Winners

REQUIEM FOR A WHALE – SPECIAL JURY MENTION 

The Jury’s Comment: Against the background of the world crisis of climate change, this documentary about a beach dead whale near the Gaza Strip constructs an ironic portrait of the banal brutality of our society in its relationship with the living.

 Director and cinematographer: Ido Weisman, Screenwriters: Ido Weisman, Alex Khosid (The Steve Tisch School of Film and Television, Tel Aviv University).

MANAR- AUDIENCE AWARD

Written & Directed and produced by: Rachel Albert (Sapir College School of Audio & Visual arts).

TEATRALNA STATION- BEST EDITING

The Jury’s Comment: This multilayered film experience reveals not only an editorial voice but an auteur voice as well since Alina Panasenko is also the screenwriter and director of Teatralna station.

Editor: Alina Panasenko, Philip Sotnychenko, Written & Directed by: Alina Panasenko (Kyiv National I. K. Karpenko-Karyi Theatre, Cinema and Television University).

DAYDREAMING SO VIVIDLY ABOUT OUR SPANISH HOLIDAYS – BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

The Jury’s Comment: For the wide range of cinematographic choices – free and fresh filmmaking approach in creating images that resonate/echo long after leaving the theater.

Cinematography: Manuel G. Romero

Director & Editor:  Christian Avilés

Screenwriter & Producer: Nica Fazio

(ESCAC – Escola Superior de Cinema i Audiovisuals de Catalunya).

HUMAN RESOURCES – BEST SCREENPLAY

The Jury’s Comment: A very ambitious narrative approach in a very short duration  – Uses animation to realize an ironic métaphor about human denial, upcycling, and the obsession for leaving a mark in the world after death.

Screenwriters,directors, cinematographers, editors and cast: Isaac Wenzek, Titouan Tillier, Trinidad Plass Caussade (EMCA – Ecole des Métiers du Cinéma d’Animation).

5/3/0- MOST PROMISING DIRECTOR

The Jury’s Comment: An accomplished filmmaking, the film heralds the arrival of a new directorial voice with this nocturnal portrayal of a young woman interpreted by Dostana Nikolic fighting for her life against the patriarchal society.

Director and producer: Danilo Stanimirović, Screenwriters: Danilo Stanimirović, Irena Parezanović (Faculty of Media and Communications, Serbia).

WORLDS BURNING AMID THE SHADOWS – BEST FILM

The Jury’s Comment: Bold, sensitive, uplifting, and visually striking take about a mother/son relationship portrayal in Colombian society.

Written & Directed by: Ismael García (Politecnico Colombiano Jaime Isaza Cadavid).

SIBA – BEST FILM

The Jury’s Comment: Within short 15 minutes, an entire world of culture and characters opens is revealed. Understanding the world of the characters is fascinating, and the cinematic aspects make them more accurate. Siva the protagonist, is portrayed in an internal struggle for her female freedom and the camera succeeds to delicately, intelligently and aesthetically portray the chariots of the internal conflict when drawing the characters around her. The dialogues are well constructed and the result is a short and exciting film that manages to express a lot of power even between the lines.

Written & Directed By: Donna Hawa (The Jerusalem Sam Spiegel Film And Television School).

SEE YOU ‘ROUND THE BLOCK – BEST ACTOR

The Jury’s Comment: The actors of “See You ‘Round the Block”, in the most virtuoso way, manage to create body gestures, honest conversation, and alter the plethora of feelings that rise through the loaded dialogue. The meeting that occurs between the couple raises thoughts about Samuel Beckett and the strange abyss that lovers find themselves in. Beyond the convincing acting techniques, the actors’ mindfulness is quite noticeable as the driving force of the inner conflicts. The authentic result impresses and sparks hope in the viewer

Actor: Avi Sarussi and Omer Perelman Striks, Written & Directed by: Daniel Gat (The Steve Tisch School of Film and Television, Tel Aviv University).

AUNT DINA – BEST EDITING

The Jury’s Comment: With full restraint and precise thought, the editing work in “Aunt Dina” succeeds in explain in an artistical way the cinematic story and helps us dive deeper into the dark secret of the grieving family. The precision of the editing, contributes to the reorganization of the script and the photography, connects and clarifies the gaps of time, and succeeds in expressing the dark parts in a delicate cutting work (which takes place under the cover of the night), in a car driving, in the small family apartment and in the beating hearts of the characters.

