Sediments by Adrián Silvestre
The awards of the 23rd Thessaloniki Documentary Festival were handed out July 5 during the event’s closing ceremony.
Within the open-air theatres of the festival, 80 screenings took place with a capacity of 75% per auditorium, compared to the 300 screenings that took place during the 21st Thessaloniki Documentary Festival in March 2019. In total, 48,000 viewers attended the screenings. During the festival, 3,500 people from across the world listened to the podcasts selected for the new section of the Festival.
At Agora Docs, 310 meetings took place online and on-site with cinema professionals from Greece and abroad.
FEATURE LENGTH INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
The Golden Alexander Award (cash prize of €15,000)
Winner: Magaluf Ghost Town by Miguel Ángel Blanca (Spain, France)
The Special Jury Award (cash prize of €5,000)
Winner: Luchadoras by Paola Calvo and Patrick Jasim (Germany, Mexico)
NEWCOMERS INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
For new directors, presenting their debut or sophomore documentary. For the first year, the Newcomers Golden Alexander is renamed the Golden Alexander – Dimitri Eipides, as a homage to the founder of the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, “who taught us to see the Festival with a different pair of eyes.”
The Golden Alexander Dimitri Eipides Award (cash prize of €10,000)
Winner: On the Other Side by Iván Guarnizo (Colombia, Spain)
Τhe Special Jury Award (cash prize of €3,000)
Winner: Sediments by Adrián Silvestre (Spain)
>>FILM FORWARD INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
The competition section of >>Film Forward showcases the work of new and daring directors who question our relation with reality, attempting to renegotiate it beyond the conventions imposed by film genres.
The Golden Alexander »Film Forward Award (cash prize of €3,000)
Winner: Landscapes of Resistance by Marta Popivoda (Serbia, France, Germany)
A Special Mention to the documentary: The Oleanders by Paola Revenioti (Greece)
PODCAST AWARD
The Thessaloniki Documentary Festival presents for the first time in its history a new competition section, focusing on the digital audio files that have conquered the planet.
Podcast Award (€2,000 euro cash prize)
Winner: Enallax by Danai Dimopoulou, Elpiniki Papadopoulou (Greece)
Jury’s citaton: “We singled out this project as we believe that it brings together virtues and elements that characterize a wholesome and original podcast. Among them are productive completeness, research, artistic intention and narrative structure, originality in the content and style, and balance between the emotional stimulation of the listener and the freedom of information processing.”
Special Mention: Maid in Hell by Line Fabricius, Anna Steen Hansen (Denmark)
Jury citation: The podcast “deals with an issue that concerns the human history to this day, that of modern slavery, through particularly interesting narratives and a multifaceted approach.”
MERMAID AWARD
The Mermaid Award is presented by the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival to the best LGBTQI-themed film from the Festival’s official selection.
Winner: Colors of Tobi by Alexa Bakony (Hungary)
Jury citation: “for the depiction of non-binary identity and its search in absolutely current terms, for the sensitive cinematography and because it is a strong voice for LGBTQI + rights, in the European country where they may be violated more at the moment”.
Special mention: The Oleanders by Paola Revenioti (Greece)
Jury citation: “for the bold, old-school, nostalgic recording of trans experiences and sex work by three iconic figures of the Athenian underground.”
“HUMAN VALUES AWARD” OF THE HELLENIC PARLIAMENT
The TV station of the Hellenic Parliament bestows its long-established “Human Values” award to a film of the Newcomers International Competition.
Winner: On The Other Side by Iván Guarnizo (Colombia, Spain)
Jury citation: “The Hellenic Parliament TV Station bestows the Human Values award to a film in the Newcomers Competition Section, narrating the shocking journey of two siblings as they trace the path of their mother who was taken hostage in the jungle during the civil war, finding reconciliation and forgiveness in the face of her jailer and savior.”
ERT HELLENIC BROADCASTING CORPORATION AWARDS
The ERT Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation Award (€3,000 cash prize to the Greek documentary over 50΄ that wins the FIPRESCI Award).
Winner: Golden Dawn A Public Affair by Angélique Kourounis (Greece)
The ERT – Thessaloniki Pitching Forum Award, accompanied by a €2,000 cash prize:
Winner: Secrets of the Owl by Eirini Vourloumi
GREEK FILM CENTRE AWARD
Within the framework of the 23rd Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, the Greek Film Centre bestows its award to a debut documentary film over 50΄ that premieres in the Greek Program section: valued at €3000.
Winner: Memento by Nikos Ziogas (Greece)
Jury’s citation: “A film where the personal story crosses paths with collective experience, present meets memory and grief joins music. A cinematic journey into the mountains of Epirus that reminds us of what is fundamental and meaningful.”
Special Mention: A Beautiful Day by Danis Karaisaridis, Yorgos Paterakis (Greece, Germany)
Jury citation: The documentary “demonstrates that when kids grow up as future citizens, we can hope for a society of mutual respect and acceptance, where every human being is given the vital space to blossom as a part of the whole, and the whole evolves along with each one of us.”
