The Silver Eye Award for the best feature documentary of the East Silver Market at the East Doc Platform 2023 was given on March 28 during the Guests Meet Guests at the Residence of the Mayor of Prague to We Will Not Fade Away (dir. Alisa Kovalenko, prod. Stephane Siohan, co-prod. HAKA Films) and the Special Mention went to KIX (dir. Dávid Mikulán & Bálint Révész, prod. Victor Ede, Viki Réka Kiss & András Pires Muhi). The winner has received not only a unique award trophy, but also a prize money of 2500 € and a year-long festival service of the East Silver Caravan worth of additional 3500 €.
The International Jury explained the choice: "We would like to give the Silver Eye Award to a film which mesmerizingly captivates the troubling times we live in. With a tender and calm observation the filmmaker follows her protagonists, a group of Ukrainian teenagers, making us partakers of their journey whilst creating a masterpiece in terms of cinematography. We give the Silver Eye Award to We Will Not Fade Away by Alisa Kovalenko."
The Special Mention was given as well along with this statement: "We would like to give the Special Mention to a film which navigates through a ten year long period of troubles and joys, in other words – ten years of growing up. It is an achievement both in terms of filmmaking (camerawork, editing, pacing) and in terms of portraying human relationships. We give the Special Mention to KIX by Dávid Mikulán and Bálint Révész."
International Jury:
Nele Stoß - DOK.fest München
Stefanos Velmachos Bonos - Beyond Borders
Karol Piekarczyk - Millennium Docs Against Gravity
Nominated films:
A Year of Endless Days (orig. Godina prođe, dan nikako, dir. Renata Lučić, HR, 2022, 86')
Blix Not Bombs (dir. Greta Stocklassa, 2023, Czech Republic, Sweden, Germany, 85')
Cabin Pressure (orig. KABINNYOMÁS, dir. Eszter Nagy, Sara Cziradir, HU, 2022, 80') - in postproduction
Faces of Agata (orig. Twarze Agaty, dir. Malgorzata Kozera-Topińska, 2023, Poland, United Kingdom, 72')
Fight (dir. Lilit Movsisyan, 2023, Armenia, France, 71')
KIX (orig. 'Sanyiék', dir. Bálint Révész, Dávid Mikulán, 2023, Hungary, France, Croatia, 100')
Our Daily Bread (orig. Pâinea noastră cea de toate zilele, dir. Serban Georgescu, 2023, Romania, 70')
Well of Dreams (dir. Paweł Tarasiewicz, 2023, Poland, 73')
We Will Not Fade Away (orig. Ми не згаснемо, dir. Alisa Kovalenko, 2023, Ukraine, France, Poland, USA, 99')
Who Am I Smiling For? (orig. Kellele ma naeratan, dir. Eeva Mägi, 2022, Estonia, 60')
Cover photo by Karolína Cermanová