Editor: Zohar Sela, Written & Directed by: Benyamin Esticangie (Minshar School Of Art).

MIRA – HONORABLE MENTION

The Jury’s Comment: A fascinating and lively portrait is raised by the point of view of “Mira” the protagonist, as documented by her granddaughter, in a peaceful manner from memories whom in the middle stands one of the fathers of Israeli documentary cinema, David Perlov. David’s story, from the eyes of Mira, sheds new lights to the life of the husband, father, grandfather, and director. The creation embodies feminine and intergenerational dialogue that creates new and rare familiarity with parts of “Diary” and Perlov’s significance as a creator. Mira’s point of view, and experiences at her late age permit a shrewd perspective of the balance between art and family. The strength and power of the creation, derived from the touching and feminine honesty of the protagnist’s love of cinema. This creations, among others are considered honorable mentions.

Written & Directed by: Alma Ben Zeev (Steve Tisch School of Film and Television, Tel Aviv University). 

HELP! I WANT TO DIE – BEST SCREENPLAY AND AUDIENCE AWARD

The Jury’s Comment: “Help! I want to die” is witty and paradoxically lively script. The dialogues easily manage to introduce us to complicated, existential, and imaginative themes, written with great wit that is worthy of praise. The characters are designed comically and very well and the plot weaves the relationships around the central conflict in a unique way.

Screenplay: Dana Weil, Directed By: Dana Weil (The Steve Tisch School of Film and Television, Tel Aviv University).

THE BOY – BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

The Jury’s Comment: The cinematography in “The Boy” is spectacular, powerful and draws us into an experiential and stylish cinematic dimension. The cinematography uses the script and in a unique way that manages to dive in to subtleties and nuances that intelligently open the viewer’s heart to the story. The different perspectives are an indication to an artistic point of view, while accurately capturing the course of the scenes.

Cinematography: Ben Peled, Written & Directed by: Yahav Winner (Minshar School of Art).

ALALA- AUDIENCE AWARD

Director: Yael Arad Zafrir, Screenwriter: Yael Arad Zafrir, Efrat Arnon.

LETTER TO A PIG – BEST ANIMATED FILM AWARD

The Jury’s Comment: By the fascinating artistic vision and its technical qualities in picture and sound, the film manages to translate the story of the holocaust at its center to an original cinematic representation in a unique mix of compassion and rage.

Director & Screenwriter & Animation : Tal Kantor

MOTHERLAND- BEST DIRECTOR

The Jury’s Comment: For the directorial achievements that were reached by working with a unique ensemble cast made up of professional actors and non-actors alike, and by creating fascinating misenscene that emphasize the depth of the conflict and the pain that is shared by the two first female leading characters.

Written & Directed by: Hila Elena Royzenman

COLD WATER – BEST FILM

The Jury’s Comment: The poetic vision, and the unique shape of the film which combines between the documentary and narrative style of films, while also exemplifying a reliable performance in the cinematic sphere, manages to portray the juxtaposition between the experience of the mystery and the myth of religion to the disbelief and loss of hope in the life of the protagonist.

Director &  Screenwriter & Producer: Itamar Alcalay

REQUIEM FOR A WHALE- HONORABLE MENTION

The Jury’s Comment: a smart and poetic documentary that explores the consequences of an extraordinary event on those who witnessed it, including the director point of view.

 Director and cinematographer: Ido Weisman, Screenwriters: Ido Weisman, Alex Khosid (The Steve Tisch School of Film and Television, Tel Aviv University)

MANAR- HONORABLE MENTION

The Jury’s Comment: An impressive, condensed, suffocating work of cinema which uses it’s location excellenty, in light and eyes, those that peek inside and those that try to look out, and all that in order to tell a horribly depressing story about opression and exploitation. A creation which roots out serenity, and is fascinating visually.

Written & Directed and produced by: Rachel Albert (Sapir College School of Audio & Visual arts)

SEE YOU ‘ROUND THE BLOCK- BEST FILM

The Jury’s Comment:  In a beautifully long shot, that continues for 14 minutes in the streets of Florentine, the story of an almost random meeting, chat, and farewell unfolds, while including in the film’s short duration a whole story of a relationship, from it’s beginning to it’s end. Additionally, it is a film with fascinating thought and execution and a film with a hug at it’s end offers one of the most touching endings that we saw during this year’s festival.

Written & Directed by: Daniel Gat (The Steve Tisch School of Film and Television, Tel Aviv University)