18/03/2024 - Glass, My Unfulfilled Life and Reas have received the other Golden Alexanders in their respective sections at the biggest documentary festival in Greece

Some of the winners of the 26th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival (© Ververidis Vasilis/Chris Christodoulou)

The 26th edition of the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival (TiDF) has concluded with the announcement of its award recipients, following its run from 7-17 March. The jury for the International Competition Feature Length section, consisting of producer-director Valerie Kontakos, director-producer Rachel Leah Jones and festival programmer Sudeep Sharma, selected My Stolen Planet [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Farahnaz Sharifi as the recipient of the Golden Alexander Award for Best Documentary. This accolade includes a cash prize of €12,000 and positions the film as a contender for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film. Described by the jury as “a skilfully crafted and emotionally resonant first-person essay, it affirms the notion that behind every political reality lies a sub-reality, and that resistance manifests itself in myriad forms, particularly within the private sphere”. The film also received the FIPRESCI Award for Best Documentary in the International Competition.

The €5,000 Silver Alexander was awarded to Lidia Duda's Forest [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lidia Duda
film profile], recognised as “an observational portrayal of a family living off the grid, and confronting global forces that bring injustice and hardship to their doorstep”. Additionally, Stray Bodies [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Elina Psykou
film profile] by Elina Psykou received a Special Mention, and it was praised by the jury for its “unconventional examination of complex moral, ethical, philosophical and political issues surrounding the autonomy over one's body – both in life and in death – approached with a blend of lightness and intention”. The film also received a Special Mention by Amnesty International.

In the Newcomers International Competition, which included debut and sophomore features, the Golden Alexander – Dimitri Eipides Award, accompanied by a cash prize of €10,000, was bestowed upon Glass, My Unfulfilled Life [+see also:
film review
film profile] by Rogier Kappers. The jury members – producer Maria Drandaki, director Alisa Kovalenko and director Gianluca Matarrese – underlined that the film, “with its blend of humour, self-deprecation and a little bit of drama, explores the theme of autofiction with honesty and vulnerability”. The Silver Alexander, accompanied by a cash prize of €4,000, went to Fighting Demons With Dragons by Camilla Magid, who took on “the hard challenge of telling a multi-character story, creating with tenderness the both emotional and complex universe of teenagers at a fragile turning point in their lives, and the intimate portrayal of an elderly couple in the final chapter of their lives”.

In the »Film Forward International Competition, which showcases the work of new and daring directors, the jury – comprising visual artist Sister Sylvester, director Bo Wang and curator Christoforos Marinos – gave the Golden Alexander, which comes with €6,000 in cash, to Reas [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lola Arias
film profile] by Lola Arias, which “tackles a relevant social issue that is both timely and urgent. Its impact extends far beyond the confines of the screen, inspiring audiences to take action towards positive change.” The film also received the Mermaid Award. The Silver Alexander, accompanied by a €3,000 cash prize, was granted to Desire Lines by Jules Rosskam, for “its candid, playful filmmaking that conjures up histories and writes its own counter archive”. A Special Mention was bestowed upon the documentary Avant-drag! by Fil Ieropoulos, for “its subversive, iconoclastic approach that invites the audience to reimagine Greek society”.

Furthermore, in the Immersive: All Around Cinema competition section, the Immersive Golden Alexander went to the film Emperor by Marion Burger and Ilan J Cohen, for “its inventive narrative structure that found a way to our hearts in making a touching personal story truly universal”, and a Special Mention was given to Fresh Memories: The Look by Volodomyr Kolbasa and Ondřej Moravec. Finally, the Podcast Award was bestowed upon Faethon Never Existed by Maya Filippopoulou and Effrosyni Kyriazi.

Here is the full list of award winners at the 26th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival:

International Competition

Golden Alexander
My Stolen Planet [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Farahnaz Sharifi (Germany/Iran)

Silver Alexander
Forest [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lidia Duda
film profile] - Lidia Duda (Poland/Czech Republic)
Special Mention
Stray Bodies [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Elina Psykou
film profile] - Elina Psykou (Greece/Switzerland/Italy/Bulgaria)

Newcomers International Competition

Golden Alexander - Dimitri Eipides
Glass, My Unfulfilled Life [+see also:
film review
film profile] - Rogier Kappers (Netherlands)

Silver Alexander
Fighting Demons With Dragons - Camilla Magid (Denmark)

»Film Forward International Competition

Golden Alexander
Reas [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lola Arias
film profile] - Lola Arias (Argentina/Germany/Switzerland)

Silver Alexander
Desire Lines - Jules Rosskam (USA)
Special Mention
Avant-Drag! - Fil Ieropoulos (Greece)

Immersive: All Around Cinema Competition

Immersive Golden Alexander
Emperor - Marion Burger, Ilan J Cohen (France/Germany)
Special Mention
Fresh Memories: The Look - Volodomyr Kolbasa, Ondřej Moravec (Czech Republic)

Podcast Award
Faethon Never Existed - Maya Filippopoulou, Effrosyni Kyriazi (Greece)
Special Mention
Listen to the River - Natassa Blatsiou (Greece)

ENS Louis Lumière – French Institute of Greece Award for an Upcoming Audio Documentary Creator
Konstantina Stavropoulou - Sounds and Whispers, Human Roots (Greece)
Special Mention
Charis Pagonidou - Amorgos: Where I Belong (Greece)

Podcast in Development Award – in collaboration with iMEdD
The End - Nadia Mehdi

Mermaid Award
Reas - Lola Arias
Special Mention
Lesvia - Tzeli Hadjidimitriou (Greece)

Alpha Bank Accessibility Award (ex aequo)
Loxandra, the protagonist of Loxy, and directors Dimitris Zahos and Thanasis Kafetzis (Greece)

Greek Film Centre Award (ex aequo)
Panellinion - Spyros Mantzavinos, Kostas Antarachas (Greece)
Lesvia - Tzeli Hadjidimitriou

Amnesty International Award
In the Rearview [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Maciek Hamela (Poland/France/Ukraine)
Special Mention
Stray Bodies - Elina Psykou

FIPRESCI Award (International Competition)
My Stolen Planet - Farahnaz Sharifi

FIPRESCI Award (Best Greek Film)
Tack - Vania Turner (Greece)

Greek Association of Film Critics’ Award
Panellinion - Spyros Mantzavinos, Kostas Antarachas

WIFT (Women in Film & Television) Award
Tack - Vania Turner

WWF Greece Award
Nocturnes - Anupama Srinivasan, Anirban Dutta (India/USA)

Youth Jury Awards

Best Greek Film Award
Tack - Vania Turner

Special Jury Prize
Panellinion - Spyros Mantzavinos, Kostas Antarachas