out on a mission to seek out his place and voice in a deafened world.

HELLENIC BROADCASTING CORPORATION AWARDS

Throughout the framework of the twenty seventh Thessaloniki Documentary Pageant, the Hellenic Broadcasting Company (?R?) will bestow an award to the Greek manufacturing that wins the FIPRESCI award. The Hellenic Broadcasting Company may even current the “ERT – Thessaloniki Pitching Discussion board” award, which is accompanied by a €2,000 money prize, to the most effective Greek challenge collaborating on the Thessaloniki Pitching Discussion board.

The ERT Award was bestowed to the documentary: 

Sculpted Souls by Stavros Psillakis

EKKOMED AWARDS

Within the framework of the twenty seventh Thessaloniki Documentary Pageant, the Hellenic Movie and Audiovisual Heart (EKKOMED) will award two prizes: A €3,000 prize award to a Greek documentary collaborating in Agora Docs in Progress; and a €3,000 prize award to a debut documentary characteristic (over 50 minutes) that premieres within the Greek Program.

The EKKOMED Jury consists of: Yianna Sarri (Director of Promotion Hellas Movie, ??????D); Zoe Kandyla (Director of Growth and Manufacturing, ??????D); Dimitris Bouras (movie critic, Communication Division ??????D).

The EKKOMED Award was bestowed to the documentary:

Lo by Thanassis Vassiliou

Reasoning: Thanassis Vassiliou crafted a movie that revolves across the burden of particular person and collective reminiscence, and the notion of legacy, within the literal and metaphorical sense, backwards and mentally traversing the interval of the Metapolitefsi.  The trauma of the household and the trauma of latest Greek historical past function speaking vessels in a thematically up-to-the-minute movie.

“HUMAN RIGHTS IN MOTION” AWARD BY PACE

The “Human Rights in Movement” award was created by the Council of Europe to focus on the sturdy connection between documentary filmmaking and human rights, honoring the director whose movie most successfully captures the wrestle for freedom, democracy, and basic rights. Beginning this 12 months, the award is introduced at 4 main documentary festivals in Europe: the Thessaloniki Worldwide Documentary Pageant, FIPADOC in Biarritz, France, Sheffield DocFest, and doclisboa in Lisbon. On the Thessaloniki Documentary Pageant, the award, which comes with a money prize of €5,000, is open to all movies from the three competitors sections that deal with problems with human rights and democratic values. “With this initiative, we purpose to boost consciousness of the work of the Council of Europe and help filmmakers who carry our rules and values to the massive display screen,” said Theodoros Roussopoulos, President of the Parliamentary Meeting of the Council of Europe, asserting the institution of the award. “Documentaries have the facility to seize the influence of human rights violations with immediacy, awakening empathy and understanding.”

The “Human Rights in Movement” Award jury consists of: Maxim Cîrlan (director, head of the MOLDOX Worldwide Documentary Pageant); Krystalli Glyniadakis (translator and poet); Carlos Muñoz (cinematographer)

The “Human Rights in Movement” Award was bestowed to the documentary:

Coexistence, My Ass! by Amber Fares

Reasoning: The movie is a direct protest in opposition to the violation of a sequence of basic human rights, reminiscent of the appropriate to life and liberty and the appropriate to equality. It additionally brings out the pivotal significance freedom of expression performs in any democracy and for the psychological well being of individuals inside it. An essential a part of the committee’s determination has to do with the best way during which an intractable, traumatic, advanced, and long-standing battle is approached via the artwork of comedy. The movie makes use of humour bravely, in a approach that maybe alludes to Aristophanes’ satirizing the ills of historical Athenian democracy. And this isn’t solely attributable to its clearly charismatic protagonist, stand-up comedienne Noam Sushter-Eliassi, but additionally to the filmmaker herself, Amber Fares, who positioned her topic, and, via a persistent, sober remark that went on for years, provided her not solely a beneficiant platform for expression, but additionally had the expertise of organising and pacing the filmed materials in a wonderful method. In conclusion, that is an observational documentary that cleverly combines satire with the deeply unnerving private experiences of its protagonist in an effort to converse of a battle that touches the very core of its protagonist’s identification and the identification of her nation, recording key moments of intimacy, anxiousness, confrontation and despair, but additionally perseverance, power and hope — with tenderness and humour, all the time. For all these causes, we unanimously imagine that Coexistence, My Ass! deserves this 12 months’s TIDF “Human Rights in Movement” award.

