The 41st Warsaw Film Festival (10-19 October) has announced its award winners. The festival’s International Competition jury, composed of filmmaker Lone Scherfig, producer Joanna Szymańska, director Václav Marhoul, filmmaker Anatol Schuster and producer Volodymyr Yatsenko, honoured Nino [+leggi anche:
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The jury described the French film as “a work of remarkable subtlety. Avoiding clichés, the story unfolds with deep empathy for its protagonist and a sense of surprise for the audience, tenderly portraying a young man confronted with the end of his own life”. The Grand Prix, funded by the Mayor of the City of Warsaw, includes a cash prize of 100,000 PLN (€23,566).

The Award for Best Director went to Our Girls by Dutch filmmaker Mike van Diem. The jury praised “a film and a director who courageously prompt us to ask ourselves how far we would go for the ones we love. Every scene feels deliberate, and every performance takes the audience on a journey from laughter to anger to grief – constantly challenging us to reflect on our own moral choices.”

The Special Jury Award was presented to the main cast of Home Sweet Home by Wojtek Smarzowski for their “courage, precision and emotional depth”, particularly singling out the performances of Agata Turkot and Tomasz Schuchardt. A Special Mention was given to Slovak actor Milan Ondrík for his leading role in Father [+leggi anche:
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In the 1–2 Competition, which focuses on first and second features, the jury composed of producer Frauke Lodders, filmmaker Grzegorz Dębowski and writer-director Jan Cvitkovič awarded the top prize to Omaha by Cole Webley. The jury described it as “a film of extraordinary tenderness and sensitivity” that “reminds us that sometimes one must lose everything to realise there is still something worth fighting for”. A Special Mention went to Wild Foxes [+leggi anche:
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In the Documentary Competition, the top prize went to The Spies Among Us by Jamie Silverman and Gabriel Silverman, which the jury hailed for its “sophisticated cinematic language, outstanding cinematography, editing and dramaturgy”. A Special Mention was awarded to 3000 km by Bike by Ivan Vescovo.

The Polish Film Institute Award went to Good Fortune by Aziz Ansari, distributed in Poland by Monolith Films, as the top-rated title in the festival’s Encounters section. The prize is valued at 40,000 PLN (€9,424).

In the Short Film Competition, Fin by Ward Kayyal took home the Short Grand Prix, praised for “confronting the reality of the genocide in Gaza in a sharp, concise, deeply moving and unsettling way”. Other winners included The School Uniform by Martin Z for Best Live-action Short, Paradaiz by Matea Radic for Best Animated Short and Sanayi the Rooster by Lotte Salomons for Best Documentary Short.

The FIPRESCI Award went to The World of Love by Yoon Ga-eun, lauded for its “subtle direction and emotional resonance” and for being “a multilayered work of art about love, judgement and self-discovery”. The Young FIPRESCI Jury also recognised Nino for its “intimate psychological journey and sensitively captured performances”.

The NETPAC Award was given to Cutting Through Rocks [+leggi anche:
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Here is the full list of award winners at the 41st Warsaw Film Festival:

International Competition

Warsaw Grand Prix
Nino [+leggi anche:
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Award for Best Director
Mike van Diem – Our Girls (Netherlands/Austria/Belgium)

Special Jury Award
Main cast of Home Sweet Home – Wojtek Smarzowski (Poland)
Special Mention
Milan Ondrík – Father [+leggi anche:
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1–2 Competition

Winner
Omaha – Cole Webley (USA)
Special Mention
Wild Foxes [+leggi anche:
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Documentary Competition

Best Documentary Film
The Spies Among Us – Jamie Silverman, Gabriel Silverman (USA)
Special Mention
3000 km by Bike – Ivan Vescovo (Argentina)

Polish Film Institute Award
Good Fortune – Aziz Ansari (USA)

Short Film Competition

Short Grand Prix
Fin – Ward Kayyal (Palestine, short film)

Best Live-action Short Film
The School Uniform – Martin Z (China, short film)

Best Animated Short Film
Paradaiz – Matea Radic (Canada, short film)

Best Documentary Short Film
Sanayi the Rooster – Lotte Salomons (Netherlands, short film)

FIPRESCI Award
The World of Love – Yoon Ga-eun (South Korea)

Young FIPRESCI Award
Nino – Pauline Loquès

NETPAC Award
Cutting Through Rocks [+leggi anche:
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Ecumenical Jury Prize
Brother – Maciej Sobieszczański (Poland/Czech Republic)

Ecumenical Jury Commendation
Nino – Pauline Loquès