28/10/2024 - Films hailing from Romania, Germany and the Czech Republic also win awards at the Romanian documentary gathering

After eight days and screenings of more than 100 films, the 31st edition of the Astra Film Awards (taking place 20-27 October in Sibiu) announced its awards during a Saturday night gala hosted at the quaint Transylvanian town’s philharmonic. The top award in the Emerging Voices of Documentary Cinema Competition went to Nelson Makengo’s Rising Up at Night [+see also:
film review
interview: Nelson Makengo
film profile] (Democratic Republic of Congo) and was given by a jury consisting of Italian programmer Renata Santoro, American programmer Faridah Gbadamosi and Romanian film critic Victor Morozov .

The same jury gave a second award for Best Directing to the Germany-Iran co-production My Stolen Planet [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Farahnaz Sharifi, a documentary that explores the double life led by Iranian women in a country that forbids day-to-day activities that are normal anywhere else. 

Lidia Duda’s Forest [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lidia Duda
film profile], about a family moving to a new home in the middle of a Polish forest only to discover that this place is on the itinerary followed by migrants on their way to Western countries, won the top award of the Central and Eastern European Competition. The Best Directing award was won by Radu Ciorniciuc and Lina Vdovîi’s Tata [+see also:
film review
interview: Lina Vdovîi, Radu Ciorniciuc
film profile], a documentary about Vdovîi's estranged Moldovan father who is badly treated by his Italian employer. 

In the Romanian Competition, the top award went to Isabela Tent’s Alice On&Off [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Isabela Tent
film profile], while Alexandra Gulea’s Maia – Portrait with Hands won the Best Directing award. A Special Mention was given to Adrian Dohotaru’s Zagor's Death. 

The physical edition of Astra is followed by an online iteration, with almost 40 documentaries still available to viewers in Romania over the next two weeks.

Here is the complete list of awards handed out at Astra 2024:

New Voices of Documentary Cinema Competition

Best Documentary
Rising Up at Night [+see also:
film review
interview: Nelson Makengo
film profile] - Nelson Makengo (Democratic Republic of Congo)

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

Central and Eastern European Competition

Best Documentary
Forest [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lidia Duda
film profile] – Lidia Duda (Czech Republic/Poland)

Best Directing
Tata [+see also:
film review
interview: Lina Vdovîi, Radu Ciorniciuc
film profile] – Radu Ciorniciuc, Lina Vdovîi (Germany/Netherlands/Romania)

Romanian Competition

Best Documentary
Alice On&Off [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Isabela Tent
film profile] – Isabela Tent (Romania)

Best Directing
Maia – Portrait with Hands – Alexandra Gulea (France/Germany/Romania)

Special Mention
Zagor’s Death – Adrian Dohotaru (Romania)

Docschool Competition

Best Documentary
Dreams about Putin – Nastasia Korkia, Vlad Fishez (Belgium/Hungary/Portugal, short)

Best Directing Award
Constant – An Homage to the Apartment – Paula Durinova (Germany/Slovakia, short)

Special Mention
Night All Day – Daniel Ţîcu (Moldova, medium-length)