“HUMAN VALUES” AWARD OF THE HELLENIC PARLIAMENT

The Hellenic Parliament bestows its “Human Values” award to an Worldwide Competitors part movie.

The “Human Values” Award jury consists of: Aris Fatouros (founding member of the Hellenic Parliament TV, Program Guide, producer and director); Vassilis Douvlis (head of the Hellenic Parliament TV’s Programming Division and director)

The “Human Values” Award of the Hellenic Parliament was bestowed to the documentary:

Below the Flags, the Solar by Juanjo Pereira

Reasoning: The Hellenic Parliament TV bestows the “Human Values” Award of the Hellenic Parliament to an Worldwide Competitors movie that, following an exhaustive analysis, succeeds to unearth and make artistic use of a sequence of misplaced paperwork, composing an illuminating picture of the propaganda and the authoritarian mechanisms deployed by one of the long-lasting twentieth century army dictatorships. The award goes to Below the Flags, the Solar by Juanjo Pereira from Paraguay.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AWARD 

The Amnesty Worldwide Award brings involved two establishments that share a powerful sensibility and related targets: they each function on a complementary degree, with the Pageant selling and screening movies by documentarist that reveal the brutal violation of human rights, and with Amnesty Worldwide then taking up the tough activity of mobilizing, exerting strain and elevating public consciousness. Receiving recognition by a humanitarian establishment reminiscent of Amnesty Worldwide inside the context of a cinematic establishment such because the Thessaloniki Documentary Pageant is doubly essential for a filmmaker, since their work is honored each on a creative and a humanitarian degree.

The Amnesty Worldwide Award jury consists of: Mariana Leondaridou (movie critic and member of Amnesty Worldwide); Dr. Ira Iliana Papadopoulou (social scientist and curator); Kostis Papaioannou (historical past trainer and director of Sign – researching and confronting the alt-right); Angelos Tsaousis (producer, director and documentary filmmaker)

The Worldwide Amnesty Award was bestowed to the documentary:

Free Leonard Peltier by Jesse Quick Bull and David France

Reasoning: For its compelling portrayal of a case that illuminates the blatant violation of indigenous rights in America via the story of Leonard Peltier, who stays imprisoned for greater than 50 years regardless of worldwide requires justice. With wealthy archival footage and highly effective testimonies, the movie highlights not solely the non-public ordeal of an activist, but additionally the tenacious wrestle of Native People for justice, freedom and restoration of historic reality.

FIPRESCI AWARDS

The Worldwide Federation of Movie Critics (FIPRESCI), comprising distinguished movie critics, presents two awards: one to the Greatest Documentary of the Worldwide Competitors for Greatest Characteristic Size Documentary Program and one to a Greek movie that participates within the Worldwide Program.

The FIPRESCI jury consists of: Marina Kostova (North Macedonia); Aspasia Lykourgioti (Greece); Dieter Wieczorek (Germany)

The FIPRESCI Award to the Greatest Documentary of the Worldwide Competitors was bestowed to the documentary:

Free Leonard Peltier by Jesse Quick Bull & David France

Reasoning: For highlighting the crucial of sustained resistance in opposition to a judicial system that isn’t solely unjust but additionally corrupt, significantly in its neglect of marginalized lives and minority communities, the FIPRESCI award within the Worldwide Competitors is bestowed to Free Leonard Peltier by Jesse Quick Bull and David France.

The FIPRESCI Award to a Greek movie that participates within the Worldwide Program was bestowed to the documentary:

Sculpted Souls by Stavros Psillakis

Reasoning: For its highly effective portrayal of restoring dignity, respect, and understanding to those that are deserted, stigmatized, and remoted, thereby reaffirming humanity and fostering a profound appreciation for the complexities of life, the FIPRESCI Award for a Greek movie is bestowed to Sculpted Souls by Stavros Psillakis.

