The main jury (Bettina Brokemper, Elisha Karmitz and Jonah Rabb) awarded the TitraFilm Prize (10,000 euros in post-production services) to Man vs Flock, the first fiction feature by Macedonia’s Tamara Kotevska (read our interview), who’s previously won great acclaim for her documentaries, notably Honeyland [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Ljubomir Stefanov, Tamara …
intervista: Tamara Kotevska, Ljubomir …
scheda film] (awarded the Grand Prize in Sundance 2019 and nominated twice in the 2020 Oscars) and The Tale of Silyan [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Tamara Kotevska
scheda film] (discovered out of competition at the latest Venice Film Festival). Written by the director, the story revolves around an old Macedonian farmer who fights to defend his land from a Chinese company constructing the New Silk Road. Until things turn personal… And an unexpected ally, in the form of an influencer and plane crash victim, changes everything… Production is steered by Jordanco Petkovski on behalf of Video Studio Petkovski (North Macedonia), in co-production with asterisk* (Greece), Nukleus Film (Croatia), Filmoskopija (Serbia), Cine Planet (Montenegro) and Zeynofilm (Turkey).

The jury honoured this film, which, “uses a bold, absurd and deeply human narrative to explore family tensions and societal pressures with remarkable precision. Its confident mise en scène and skilful work with actors in the few minutes we saw, make it a work that promises to be engaging and profoundly relevant. At a time when democracies around the world are being challenged, this film deeply resonated with us thanks to the strength and clarity of its vision. Supported by a meaningful example of European co-production involving five countries, it stands as a powerful example of artistic collaboration in uncertain times.”

The Alphapanda Audience Engagement Prize (for digital marketing and endowed with 7,000 euros’ worth of services) went to Girl Beast, the first feature film by Denmark’s Selma Sunniva. Written by the director in league with Sissel Dalsgaard Thomsen, the story tells a Lolita story through the eyes of Lolita herself. Sara is a girl-beast, an object of desire and a being full of desire. The film is a heightened-reality, psychological drama, telling a story of power, loss, liberation and self-destruction... The cast stars Trine Dyrholm, Christian Tafdrup, Thure Lindhardt, Josephine Park, Rebecca Ellen, Ila Melina Raja and Nanna Skaarup Voss. Shooting wrapped in September and production is entrusted to Maria Møller Keldgaard and Ann-Sofie Grøndal for Manna Film.

An Alphapanda Special Mention, meanwhile, was awarded to Weird Elliot, the 3rd feature by Sweden’s Johannes Nyholm (The Giant [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Johannes Nyholm
scheda film], Koko-di Koko-da [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Johannes Nyholm
scheda film]), which is written by the director and which revolves around a vlogger with autism who’s forced to leave his apartment and who discovers signs of a dead body on an old video tape. In his efforts to solve the mystery, he locates the house where the crime took place and decides to move in… Weird Elliot is produced by Nina Yusefi on behalf of Swedish firm Hobab, in co-production with Dutch outfit Baldr Film.

Last but not least, the 22D Music Prize (consisting of 10,000 euros to fund production of an original score and whose jury notably included international sales agent Margot Hervé and composer Chloé Thevenin) crowned A Happy Family its winner, a first feature film project by Switzerland’s Jan-Eric Mack, while a Special Mention went to A Day in the Life of Jo: Chapter Phaedra by Greek director Jacqueline Lentzou (Moon, 66 Questions [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Jacqueline Lentzou
scheda film]).

The full list of awards is as follows:

TitraFilm Prize
Man vs Flock - Tamara Kotevska
Production: Video Studio Petkovski (North Macedonia), asterisk* (Greece), Nukleus Film (Croatia), Filmoskopija (Serbia), Cine Planet (Montenegro), Zeynofilm (Turkey)

Alphapanda Audience Engagement Prize
Girl Beast - Selma Sunniva
Production: Manna Film (Denmark)
Special Mention
Weird Elliot - Johannes Nyholm
Production: Hobab (Sweden), Baldr Film (Netherlands)

22D Music Prize
A Happy Family - Jan-Eric Mack
Production: C-Films AG (Switzerland)
Special Mention
A Day in the Life of Jo: Chapter Phaedra - Jacqueline Lentzou
Production: Avion Films (Greece), Atalante Productions (Greece), Kelek Film UG (Germany), 4 A 4 Productions (France)