Biografilm Festival | Award Winners

The jury of the International Competition, composed by Philippa Kowarsky, John Bleasdale and Eefje Blankevoort, assigned the following awards:

Best Film Award | International Competition | Biografilm Festival 2023

SIEBEN WINTER IN TEHERAN
by Steffi Niederzoll
In 2007 Reyhaneh Jabbari was arrested and condemned to death in Iran after killing a man who was attempting to rape her. It was the start of a seven year ordeal in which - according to the law of blood revenge - her fate rested in the hands of the dead man’s family. Because of the efforts of her fearless family and her own resistance, hers became an international case. Her voice rings powerfully through Steffi Niederzoll’s documentary as does that of her family as they campaign for her release. The film is a bold, vital and necessary denunciation of an unjust system and a portrait of a woman’s unbelievable courage. As a jury we could not help but be touched, angered and inspired by Reyhaneh’s story, as the fight continues.

Hera “Nuovi Talenti” Award | International Competition | Biografilm Festival 2023

UNE VIE COMME UNE AUTRE
by Faustine Cros
A smartly crafted, intimate yet universal story about womanhood. Following in the footsteps of her father as a filmmaker, the director examines the family archive, reframes and offers an important new perspective on the role of women in our society.

Special Mention Hera “Nuovi Talenti” | International Competition | Biografilm Festival 2023

COLETTE ET JUSTIN
by Alain Kassanda

A film that explores our colonial past through questioning big history and diving into untold personal stories.

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The jury of the Biografilm Italia Competition, composed by Angeliki Petrou, Jo-Ann Titmarsh and Gianluca Matarrese, assigned the following awards:

Best Film BPER Award | Biografilm Italia 2023

AFTER THE BRIDGE
by Davide Rizzo and Marzia Toscano

The extreme mastership of the cinematic language makes the this powerful and compelling portrait of a greiving mother the story of a woman which is so much more than the sum of her tragedies.

Special Mention BPER | Biografilm Italia 2023

THE MAYOR - ME, MUSSOLINI AND THE MUSEUM

by Piergiorgio Curzi

A film that shows the importance of how the cancelling out of history - even if it's uncomfortable - is not the right path to take to protect democracy. A film that is extremely current and which invites us to keep the debate open.

Hera “Nuovi Talenti” Award | Biografilm Italia 2023

NOTA BENE
by Jeroen Pool

It's a confident and accomplished debut film. Through a strong and cinematic eye, this observational study depicts the cemetery as a timeless microcosm in which the dead and the living cohabit harmoniously.

Special Mention Hera “Nuovi Talenti” | Biografilm Italia 2023

LA RICERCA
by Giuseppe Petruzzellis

This story of an atypically poetic man takes us to an elevated and universal reflection on our past, present and future thanks to a refined language and a creative use of archive material.

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Manifesto Award | Biografilm Contemporary Lives 2023

NOTES ON DISPLACEMENT
by Khaled Jarrar

Accompanying a family's journey to Europe. A very vivid portrait of what the migration journey means. Sincere and representative of a great drama, it allows us to immerse ourselves together with the protagonist family and the director, who faces the journey himself. Notes on Displacement gives voice to the voiceless, it talks about Palestine without talking about Palestine, recounting what it means to have to leave one's homeland and not see one's identity recognised, that 'displacement' that Nadira - the protagonist - experiences twice. The film succeeds in showing a real and unfiltered gaze. A journey that gives back some of the questions that do not end with the film story: the odyssey of the refugees is accompanied organically and comprehensively, and proves once again the need for a European response to the subject. The audience directly feels a strong sense of dismay and anger, accompanied by a necessary assumption of responsibility as European citizens.

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Young Critics Award | Biografilm Festival 2023

THE GULLSPÅNG MIRACLE
di Maria Fredriksson

The reason why we awarded this film is first and foremost its originality, since it is able to play with the canonical conception of the documentary, approaching the border with fiction, but never crossing it. In addition to this, we have chosen to value the ability to mix various genres and the specificity of the themes treated in an ironic way. It is precisely because of this lightness that The Gullspang Miracle is the film that touched us most.

Bring The Change Award - Aldini Valeriani | Biografilm Festival 2023

THE MIND GAME
by Sajid Khan Nasiri, Eefje Blankevoort and Els van Driel
This film depicts a contemporary reality, that of refugees, which involved a teenager like us, SK, who filmed his daily drama through the technology of a mobile phone. We were struck by his tenacity and the psychological trauma he experienced.
THE COURAGE with which SK managed to reach his goal despite the difficulties he encountered, the pressure, the physical violence and the time it took (two years) is truly impressive. And all this has in no way inhibited his smile. The film shows how many people struggle to live their lives in a dignified way in relation to their social reality, and how many loved ones they may lose on the journey to Europe.

