The latest edition of the Movies that Matter Festival in The Hague (20-28 March) has unveiled the winners of its awards, with the Ukrainian war documentary Traces and the Egyptian drama Aisha Can’t Fly Away taking home the festival’s two main jury prizes.

The Grand Jury Documentary Award, which comes with a €5,000 prize and makes the winner eligible for a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Film, was awarded to Traces, directed by Alisa Kovalenko and co-directed by Marysia Nikitiuk. The jury, composed of Debra Zimmerman, Joëlle Alexis and Tommy Gulliksen, praised the film’s ability to confront violence and injustice while maintaining a sensitive cinematic approach.

In its statement, the jury said: “Whether it’s bloody wars, power or money, we have witnessed an overwhelming wave of injustices that urgently need to be denounced. At the same time, we have been moved by inspiring individuals who remind us of the price one must pay when standing up against ignorance, violence and the thirst for power. One film, in particular, left us deeply affected – both by its difficult and challenging subject matter, and by its thoughtful and composed form.

“With its unique access to the subject and its characters, this movie exposes the atrocities committed against the vulnerable with respect, intimacy and humility. Above all, it offers a sense of healing through its gaze upon nature, which continues to renew itself despite everything.”

In the fiction competition, the Grand Jury Fiction Award went to Aisha Can’t Fly Away, the debut feature by Egyptian filmmaker Morad Mostafa. The jury – Jolein Laarman, Khalid Shami and Mandy Chang – highlighted the pic’s bold filmmaking approach and emotionally compelling protagonist.

“The film we chose as Best Fiction Film at Movies that Matter surpassed our expectations on all levels of its craft and storytelling execution,” the jury stated. “The cinematography takes bold risks that keep your engagement locked into the heart of this story. The sound design immerses you in the physical reality of the film’s world and the protagonist’s emotional interior.”

They added that the movie’s central performance offered “insights into strength and resilience through hardship and suffering, often with silence that speaks louder than words”, concluding that the work “combines multiple layers of meaning that address an under-represented aspect of the female condition, faith, justice, morality, ethics and a pure will to survive that affects millions”.

Elsewhere in the festival’s competition line-up, the Activist Lens Award was presented to Cutting Through Rocks by Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni. The jury emphasised the film’s powerful portrait of a young Iranian woman resisting patriarchal constraints, noting how the protagonist “is quietly challenging centuries of patriarchal tradition” through seemingly small but courageous acts.

Next, the Justice Frame Award went to This Is My Body by Jérôme Clément-Wilz, which the jury described as “a poetic, subtle and authentic film that demonstrates the importance of healing through justice”, highlighting its exploration of the influence of the Catholic Church and patriarchal structures within personal and social contexts.

Meanwhile, the Dutch Focus Award, aptly dedicated to Dutch productions, was given to Between Brothers by Tom Fassaert. The jury praised the film as “a personal story well told”, focusing on the lifelong bond between two brothers who share a traumatic childhood and remain deeply connected throughout their lives.

Finally, the Shorts Award went to Rahhala: Hayya ala Hayya by Lujain Jo. According to the jury, the short stood out for its use of text to evoke imagery and emotion.

Here is the full list of this year's winners:

Grand Jury Documentary Award
Traces – Alisa Kovalenko, Marysia Nikitiuk (Ukraine/Poland)

Grand Jury Fiction Award
Aisha Can’t Fly Away – Morad Mostafa (Egypt/Sudan/Tunisia/Qatar/Saudi Arabia/France/Germany)
Special Mention
Lost Land – Akio Fujimoto (Japan/France/Malaysia/Germany)

Activist Lens Award
Cutting Through Rocks – Sara Khaki, Mohammadreza Eyni (Iran/Netherlands/USA/Germany/Qatar/Chile/Canada)
Special Mention
The Woman Who Poked the Leopard – Patience Nitumwesiga (Uganda/South Africa/Germany/USA)

Justice Frame Award
This Is My Body – Jérôme Clément-Wilz (France)
Special Mention
The Alabama Solution – Andrew Jarecki, Charlotte Kaufman (USA)

Dutch Focus Award
Between Brothers – Tom Fassaert (Netherlands/Belgium)
Special Mention
Gedwongen Geloften – Eva Strating, Roxanne Herder (Netherlands)

Shorts Award
Rahhala: Hayya ala Hayya – Lujain Jo (Lebanon/Qatar)
Special Mention
What If They Bomb Here Tonight – Samir Syriani (Lebanon)