GREEK ASSOCIATION OF FILM CRITICS AWARD

The Greek Affiliation of Movie Critics awards, as yearly, the Greatest Greek Movie that’s screened within the official collection of the twenty seventh Thessaloniki Documentary Pageant. The choice is made by the Basic Meeting of the members which have attended the Pageant.

The PEKK Award was bestowed to the documentary: 

Return to Homeland by Chryssa Tzelepi and Akis Kersanidis

Reasoning: For the impeccable route of a journey into locations of reminiscence and martyrdom, which serves as a tool of catharsis and reminding of the previous trials and tribulations, aiming on the act of forgiving and their avoidance each within the current and sooner or later, the Greek Affiliation of Movie Critics bestows its award to the movie Return to Homeland by Chryssa Tzelepi and Akis Kersanidis.

WIFT GR AWARD

The WIFT GR Award is introduced by the Greek Chapter of WIFT (Ladies in Movie & Tv) to a girl filmmaker of a movie chosen for the official worldwide competitors sections of the Thessaloniki Documentary Pageant.

The WIFT GR Award jury consists of: Tzeli Hadjimitriou (filmmaker and visible photographer); Maria Louka (documentary filmmaker, screenwriter, journalist and President of WIFT GR); Nina Maria Paschalidou (director and journalist)

The WIFT GR Award was bestowed to the documentary:

Bull’s Coronary heart by Eva Stefani

Reasoning: With Bull’s Coronary heart, Eva Stefani presents us a masterpiece that stretches past the fragmented facets of one of many biggest artists of our time, touching upon broader socio-political and ontological questions with each dreamlike and totally practical parts. The director as soon as once more affirms a well-structured, gendered gaze, filled with tenderness and respect in direction of folks and the dynamics of unpretentious emotion. With this award, WIFT GR goals to focus on the popularity of Eva Stefani’s contribution to up to date cinematic creation, which has been an inspiration to many ladies filmmakers.

WWF GREECE AWARD 

The reciprocal relationship between people and nature is delivered to the fore within the Thessaloniki Documentary Pageant’s official program, with movies that seize the results of human intervention on the setting and the value paid by humanity. The award is introduced by the World Wildlife Fund Greece to the most effective movie of environmental curiosity. As WWF Greece factors out: “By way of truths that concern international threats, reminiscent of local weather change, and thru the exploration of our unusual relationship with time, the necessity for and the overexploitation of our pure assets, and the stark contrasts between the pure and concrete panorama, the administrators merge realism and artwork to create works that transcend the ecological documentary.”

The WWF Greece Award jury consists of: Sissy Gkournelou (communications supervisor, WWF Greece); Iosifina Grivea (movie critic and Podcast/TV host); Andreas Loukakos (filmmaker)

The WWF Greece Award award was bestowed to the documentary:

Trying to find Amani by Nicole Gormley & Debra Aroko

Reasoning: In an hour and twenty minutes, Trying to find Amani manages to change into an equal mix of environmental name, coming-of-age story, and journalistic investigation, bringing forth the voice of a kid who captures the cruel actuality of his quest via his personal lens. Triggered by the devastating drought raging in Sub-Saharan Africa, the filmmakers open up a dialog that’s invisible to many however completely invaluable to all, about altering environments, the enduring results of colonialism, and neighborhood equality within the age of the local weather disaster. The jury’s determination was unanimous and heartfelt.

YOUTH JURY AWARDS BY THE STUDENTS OF THE THESSALONIKI UNIVERSITIES

The Youth Jury contains college students of the College of Movie of the Aristotle College of Thessaloniki and can current the Greatest Movie Award and the Particular Jury Award. Eligible for these awards are Greek movies collaborating within the Worldwide Program. Youth Jury supervisor: Apostolos Karakasis, Affiliate Professor in Movie and Tv Principle & Historical past, Aristotle College of Thessaloniki. This 12 months’s jury members are: Evangelos Bismbas, Gerasimos Delaportas, Maria Ioanna Foskolou, Sofia Grigoriou, and Anna Stroumba.

?he Greatest Greek Movie Award of the Youth Jury was bestowed to the documentary:

Sculpted Souls by Stavros Psillakis

Reasoning: The Youth Jury composed by college students of the Movie College bestows its Greatest Greek Movie Award to the documentary Sculpted Souls by Stavros Psillakis. The recording of Julien Grivel’s experiences reminds us that we are able to understand the world via the eyes of those that endure, whereas urging us to alter it for the most effective.

