DOKU Fest, 17 - 25 August 2013, Prizren - Winners

[Arianiti]

DOKUFEST, The International Documentary and Short Film Festival, is the largest film event in Kosova. The Festival is organized in August in the picturesque and historical town of Prizren which attracts numerous international and regional artists.

In this annually organized festival films are screened twice a day in three open air cinemas as well as in two regular cinemas. Except for its films, the festival is also well-known for lively nights after the screening. Various events happen within the scope of the festival: workshops, DokuPhoto exhibitions, festival camping, concerts, which altogether turn the city into a charming place to be.


http://dokufest.com/2013/

[Arianiti]

PRESS RELEASE
PRIZREN 25.08.2013

Following the screening of 106 films in competition in seven respective categories, DokuFest announced the 2013 awards as appointed by our international juries. Held at the festival’s Kino Bahce at the closing ceremony, 20.00 on Sunday, 25 August 2013, jury members awarded filmmakers and producers for their excellence in filmmaking. Prizren experienced an unprecedented number of visiting international filmmakers, as well as a record number of industry guests and regional visitors from the Balkan area, including Serbia, Bosnia / Herzegovina, Macedonia and Albania. Altogether, the entire program consisted of 250 films, with special sidebar programs and a Focus Nordic program of 40+ films. The festival’s cinemas were visited by 9,500 people over the course of the event which ran from 17 – 25 August.

Below find the awarded films of 2013:

The INTERNATIONAL DOX award is presented to:

Feature: Belleville Baby by Mia Engberg (Sweden)

“The jury selected this film for its masterly direction, taking its audience on an emotional forensic journey with a startling use of images, fragments, and layers of sound. It becomes an open discussion of cinematic narrative forms questioning the way in which we each construct our own memories through stories, part truth, part invention. The jury gives the International DOX prize to Mia Engberg’s Belleville Baby.”

Short: A Story for the Modlins by Sergio Oksman (Spain)

“The jury selected a short film that takes the found footage genre to another level by creatively pushing the boundaries of nonfiction storytelling, taking the audience into a skewed and surreal process of reconstructing a family album, denoting a director in full control of his creative process. The jury gives the International DOX prize to Sergio Oksman’s A Story for the Modlins.”

Jury: Birgitte Staermose, Guillermo Carreras-Candi, Katja Wiederspahn, Noemie Mendelle, Paul Sturtz

The BALKAN DOX award is presented to:

When I Was a Boy I Was a Girl by Ivana Todorović (Serbia)

“Director Ivana Todorovic gives us a refreshing point of view and fearless look into the everyday existence of an individual who has the courage to be herself.”

Honorable Mention: A Sort of Love by Dirk Schäfer (Germany/Turkey)

“The jury gives an honorable mention to Dirk Schäfer’s work which captures, with sensitive insight, the struggles of a man caught between tradition and modernity.”

Newcomer Award: To the Wolf by Christina Koutsospyrou and Aran Hughes (Greece/UK/France)

“Molded from light and darkness, a bleak world emerges with its own unique visual language.”

Jury: Brigid O’Shea, Francine Brucher, Ilian Metev

The HUMAN RIGHTS DOX award is presented to:

Dance of Outlaws by Mohamed El Aboudi (Finland)

“Director Mohamed El Aboudi has managed to build a special relationship of trust with his protagonist in Dance of Outlaws. In this way, as viewers, we get an insight into traditional familial structures in Morocco. The film offers not only a glimpse, it forcefully tells the entire story of a lost soul. The camera is always at the eye level of the protagonists and the action. There is mounting surprise with an incredibly coherent dramaturgy. No fiction film could pull the narrative further.”

Jury: Arbana Xharra, Daniel Sponsel, Rajko Petrovic

The GREEN DOX award is presented to:

Future My Love by Maja Borg (Scotland)

“This poetic and philosophical film combines two essential challenges we face: the sustainability of civilization, and the survival of love. The jury gives the Green Dox Award to Maya Borg’s Future My Love.”

Honorable Mention: Leviathan by Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Véréna Paravel(France/UK/USA)

“For its sensory assault, originality and creative audacity, the jury gives an Honorable Mention to Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Véréna Paravel’s Leviathan.”

Jury: Chico Pereira, Jay Rosenblatt, Melissa Lindgren

The INTERNATIONAL SHORTS award is presented to:

A Society by Jens Assur (Sweden)

“The International Shorts Jury would like to award the prize to Jens Assur’s fiction film, A Society. This is an arresting and thought-provoking piece of moving image and we were greatly impressed by the evocation of atmosphere, interplay of narratives and themes. As a beautifully realised piece of cinematic art, A Society juxtaposes reality and fiction, darkness and light, freedom and oppression to devastating effect: a fiction film that channels the righteous fury of a human rights documentary.”

Honorable Mention: Chamomile by Neritan Zinxhiria (Greece)

“We would like to give an Honorable Mention to Neritan Zinxhira’s Chamomile. The jury was impressed by this first-time director’s confident handling of the aesthetics of the cinematic medium — the stark, unforgiving landscape mirroring the interior landscape of the protagonist to create a prosaic portrait rooted in ritual and personal purpose.”

Jury: Adrian Paci, Ali Akay, Lydia Beilby

The NATIONAL award is presented to:

The Stone on the Shore by Jonada Jashari (USA)

“The jury gives the winning prize to The Stone on the Shore for literally every detail of the film: from cinematography to costumes, from the script to the world-class directing. We felt like every detail of the film was part of a masterful plan. A masterpiece.”

Honorable Mention: Zibidi by Nart Zeqiraj (Kosovo)

“This black comedy through its minimal style and perfect film language portrays a universal world of teenagers. Three young actors make a portrait of bored and not-so-active teenagers who you start to like and understand better though the film. Funny, touching, and memorable.”

Jury: Adriana Matoshi, Marcin Luczaj, Sabir Kanaqi

The YOUTH award is presented to:

Batman at the Checkpoint by Rafael Balulu (Germany)

“The jury found this film sublimely conceived. You can’t help but praise the political element of it. The ability to laugh at weakness is of tremendous value. The jury gives the YOUTH prize to Rafael Balulu’s Batman at the Checkpoint”

Honorable Mention: Nicoleta by Sonia Liza Kenterman (UK/Greece)

“The jury gives an honorable mention to Sonia Liza Kenterman’s Nicoleta because it’s a film that leaves you breathless and complete, both inside and out.”

Honorable Mention: These Things Happen by Grigory Kurdyaev (Russian Federation)

“The jury also gives an honorable mention to Grigory Kurdyaev’s These Things Happen for its sensitivity and charm.”

Jury: Laureta Paqarizi, Rrita Berisha, Vernon Shukriu

The AUDIENCE AWARD is presented to:

Kolona by Ujkan Hysaj (Kosovo)

The ProCredit Bank Environmental Video Awards:

First Prize: Paradox by Trim Kasemi
Second Prize: Shkatërrojnë Gjelbrimin në Prishtinë by Visar Duriqi
Third Prize: Bërllogu bohët prej Bërllogut by Nora Raci