The 25th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival closed in low-key fashion Sunday March 12 following the tragic Tempi rail accident of February 28. “Over the last ten days, the documentaries offered us shelter and gave us a note of hope amidst this unspeakable sorrow. As a sign of respect, the Festival calls off the closing ceremony following the decision to cancel both the opening ceremony and all festival events. We thank the filmmakers for entrusting us with their works, our juries for embracing the films and the audience for staying true to the Festival,” TiDF organisers expressed.
“In these difficult moments we experience, wishing to provide the audience with the chance to discover Greek films that touch upon issues and concerns shared by all of us, we extend the time window for the online screenings of the films taking part in the sections Platform and From screen to Screen (online.filmfestival.gr),” organisers added.
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION AWARDS
The International Competition section included 12 films with a duration of over 70 minutes. The recipient of the Golden Alexander secures its spot in the pre-selection shortlist for the Best Documentary Academy Award.
The Golden Alexander (12,000 cash prize) winner: Under the Sky of Damascus by Heba Khaled, Talal Derki, Ali Wajeeh. Citation: Through the power of artistic creation Under the Sky of Damascus precisely describes what lies beneath the major problems of humanity: a deeply rooted gender violence and patriarchal oppression.
The Silver Alexander (€5,000 cash prize) winner: Who I Am Not by Tünde Skovrán. Citation: Who I Am Not is a film that boldly redefines the meaning of being born female and male, through a highly emotional and powerful cinematic journey.
A Special Mention was given to Narrow Path to Happiness by Kata Oláh
NEWCOMERS COMPETITION AWARDS
Young and upcoming directors, through their debut or sophomore film, try to depict reality in their own unique way.
The Golden Alexander “Dimitri Eipides” Award (€10,000 cash prize) winner: The Voice by Dominika Montean-Pańków. Citation (in part): Through the stories of several young men preparing to enter the priesthood, Director Dominika Montean-Pańków delivers an intimate examination of the quest to find one’s place in the world. This glimpse inside the seldomly seen world of Jesuit novitiates delves into universal themes of faith and identity with deep introspection, subtle humor and grace.
The Silver Alexander (€5,000 cash prize) winner: In the Sky of Nothingness with the Least by Christos Adrianopoulos. Citation: This intimate portrayal of an elderly couple in the final chapter of their lives gives us an unsentimental look at love, memory and the specter. With poetic and precise cinematography, director Chiristos Adrianopoulos’s crafts a warm and humorous story of his beloved grandparents, boldly pulling back the veil on the taboo on aging bodies and death.
A Special Mention was given to Ladies in Waiting by Ioanna Tsoucala
>>FILM FORWARD COMPETITION AWARDS
A showcase for young and daring directors who challenge the genre conventions, expanding the boundaries of film language.
The Golden Alexander (6,000 cash prize) winner: Blue Bag Life by Alex Fry, Rebecca Lloyd Evans, Lisa Selby. Citation: The jury is very pleased to award a raw yet tender film depicting an intergenerational struggle to transform addiction into connection. For its generosity and its impactful use of a multifaceted artistic practice, the Golden Alexander goes to Blue Bag Life.
The Silver Alexander (€3,000 cash prize) winner: Dogwatch by Gregoris Rentis. Citation: For its profound exploration of stereotypical masculinity through a powerful lensing and a form that blurs the lines between perception and reality, the Silver Alexander goes to the film Dogwatch.
IMMERSIVE: ALL AROUND CINEMA AWARD
A showcase for new films that offer an exciting interactive viewing experience, transcending film genres and immersing the viewer in each artwork’s unique environment.
The Immersive Golden Alexander winner: Darkening by Ondřej Maravec. Citation: The jury awards The Darkening by Ondřej Moravec for its intimate, poetic, and deeply affecting personal portrayal of depression and the author’s personal struggles and strategies of fighting mental illness. This work masterfully combines touching personal narrative, symbolic yet nuanced animation, as well as simple yet shockingly surprising forms of immersive storytelling and navigation to embody the viewer in the everyday struggles of someone standing face to face with mental illness. Through The Darkening, viewers are taken on a journey of discovery and hope as they witness the lows, but also little joys and strategies that can shine light into the darkness experienced by many amongst us.
A Special Mention was given to The Man Who Couldn’t Leave by Singing Chen.
Click here for all award winners of the 25th Thessaloniki International Doc Fest.
