A House Made of Splinters by Simon Lereng Wilmont
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION AWARDS
The Golden Alexander (€12,000 cash prize), secures a place in the pre-selection shortlist for the Best Documentary Academy Award. Winner: A House Made of Splinters by Simon Lereng Wilmont (Denmark-Finland-Sweden-Ukraine). Citation: The Golden Alexander Award goes to an unforgettable film that shines a light on the burden carried by children for the horrors and mistakes perpetrated by the world of the adults who should be caring for them.
The Special Jury Award (€5,000 cash prize): Young Plato by Declan McGrath & Neasa Ní Chianáin (United Kingdom-Ireland-France-Belgium). Citation: The Special Jury Award goes to a film that can only give us hope in future generations and their capacity to make the world a better place.
NEWCOMERS COMPETITION AWARDS
The Golden Alexander “Dimitri Eipides” Award (€10,000 cash prize): Golden Land by Inka Achté (Finland-Sweden-Norway). Citation: Inka Achté’s film Golden Land tells a beautiful and moving family story of belonging in a way which changes the narrative of migration. The film follows a loving father and his kids who travel back to Somaliland from Europe. Through coherent storytelling and beautiful cinematography, it shows –in a non-didactic manner– a family’s struggles and dreams. A family which tries to build a better future in, and for their ancestral land.
The Special Jury Prize (€4,000 cash prize): The Devil’s Drivers by Daniel Carsenty & Mohammed Abugeth (Qatar-France-Lebanon-Germany). Citation: An important film with significant access to the world of the ‘devil’s drivers.’ A film that sheds light on matters of great urgency and gives a voice to an oppressed and marginalized group of people whose story had been left largely untold”.
>>FILM FORWARD COMPETITION AWARDS
The Golden Alexander >>Film Forward Award (€6,000 cash prize): The Bride by Samira Guadagnuolo & Tiziano Doria (Italy). Citation: A film that, with minimal yet powerful and precise cinematic means, tells an important story of how patriarchal societies repress women. The award unanimously goes to the striking film where silence speaks louder than voice.
The >>Film Forward Award Special Jury Prize (€3,000 cash prize) was awarded ex æquo to the documentaries: Amateur by Martín Gutiérrez (Spain) & Letter to Nikola by Hara Kaminara (Greece-Belgium). Citation: For Letter to Nikola, we give the award for its striking visual language and the filmmaker’s moving treatment of motherhood in turbulent times. For Amateur we give the award for its charming, and tender amateur look that unites three different stories in one landscape”.
The Podcast Award (€2,000 cash prize): Forever by Dimitris Daskas (Greece)
Special Mention: Invisible by Marianna Kakaounaki (Greece)
Louis Lumière Award/Scholarship: Νepheli Sani for the podcast Sonic Memorabilia
Mermaid Award for the best LGBTQI+-themed film from the Festival’s official selection: Gabi: Between Ages 8 and 13 (Sweden-Norway). Citation: “A beautifully subtle expression of the need for acceptance of oneself as a whole human being, this film is a playful exploration of the struggles of growth, love and identity. The freedom in defying conventional binary norms is adeptly presented, and the importance of agency for self-determination is uniquely expressed in the form of a perfectly imperfect child and her fami
ly and friends. [Awarded] for its inspiringly joyful portrayal of gender fluidity and the powerful example it sets for families of non-cisgender children. Special Mentions: Mel by Inna Sahakyan & Paul Cohen (Armenia-The Netherlands) & Sirens by Rita Baghdadi (USA-Lebanon)
Human Values Award of the Hellenic Parliament: Eternal Spring by Jason Loftus (Canada). Citation: A Newcomers Competition film that skillfully binds together personal testimonies and 3D animation to unfold a breathtaking story of a struggle for freedom of ideas and expression against an authoritarian regime that violently smothers any attempt of resistance.”
Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation Awards
ERT Award (accompanied by a €3,000 cash prize) given to a Greek production that wins the FIPRESCI award. Winner: Arm Wrestler by Yorgos Goussis (Greece)
ERT Award (accompanied by a €2,000 cash prize given to the best Greek project participating at the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum. Winner: Sunken by director Dimitris Gkotsis.
Greek Film Centre Awards
The Greek Film Centre handed two awards. The first award was for a debut director of the official Greek selection celebrating its premier at the festival (€3000 cash prize): The Itinerary by Orestis Athanasopoulos (Greece). Citation: The director uses the narrative format of the road movie as a connective chain between a series of small and fragmental stories in order to highlight the timely issue of Greeks’ immigration to Western Europe.