The Particular Jury Prize of the Youth Jury was bestowed to the documentary:

Bull’s Coronary heart by Eva Stefani

Reasoning: The Particular Prize of the Youth Jury is awarded to the documentary Bull’s Coronary heart by Eva Stefani. By way of the in situ filming of one of the acclaimed artists whereas at work, we grasp artwork as a pressure that bestows which means in our lives and permits us to endure.

FISCHER AUDIENCE AWARDS

5 Viewers Awards are bestowed to a few Greek and two worldwide movies.

The Fischer Viewers Award “Peter Wintonick” to a global movie with a period of over 50 minutes is bestowed to the documentary: 

The Day Iceland Stood Nonetheless by Pamela Hogan

The Fischer Viewers Award to a global movie with a period of as much as 50 minutes is bestowed to the documentary: 

Elevate Girl by Marcin Modzelewski

The Fischer Viewers Award to Greek movie with a period of over 50 minutes is bestowed to the documentary: 

They Discuss About W?rship Right here by Byron Kritzas

The Fischer Viewers Award to a Greek movie with a period of as much as 50 minutes is bestowed to the documentary:

Return to Depot by Dimitris Zahos

The Fischer Viewers Award to a Greek movie screened on-line on the part Platform+ is bestowed to the documentary:

Arctic Odyssey by Evangelos Rassias

The twenty seventh Thessaloniki Worldwide Documentary Pageant is held with the help of the Hellenic Parliament, the Ministry of Tradition, the Partnership Settlement of the Central Macedonia Regional Operational Program, the Nationwide Restoration and Resilience Plan “Greece 2.0”, the MEDIA programme, the Ministry of Tourism and ERT. COSMOTE TV is Grand Sponsor of the Pageant, for the eighth consecutive 12 months, proving as soon as once more its help in direction of high quality cinema. PPC Group, the Pageant’s Strategic Associate, shares our imaginative and prescient and work. Priceless help is obtainable by Alpha Financial institution, the Pageant’s accessibility sponsor, Aegean, the Pageant’s official air-carrier, Fischer, the Viewers Awards sponsor, and Jameson. The awards of the twenty seventh TiDF might be bestowed within the Pageant’s closing ceremony.

Earlier within the week, the Agora of the twenty seventh Thessaloniki Worldwide Documentary Pageant bestowed its awards at Warehouse C. Making use of all of the out there instruments and new applied sciences, the Pageant’s Agora showcased a brand new sequence of actions and backed profitable initiatives that befell each in bodily areas and on-line. This 12 months’s Agora marked an excellent success, as greater than 400 worldwide guests attended its occasions.

THE twenty seventh TIDF AGORA AWARDS

Thessaloniki Pitching Discussion board awards

Thessaloniki Pitching Discussion board is the co-production and co-financing platform of the Thessaloniki Worldwide Documentary Pageant for artistic and TV documentaries, docs for teenagers and docs sequence destined for theater distribution and TV broadcast.

This 12 months’s Thessaloniki Pitching Discussion board showcased 14 tasks in growth, amongst which two sequence, a documentary for teenagers and an animated documentary, from Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean.

The Worldwide Jury of the Thessaloniki Pitching Discussion board, consisting of: Leonidas Konstantarakos | Producer, Alaska Movies – Greece; Marianne Ostrat | Producer & Founder, Alexandra Movie – Estonia; Nora Philippe | Head of Program, EURODOC – France handed out the next awards.

The IEFTA Award for Greatest Documentary in Growth, accompanied by a ten,000 euro money prize, is bestowed for the second time. The award was bestowed to:

HIGHWAYS OF HOPEDirector: Alexa Bakony, Manufacturing: Gábor Osváth, Veronika Gál – Filmfabriq Ltd., Hungary

Reasoning: Presently in its very early growth, this challenge led by a younger feminine group guarantees to cross European borders and break Indian stereotypes about Muslim minorities via an lively story of emancipation. We have been captivated by the principle character dealing with a darkening world with youthful joyfulness and optimism. The jury needs to additional increase the kick-off of the artistic and monetary growth of this challenge, by awarding it the IEFTA Greatest Doc Award.