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AWARD
Winner: Dying to Divorce by Chloe Fairweather (UK, Norway, Germany, Turkey)
FIPRESCI AWARDS
Best film of the International Feature Length Competition:
Luchadoras by Paola Calvo and Patrick Jasim (Germany, Mexico)
Jury citation: “Luchadoras is a powerful statement of how some women in Ciudad Juárez on Mexico’s border to the USA are dealing with their lives. They are single mothers – and female fighters. Lady Candy, Baby Star and Mini Sirenita are all generously inviting us into their lives – telling us about how they combine fighting, a regular job, and motherhood. Directors Paola Calvo, Patrick Jassim have had a warm and wise hand on the camera and the editing.”
FIPRESCI award for best Greek film participating in TDF’s international program:
Winner: Golden Dawn A Public Affair by Angelique Kourounis (Greece)
Jury citation: “There is no doubt that the verdict that was announced on the 7th of October 2020 in Athens, after a lengthy trial, of the neo-fascist Golden Dawn being a criminal organization, is pivotal and historic for the future of democracy in Greece and Europe. With that in mind, director Angélique Kourounis, managed to capture the many aspects of that lengthy trial, giving the audience all the important details that they should know. It’s a film of important historic value, one that you watch breathlessly, made by a woman who has dealt with the Golden Dawn in the past, with the camera in her hand and knows exactly what she’s talking about”.
GREEK ASSOCIATION OF FILM CRITICS
The Greek Association of Film Critics awards, as every year, the Best Greek Film that is screened in the official selection of the 23rd Thessaloniki Documentary Festival. The decision is made by the General Assembly of the members that have attended the Festival.
Winner: Back to Earth by Chryssa Tzelepi, Akis Kersanidis (Greece)
Jury citation: “for the creative composition of film images and sounds with a tangible work of art in progress, which comes out of the earth and returns to its origin, transforming the landscape into a public sculpture, as if made by nature’s own hands.”
WIFT GR AWARD
Bestowed by the Greek Chapter of WIFT (Women in Film & Television) to a woman filmmaker of a film selected from the official program of the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival.
Winner: Eva Stefani for Days and Nights of Demetra K.
Jury citation: “for its daring and tender gaze, which – transcending both prejudice and identification, and without smoothing out contradictions – draws the portrait of a woman, of a profession, and ultimately of Greek society.”
WWF GREECE AWARD
The World Wildlife Fund Greece presents an award to the best film of environmental interest.
Winner: Silence of the Tides by Pieter-Rim de Kroon (The Netherlands, Germany,
Denmark)
Jury citation: “A documentary of forceful and smooth cinematography, whose narration went beyond the power of the image. Achieving balance and harmony, it unfolds the co-existence between human and nature in one of the most vital wetland systems of the world.”
YOUTH JURY AWARDS
Winner: A Beautiful Day by Danis Karaisaridis, Yorgos Paterakis (Greece, Germany)
Jury citation: “The documentary introduces us to two self-organized preschool educational projects, two precious shelters in the heart of an inadequate system. “The Little Tree” and “Little World” projects are founded on self-organization and direct democracy, and bring forth the change instead of waiting for it to happen. The directors, in harmony with the credo of the two projects, lower the camera at the height of the children, and record their opinions and experiences as equal, reaffirming their role as well-rounded and active members of our society. We hope this documentary gives way to many more beautiful days.”
The Special Jury Award to: Golden Dawn A Public Affair by Angélique Kourounis (Greece)
Jury citation: “Our jury’s special prize goes to the film Golden Dawn A Public Affair, which serves as a pivotal document of modern history. A documentary in which rage is transformed into courage, and courage paves the way for a clear headed recording and study of a trial that marked our times. Through blood-curling parallelisms and shocking testimonies, it reminds of our common responsibility to resist against fascism.”
FISCHER AUDIENCE AWARDS
Four Audience Awards are awarded to two Greek and two international films (over and under 50 mins accordingly.
The Fischer Audience Award for an international film over 50 mins is awarded to:
Luchadoras by Paola Calvo and Patrick Jasim (Germany, Mexico)
The Fischer Audience Award for an international film under 50 mins is awarded to:
Stranger than Rotterdam, with Sara Driver by Lewie & Noah Kloster (USΑ)
The Fischer Audience Award for a Greek film over 50 mins is awarded to:
Through the Glass, Three Acts by Christos Barbas (Greece)
The Fischer Audience Award for an international film under 50 mins is awarded to:
Zabeta by Elissavet Sfyri, Sofia Sfyri (Greece)
AGORA LAB
Guidance Award by Paradiddle Pictures – Denmark
Winner: Station Athens
Director: Yolanda Markopoulou
Producers: Yolanda Markopoulou – Polyplanity Productions, Daphne Kalafati – SAVEFRAG
Jury citation: “for its fresh visual approach on dealing with trauma and its inspirational stories of empowerment through art.”