Bring The Change Award - Arca di Noè | Biografilm Festival 2023

EX AEQUO

THE MIND GAME
by Sajid Khan Nasiri, Eefje Blankevoort and Els van Driel

EX AEQUO

IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE?
by Ella Glendining

We award both films because they both tell the story of two people who have shown great courage in the face of difficulties, two people with whom we identify a lot.

Sajid is a very young guy and has embarked on a very dangerous journey in search of a better life, without ever giving up and losing hope. This is what happened to us, migrant guys, with very similar difficulties and accepting the same sacrifices. Sajid also makes it because he is not alone, but he’s part of a group of guys who support each other. We were also impressed by the way his story is told, with maps and messages, just like a video game, which gives the idea that often the protagonist does not know if he is going in the right direction but keeps going with determination.

Ella is brave because she lives in the world without worrying about what other people think of her physical disability. She shows that even with a disability one can live happy, independent and free. The experience of living as you are, accepting yourself, is a very important message. Disabled people are often seen as lacking something, and for this reason often have to undergo invasive operations. We deaf young people have felt the same way as Ella, forced to have an operation that might be dangerous and painful for us. And yet we can say no, as Ella's family did, and still live a full life. We, boys and girls from Arca di Noè, have also felt observed and judged, but we have learnt not to let ourselves be intimidated, and to create beautiful relationships.

Tutta un’altra storia Award | Biografilm Festival 2023

SHABU
by Shamira Raphaëla
We awarded this film because it’s a story similar to ours. When you fall and get hurt, you get back on your feet with an even greater desire to redeem yourself, to prove that you can do it. Shabu committed himself to his grandmother both to get back her love and to repay her car by throwing a party, where music - which is his greatest passion - will help him find peace with himself. He strived to improve despite the hard work he had to do, he had to struggle a lot through ups and downs but the effort actually paid off. Shabu was brave in putting himself out there, not caring about what other people thought of him. Thanks to his family, that despite the problems he had caused were always by his side, Shabu was able to realise his dream and make it up to his grandmother. Love combined with personal talent and a pinch of perseverance is Shabu's superpower, and it’s what we need too. To see a guy our age come to realise his dreams was inspiring. We hope this is just the beginning for Shabu and for us too. We hope we can meet him in person one day and have a chat.

Special Mention Tutta un’altra storia | Biografilm Festival 2023

SAJID KHAN NASIRI

co-director and protagonist of THE MIND GAME
by Sajid Khan Nasiri, Eefje Blankevoort, Els van Driel
You were and still are a very strong person, because of what you went through and how you dealt with it. You understood that giving up is a word that does not exist, especially for people like us. We really want to thank you for showing us your life, with all your frailties and all the difficult times that you had to face. You are the living proof that happy endings can exist!

Special Mention Tutta un’altra storia | Biografilm Festival 2023

1280x660 All You See Al wat je ziet Niki Padidar

KHADIJA SABRIYE
protagonist of ALL YOU SEE
by Niki Padidar
We have all experienced first-hand what it is like to be labelled. Having a stigma attached to you is something difficult to cancel. It shows how sick society can be. But the secret is to be yourself despite everything, as Kadhija does. And not to be burdened by other people’s judgements. It is time to create a better world. We thank the director for giving a voice to those who, like us, even if screaming cannot be heard. Thank you, Niki.

Ucca Award - l’Italia che non si vede | Biografilm Italia 2023

AFTER THE BRIDGE
by Davide Rizzo and Marzia Toscano
The "Ucca - L'Italia che non si vede" award goes to the film AFTER THE BRIDGE by Davide Rizzo and Marzia Toscano, for its uncommon ability to move naturally from History with a capital H to the story of a woman, from a public dimension to a very personal and private one. Far from shortcuts or ideological and propaganda temptations, the work becomes a spark for profound discussion through social, political, religious, and human elements within a neat and solid language framework.

TOP DOC Award - The Beauty of Documentary | Biografilm Italia 2023

THE LAND YOU BELONG

by Elena Rebeca Carini

For the courage to put herself on the line, tackling a complicated subject without pretending to make the author's point of view absolute. For the delicacy and empathy in dealing with a personal story, without judgement or condemnation. For the knowing look in the pacing and staging, whose value also lies in its debut nature. The Land You Belong leaves us with great curiosity to see what Elena Rebeca Carini will do with her cinema after this first film.

Special Mention TOP DOC - The Beauty of Documentary | Biografilm Italia 2023

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L’INGANNO
by Sebastiano Luca Insinga

For an aesthetic that succeeds in capturing the essence of a tradition that is approaching its demise, through an unprecedented point of view that leaves aside all hypocrisy as a function of the storyteller.

DocPoint Helsinki Award | Biografilm Italia 2023

GEOLOGY OF SEPARATION
by Yosr Gasmi and Mauro Mazzocchi

The film is a seamless combination of content and form. It resonates across borders like good cinema should.
It is cinematic and boldly gives the viewer space and time to think.
This film is meant to be enjoyed on the big screen and I am happy to invite the film to DocPoint's 2024 programme.

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