A Particular Point out was given by the jury to the challenge:

BUGBOYDirector: Lucas Paleocrassas, Manufacturing: Rea Apostolides, Yuri Averof – Anemon, Government Manufacturing: Madeleine Avramoussis, Co-production: Maria Stevnback Westergren – Toolbox, Adam Leibovitz – Flach Movie Productions, Greece, Denmark, France

Reasoning: A singular, joyful and tender coming-of-age movie produced by a really skilled group, that’s approaching completion – and that we are able to’t wait to see on display screen very quickly!

The ERT – Thessaloniki Pitching Discussion board Award to a Greek challenge, accompanied by a money prize of two,000 euros was bestowed by Jenny Vafakou, TV and Digital Programme Director at ERT to:

MAMA KLORINDirector: Doreida Xhogu, Manufacturing: Mina Dreki – MARNI FILMS,Greece

Reasoning: Mama Klorin is a promising journey into a really under-represented neighborhood of immigrant ladies working as cleaners in Greece. Filmed with love and dignity by one in all their daughters, this multilayered challenge strives to make the invisible work seen.

The Eurodoc Award of 1,000 eurosalong with a VIP membership is bestowed to the movie:

TAKEN BY THE WHITE MANDirector: Ana Sofia Fonseca, Manufacturing: Daniella Rice, Ana Sofia Fonseca – Carrossel Produções, Portugal

Reasoning: Taken by the White Man tells a transferring and distinctive story of homecoming, investigative and intimate reappropriation of 1’s self and reparation, on the backdrop of the horrors of Portuguese colonialism in Mozambique and up to date slavery. This challenge can also be an unbelievable alternative for a worldwide North-South co-production.”

The DAE – Documentary Affiliation of Europe Award quantities to session and free membership. The award was bestowed to 2 tasks:

THE LAST SUMMERDirector: Jan Jurczak & Eleanora Iadkouskaya, Manufacturing: Frieder Schlaich – Filmgalerie 451, Germany

And

LIFE ON PAUSEDirector: Anthoniy Hristov, Manufacturing: Svetla Turnin – Documentary Media Basis, Bulgaria

Reasoning: To help the groups find the appropriate artistic and financing pathways for the tasks, the jury awards The Final Summer time and Life on Pause with 2 DAE Consultancy Awards. Life on Pause is a brave challenge that sheds mild on a Bulgarian trans rights authorized struggle which resonates strongly on the European and international scenes, and which is deeply and rightfully grounded locally it represents. Loaded with uncooked and explosive power, The Final Summer time is a really intimate and transferring look on what it’s wish to undergo adolescence in instances of battle.

The Aylon Productions Digital Providers Award presents an hour of top of the range digital switch of archival materials. The award was bestowed to the movie:

MY AUNTIESDirector: Hazal Hanquet, Manufacturing: Aslihan Altu?, Anna Maria Aslano?lu – Istos Movie, Türkiye

Reasoning: An intergenerational story informed via treasured archives that doc a brave queer love story that transcends time, whereas exploring household dynamics and various fashions of affection and kinship in up to date Turkey.

A sequence of unbiased awards have been additionally handed out:

Onassis Tradition, persistently providing its help to Greek unbiased cinema, inside the framework of its collaboration with the Pageant, bestows the Onassis Movie Award (5,000 euros) to one of many Greek tasks participating within the Thessaloniki Pitching Discussion board or the Agora Docs in Progress. The Onassis Award is bestowed to the challenge:

BUGBOYDirector: Lucas Paleocrassas, Manufacturing: Rea Apostolides, Yuri Averof – Anemon, Government Manufacturing: Madeleine Avramoussis, Co-production: Maria Stevnback Westergren – Toolbox, Adam Leibovitz – Flach Movie Productions, Greece, Denmark, France

Reasoning: The Onassis Movie Award is given to a documentary about being completely different and rising up, about all issues insignificant that turn into essential, concerning the small, invisible world that we regularly ignore. A distinct coming-of-age story, with a recent perspective within the intimacy of its filming. The Onassis Movie Award goes to “Bugboy” directed by Lucas Paleocrassas together with a prize of 5.000 euro to help the additional growth of the movie.

