The 55th edition of the Giffoni Film Festival (running 17-26 July) – the last under the leadership of its founder Claudio Gubitosi – has now wrapped. Involving upwards of 5,000 young jurists hailing from 30 different countries, the event has once again confirmed itself as one of the most significant international gatherings dedicated to cinema for newer generations.

Selected from 2,500+ titles hailing from all corners of the globe, the winning films reflect the central themes of this year’s festival: identity, inclusion, memory and freedom of expression. They range between fiction films and documentaries, feature films and shorts, tackling frequently thorny topics with a language adapted for younger audiences and inspiring reflection and self-examination.

When it came to the main competition prizes, Super Charlie by Jon Holmberg claimed the Gryphon Award for Elements +6, with its entertaining tale of two brothers – one a newborn with extraordinary powers, the other desperately jealous – who are determined to stop a supervillain. Honey by Natasha Arthy triumphed in the Elements +10 section, painting a sensitive portrait of a shy girl who finds the courage to express herself through music.

The Generator +13 Prize went to Javier Ruiz Caldera’s Wolfgang [+lee también:
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In the Gex Doc documentary section, Cutting Through Rocks by Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni – which previously bagged this year’s Grand Jury Prize in Sundance’s World Cinema Documentary Competition -  stood out for its focus on the first woman elected to be a councilwoman in a conservative Iranian village, who subsequently finds herself caught up in a lengthy battle with the patriarchy.

The prize for Best Photography (in memory of Gaetano Del Mauro) went to Promise I’ll Be Fine [+lee también:
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Jostling among the victorious short films is The Goldfish by Gisella Gobbi, which distinguished itself in the Elements +3 line-up thanks to its poignant tale about a little girl and her fish, and in the Elements +6 section, Carmen and the Wooden Spoon by Carlos Gómez-Mira Sagrado reigned supreme, taking viewers on a dreamlike journey through the memory of a grandmother with the help of a magic spoon. The Elements +10 section rewarded Marta vuole giocare by Matteo Quarta, which follows a young aspiring female footballer who’s determined to overcome any kind of social barrier, and the Parental Experience Prize, for its part, went to Domenico Distilo’s Vermi, painting a powerful portrait of a Friulian girl who looks after her family by selling worms to fisherman.

Last but not least, the ECFA Award – Best European Film for Children (Elements +6), was bestowed upon Tales from the Magic Garden [+lee también:
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The group hug given to the festival’s historic creator, Claudio Gubitosi - who’s stepping down from his leading role after over half a century of activity, innovation and shared visions – put a symbolic end to an era. Gubitosi officially handed over the torch to his son Jacopo, CEO, and to Luca Apolito, who’s now the festival’s artistic director.

The full list of this year’s winners is as follows:

Elements +3

Gryphon Award
The Goldfish – Gisella Gobbi (Italy) (short film)

Elements +6

Gryphon Award for Best Feature Film
Super Charlie – Jon Holmberg (Sweden/Denmark)

Gryphon Award for Best Short
Carmen and the Wooden Spoon – Carlos Gómez-Mira Sagrado (Spain)

Elements +10

Gryphon Award for Best Feature Film
Honey – Natasha Arthy (Denmark)

Gryphon Award for Best Short
Marta vuole giocare – Matteo Quarta (Italy)

Generator +13

Gryphon Award
Wolfgang [+lee también:
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Generator +16

Gryphon Award
Isle Child – Thomas Percy Kim (South Korea/USA)

Generator +18

Gryphon Award
Kneecap [+lee también:
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Gex Doc

Gryphon Award
Cutting Through Rocks – Sara Khaki, Mohammadreza Eyni (Iran/Netherlands/USA/Germany/Qatar/Chile/Canada)

Other awards

Best Photography – in memory of Gaetano Del Mauro
Promise I’ll Be Fine [+lee también:
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Parental Experience Award
Worms – Domenico Distilo (Italy) (short film)

CONAI Prize for Best Environmental Film
My Penguin Friend – David Schurmann (Brazil/USA)

Acea Prize
No Place Like Home – Valeria Gaudieri (short film)

Lete Prize
Marta vuole giocare – Matteo Quarta (short film)

Tommy Hilfiger Prize
The Secret Floor – Norbert Lechner (Germany/Austria/Luxembourg)

Enel Special Award
Bird of a Different Feather – Manohara (India)

Terna Special Award
Isle Child – Thomas Percy Kim

CGS Creative Journeys Prize 2025 (Generator +13)
Felipe [+lee también:
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CGS Creative Journeys Prize 2025 (Generator +16)
Christy [+lee también:
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ECFA Award – Best European Film for Children (Elements +6)
Tales from the Magic Garden [+lee también:
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