email print share on Facebook share on Twitter share on LinkedIn share on reddit pin on Pinterest

ONE WORLD PRAGUE 2020 Awards

Romanian film Collective wins big at One World Prague

by 

- The gathering still gave out its awards despite being abruptly interrupted and postponed owing to the Czech government’s measures to limit the spread of COVID-19

Romanian film Collective wins big at One World Prague
Collective by Alexander Nanau

The 22nd One World International Documentary Film Festival in Prague was abruptly interrupted and postponed, as during its official dates (5-14 March), the Czech government introduced restrictions to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Therefore, the festival could not conduct all of its screenings, and part of its programme had to be postponed. Making the promise that this would not be the end of the festival, One World has also announced its winners, and aims to organise an event in autumn to round off this edition.

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

In the International Competition, the Best Film Award went to the rather contemporary Romanian documentary Collective [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
by Alexander Nanau, which investigates the extensive corruption in the Romanian healthcare system that led to the deaths of dozens of young people after a fire in the Collective club. French filmmaker Thomas Balmès received the Best Director Award for the Toronto-premiered Sing Me a Song [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
, which follows a monk in Bhutan who is trying to keep his personal relationships afloat in the era of modern technology.

In the Right to Know section, which picks movies that contribute to the safeguarding of human rights, the Václav Havel Jury chose as its winner the Sundance title Welcome to Chechnya by David France, which presents stories of homosexuals who were forced to flee their homeland owing to the extreme sanctions and punishments that the Chechen government has imposed upon them. The jury’s Special Prize was bestowed upon directors Jonas Schreijäg and Nadia Kailouli for their documentary Sea-Watch 3 [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
, which follows the titular ship’s captain, Carola Rackete, who has saved more than 40 refugees from drowning.

In the Czech Competition, the Best Documentary was Caught in the Net [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
by Barbora Chalupová and Vít Klusák, which also world-premiered at One World, while Town of Glory [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
by Dmitry Bogolyubov pocketed the Special Prize for its daring criticism of political propaganda.

Here is the full list of award winners:

International Competition

Best Film
Collective [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
– Alexander Nanau (Romania/Luxembourg)

Best Director
Thomas Balmès – Sing Me a Song [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
(France/Germany/Switzerland)

Right to Know Competition

Best Film
Welcome to Chechnya – David France (USA)

Special Jury Prize
Sea-Watch 3 [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
– Jonas Schreijäg, Nadia Kailouli (Germany/Italy)

Czech Competition

Best Film
Caught in the Net [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
– Barbora Chalupová, Vít Klusák (Czech Republic/Slovakia)

Special Jury Prize
Town of Glory [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
– Dmitry Bogolyubov (Russia/Czech Republic/Germany)

Regional Jury Award
Self Portrait [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
– Espen Wallin, Margreth Olin, Katja Hogseth (Norway)

Student Jury Award
Mai Khoi and the Dissidents – Joe Piscatella (USA)

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

Did you enjoy reading this article? Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive more stories like this directly in your inbox.

Privacy Policy