The Mediterranean Movie Institute Doc Award, which consists of free participation within the 2024 version of the MFI Doc Lab, a script growth program devoted to documentaries. It takes place inside the MFI Script2Film program, the place the scripts for 35 characteristic size movies are developed. This system consists of a two-weeks writing workshop on the island of Nisyros in late June and early July with a comply with up session for one week in October in Astipalea.

The award is bestowed to:

OH, HEART DON’T BE AFRAID

Director: Ana Kvichidze, Manufacturing: Avtandil Khorava – Moonbow Manufacturing, Co-production: – Natalia Imaz – Parabellum movies, Mariam Bitsadze – 17/07 Productions, Niko Mikadze – Murman Authentic Photos, Georgia, Germany

Reasoning: Since its inception in 2000, the ?editerranean Movie Institute, via its worldwide program MFI Script 2 Movie Workshops, has supported the event of over 500 movie tasks. We’re particularly proud that the Doc Lab, launched simply six years in the past, has already made a big influence on documentary growth. This 12 months, 5 movies within the competition’s lineup had participated within the MFI’s Doc Lab the earlier years. Many because of the Thessaloniki Worldwide Movie and Doc Pageant and particularly Agora for our heat and fruitful collaboration over the past 17 years and for his or her nice work within the movie trade. Our scholarship award to any extent further is named the George Kalogeropoulos Award, in memoriam of the founding father of the Mediterranean Movie Institute.

Recognizing its distinctive storyline, distinctive characters, profound social relevance, and poetic filmic method, we’re honored to current the award to “Oh, Coronary heart Don’t Be Afraid” by Ana Kvichidze and Avtandil Khorava.

The DOK Leipzig Accelerator Award presents two Observer badges and lodging. The award was bestowed to the movie:

MY AUNTIESDirector: Hazal Hanquet, Manufacturing: Aslihan Altu?, Anna Maria Aslano?lu – Istos Movie, Türkiye

Reasoning: The challenge introduces us to 2 free-spirited, wild and courageous ladies from Istanbul. They’re the “aunties” of the director who brings the story of their forty-year queer relationship to us. It’s with nice pleasure and deep admiration for each the bravery of the protagonists and the dedication of the movie group that the DOK Leipzig Accelerator Award goes to My Aunties, directed by Hazal Hanquet and produced by Aslihan Altu? and Anna Maria Aslano?lu.

AGORA Docs in Progress awards

Within the Agora Docs in Progress 10 tasks from Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean area participated in closed classes for Thessaloniki’s invited trade professionals, gross sales brokers, distributors, producers and competition programmers.

The worldwide jury of Agora Docs in Progress consists of:

Anna Glogowski | Guide & Pageant programmer – France

Marcella Jeli? | Gross sales & Acquisitions, Cut up Display & Theatrical distribution coordinator, Restart – Croatia

Basil Tsiokos | Senior programmer, Sundance Movie Pageant – USA

The two|35 Publish-Manufacturing Most important Award goesto the challenge:

MAGMADirector: Mia Bendrimia, Manufacturing: Kira Simon-Kennedy – Nazar Movies, France, Algeria

Reasoning: For its deft means to efficiently remodel one household’s unstated historical past and unresolved transgenerational trauma into an attractive investigation into contested narratives that reveal each the tales we inform ourselves and people we intentionally refuse to have interaction with, on each a private and a nationwide degree, the Two Thirty-5 (2|35) Award goes to Magma by director Mia Bendrimia and producer Kira Simon-Kennedy.

The Hellenic Movie and Audiovisual Heart – Artistic Greece Award accompanied with 3,000 euros, was bestowed by Athina Kartalou,Basic Director of the Basic Movie Directorate, to the Greek challenge: 

HOME COURTDirectors: Elpida Nikou, Rodrigo Hernandez, Manufacturing: Yuri Averof, Rea Apostolides – Anemon Productions, Co-production: Maaike Neve, Esther Van Driesum – Bind Movie, Victor Ede – Cinephage, Boris Despodov – Arthouse Blockbusters, Greece, Netherlands, France, Bulgaria

Reasoning: For crafting a heat, vibrant, and uplifting portrait of friendship and the promise of goals – and for posing under-explored and finally universally resonant questions of identification and belonging for second-generation migrants – the Hellenic Movie and Audiovisual Heart – Artistic Greece Award goes to House Courtroom by administrators Elpida Nikou and Rodrigo Hernandez and producers Yuri Averof and Rea Apostolides.

