James Longley won the Opus Bonum section at the Ji.hlava Documentary Film Festival for his work titled “Mohabat”.
The documentary depicts the life of a 12-year-old boy named Mohabat, whose father was killed in a drone strike. The jury described the film as a meticulously researched and exquisitely crafted piece that creates a sympathetic portrait of an individual, a family, and a community while avoiding common clichés.
Brydie O’Connor received the Testimonies winner title for “Barbara Forever,” which the jury called a compelling cinematic study breaking taboos regarding aging, terminal illness, and female emancipation.
O’Connor said, “Connecting with others through art was really at the core of her practice. It’s also why she loved teaching. I definitely try to take at least a page out of Barbara’s book in that regard.”
Trinh T. Minh-ha was presented with the Contribution to World Cinema Award while she prepares her first US-based production, “The Undying Desert.” Minh-ha stated that she set her own rules and remained undeterred by oppressive regulations, noting that cinema is an experience for the whole body rather than just the eyes.
She explained that in East Asia, senses overlap and a painter can also be a musician or poet, a concept she believes applies to film as well.
Other notable winners included Nona Giunashvili, who received the Best Central and Eastern European Documentary award for “Sacred Songs,” and Philipp Fröhlich, who took the main award for “After the Rehearsal” in the First Lights section.
Dominika Kováčová won for “Elusiveness of Today,” while Martin Páv secured the Czech Joy’s main award for “Glowing.”
Klára Trsková and Anežka Horová were named winners of Exprmntl.cz for “On the Peaks of All the Beech Mountains.”
Additional accolades went to Éric Baudelaire for “For the Moon,” Eli Maene for “Journey,” and Dariia Kovalchuk for “Donbas Within Reach,” which won Best Czech Short Documentary Film.
Special mentions were awarded to Markéta Ekrt Válková for “Light It Before It Burns,” Zainab Entezar for “771 Days,” Sien Versteyhe for “The Sessions Fascinations,” and Rocío Salima for “Identity and Transit Document No. 4.”
Aleš Pojar took home the Audience Award for “Mushroom Seconds,” and Elvis A-Liang Lu received a special mention and an award for editing for “Songs From Within.”
