The 24th Ji.hlava IDFF has announced its winners. The best Czech documentary is A New Shift directed by Jindřich Andrš, the award for the most notable international documentary film was granted to White on White by Viera Čákanyová. The jury of the Between the Seas section gave the award to Latvian film Coyote, and Portugese Ghosts: Long Way Home was appraised as the best documentary debut. Contribution to World Cinema Award was presented to Chinese filmmaker Ai Weiwei. But we are not over yet! The festival films will be available for streaming online until November 8.
Competition and non-competition sections of the 24th annual Ji.hlava IDFF comprised 310 films, 139 of which were presented in their world, international or European premiere. Although the Award Ceremony took place in line with tradition on the fifth day of the festival, Ji.hlava IDFF is not yet over. “Most of this year’s documentary and experimental titles will be available until Sunday, November 8. In this online edition, the audience still has enough time to see the top of this year’s Ji.hlava,” says Festival Director Marek Hovorka.
The Contribution to World Cinema Award was granted to Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei. “When searching for the language to address people, Ai Weiwei discovered documentary cinema. He was able to step out of the shadow of his art projects, and using his experience with the world of visual arts he transformed his films into an instrument of social-political communication that is still a part of the art medium. Films by Ai Weiwei are a powerful testimony about his personal courage, both in his role of an actor and an ‘observer’. His works are surprisingly visceral and have a deeply humanistic appeal,” says Festival Director Marek Hovorka commenting on the work of the festival laureate.
The main competition section Opus Bonum that showcases the cream of world documentary cinema included ten films. The winners were selected by the sole juror, this year Azerbaijani director Hilal Baydarov, whose latest film In Between Dying competed in the main competition in Venice a month ago. Baydarov chose White on White by Slovakian director Viera Čákanyová to be the winner of the Opus Bonum section. “Most filmmakers make films about others, because it is almost impossible it is to make a film about oneself. Viera Čákanyová managed to do that,” explains Baydarov. Special Mention went to the duo of directors Olivier Dury and Marie-Violaine Brincard for their film A Man Learning. “For its beautiful structure and well-performed editing that gives strong hints about the nature of cinema through beautiful rhythm and poetic signs,” stated the juror.