The Neaniko Plano Subtitling Award is bestowed to the challenge:

TOWER, SUN AND THE SEVEN OF WANDSDirector: Tanya Vikhreva, Author: Aleksander Rodionov, Manufacturing: Maria Gavrilova – Marx Movie GE, Georgia

Reasoning: For bringing an sudden, unorthodox, and infrequently disarmingly humorous angle on the continued battle in Ukraine, one centered on the divergent views of the residents of occupied Crimea, exploring the eye-opening influences of superstition on one hand and Russian propaganda on the opposite, the Neaniko Plano Subtitling Award goes to Tower, Solar and the Seven of Wands by director Tanya Vikhreva and producer Maria Gavrilova.

AGORA XR LAB awardsAGORA XR Lab, is TIDF AGORA’s latest initiative, a workshop devoted to XR and new media tasks in growth. It’s designed for rising storytellers eager to discover new types of expression in factual and non-factual storytelling and pushing the boundaries of what audiovisual work may be within the digital age.

The Beldocs XR Academy award is bestowed to a challenge in an effort to attend the subsequent version and meet extra XR professionals (providing lodging and accreditation to the Beldocs Documentary Pageant, Might 2025). The award is bestowed to:

/IMAGINE FAREWELL STATIONDirector: Aristotelis Maragkos, Manufacturing: Konstantinos Koukoulis – ?lankton movies, Co-creator / Co-production: Dimitris Delinikolas – Emptyfilm, Greece

Reasoning: This challenge explores the fragility of reminiscence and the inadequacy of language via an interactive time-traveling expertise. By reconstructing a fading childhood reminiscence, it creates a poetic journey of recollection and loss. Its progressive use of described footage makes it a gorgeous meditation on our makes an attempt to know the previous. We’re blissful to have /Think about Farewell Station at XR Academy.

The Agora declares, additionally, the NewImages Pageant Partnership Collection of one AGORA XR Lab challenge to the NewImages XR Market in April 2025. The movie chosen to take part to the NewImages XR Market is:

BITXODirector: Lau Maquedano, Manufacturing: Alberto López Garrido – Lamola Studios, Valet Siv Manrique – Piragna Animación & Lau Maquedano, Co-production: Natxo Carrasco – HD Studio, Rubén Coca – Artyc Content material, Spain, Colombia

Agora Enhance

The Crew United Prize, a five-year premium subscription on Crew United Platform to a participant within the Agora Enhance, is bestowed to:

THE GROUNDSKEEPER

Administrators: Io Chaviara, Michalis Kastanidis, Manufacturing: Alexis Anastasiadis, Co-production: Io Chaviara & Michalis Kastanidis – Fabula Productions, Greece

Reasoning: First, we wish to congratulate all of the filmmakers and producers! Every challenge, even when in fairly completely different growth levels, has its personal strengths and appeal, and it feels arduous to select only one out of them. Deindustrialization, reminiscence – collective and particular person, and the position that house performs in it, but additionally the popularity by somebody of the position his/her work performs within the manufacturing of mass destruction (reminding us right here of Harun Farocki’s work) are among the themes that The Groundskeeper  will invite us to have a look at. Our warmest needs for all of the tasks!

The Steerage Award, sponsored by Paradiddle Photos and given to a challenge collaborating within the Agora Lab. The award is bestowed to:

MAGIC WHISTLE

Director: Avraam Goutzeloudis & Alexandros Katsis, Manufacturing: Photini Economopoulou – OhMyDog Productions, Greece

Reasoning: With music as an essential ingredient, there may be all the time the potential to inform an emotional and interesting story. With a view to totally discover the total potential of the music and story universe of the challenge, the Paradiddle Photos Steerage Award goes to the Magic Whistle.