The Greek Film Centre Agora Docs in Progress prize winner: #METISOFIA by Vania Turner. Citation: This film highlights an important subject matter that has stirred social and political change in contemporary Greece. Change that we would like to see spread and create accountability (€3000 cash prize).
Amnesty International Award: F@ck this Job by Vera Krichevskaya (United Kingdom-Germany). Citation: The documentary kicks off with Jim Morrison’s poignant quote “whoever controls the media, controls the mind”, recording the brave attempt of a young woman to bring forth, through her independent TV channel she has founded, the growing repression against the freedom of press and the blatant violation of human rights in Putin’s Russia, up until 2021 when it was banned on Kremlin’s order. Politically charged yet human-centered, this revelational documentary is also a homage to all people who stand up and fight for a better world, a world with human rights and freedom, willing to risk even their life for this cause.
The FIPRESCI Award to the Best Documentary of the International Competition: A House Made of Splinters by Simon Lereng Wilmont (Denmark-Finland-Sweden-Ukraine). Citation: For a delicate and sensitive look at vulnerable children who are facing the hardships of life already from a very young age. Even though set in a particular political context, the story has a universal meaning. The close observation of children’s personalities and relationships with their peers and grown-ups create an emotionally engaging and strong narrative, full of life and hope for a better future.
The FIPRESCI Award to a Greek film in the International Program: Arm Wrestler by Yorgos Goussis (Greece). Citation: For the captivating observation of a young man’s struggle for balance in his professional and personal life, rural and urban environment, dreams and realities of everyday life. The inventive composition of shots and versatility of shooting locations allow for a unified look at a charismatic personality. Through this one man’s journey we are also allowed to have a glimpse into contemporary Greek society, making the film an important denominator of the country today.
Greek Association of Film Critics Award for Best Greek Film: Last Voyage by Aris Chatzistefanou (Greece). Citation: The Greek Association of Film Critics bestows its award to a documentary that renews Kazantzakis’ legacy through the use of the voice of Yannis Angelakas and a directorial flexibility that transfers traditional Japan to its capitalist version of today.
WIFT GR Award to a woman filmmaker of a film selected for the official program of the festival: Uli Decker for ANIMA – My Father’s Dresses (Germany). Citation: For the exceeding of gender conventions and stereotypes, for a complex film quest that transforms the traumatic secret into an act of resistance and liberation.
WWF Hellas Award for best environment-themed movie of the Festival: The Velvet Queen by Marie Amiguet & Vincent Munier (France). Citation: Through visually captivating storytelling, The Velvet Queen takes us to a journey through not just an ecosystem but a redefined relationship between humanity and nature. Through the eyes of the protagonist, nature becomes the leader in this game. Such a precious and rare gift, just like the Snow Leopard which continuously “observes us” and yet she will be the one to decide whether she’ll allow us to observe her. It is a documentary which, above all, is inviting us to rethink our connection to Nature. It makes us ponder on whether our senses withered and finally become touched by the magnificence we are surrounded by. Special Mention: Nuisance Bear by Jack Weisman & Gabriela Osio Vanden (Canada)
Youth Jury Award Best Greek Film Award: Arm Wrestler by Yorgos Goussis. Citation: Because it showcases, in an intelligent and cinematic way, and with a surprising sincerity, the problems and the concerns faced by the younger generation in Greece.
The Special Jury Prize: The Other Half by Giorgos Moutafis (Greece). Citation: For the generosity of the filmmaker and the blunt depiction of a timely and longstanding reality, that we tend to exclude from the public discourse.
Fischer Audience Awards
The Peter Wintonick Fischer Audience Award for an international doc, 50+ minutes: Eternal Spring by Jason Loftus (Canada)
The Fischer Audience Award for an international doc up to 50+ minutes: Take Me Where There Is Life: A Letter to My Father by Carmen La Griega (Spain)
The Fischer Audience Award for a Greek film, 50+ minutes: Broken Sound by Fivos Kontogiannis (Greece)
The Fischer Audience Award to a Greek film up to 50 minutes: Iodine – Greece on the Ruins of Missolonghi by Orfeas Peretzis
The Fischer Audience Award to a Greek film screened online: +1 by Argyris Liapis (Greece)
Agora Lab Award: Panellinion by Spyros Mantzavinos/Kostas Antarachas. Producer: Leonidas Konstantarakos, Alaska Films. Citation: The tutors of the Agora Lab want to congratulate all the projects and participants for their creativity and passion. We look forward to watching the great films that will come out of this lab. This guidance award in the form of a consultation with Paradiddle Pictures for festival and outreach strategy goes to Panellinion, a film about a unique place with intriguing characters, made with a lot of humor by an enthusiastic and dedicated team
For all Agora Docs awards click here
