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 [+leggi anche:
recensione
intervista: Nelson Makengo
scheda film] (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 [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
scheda film] 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 [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Lidia Duda
scheda film], 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 [+leggi anche:
recensione
intervista: Lina Vdovîi, Radu Ciorniciuc
scheda film], 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 [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Isabela Tent
scheda film], 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 [+leggi anche:
recensione
intervista: Nelson Makengo
scheda film] - Nelson Makengo (Democratic Republic of Congo)

Best Directing
My Stolen Planet [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
scheda film] - Farahnaz Sharifi (Germany/Iran)

Central and Eastern European Competition

Best Documentary
Forest [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Lidia Duda
scheda film] – Lidia Duda (Czech Republic/Poland)

Best Directing
Tata [+leggi anche:
recensione
intervista: Lina Vdovîi, Radu Ciorniciuc
scheda film] – Radu Ciorniciuc, Lina Vdovîi (Germany/Netherlands/Romania)

Romanian Competition

Best Documentary
Alice On&Off [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Isabela Tent
scheda film] – 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)