The Silver Eye Award 2024 for the best feature documentary will be announced at the Ceremony during One World Film Festival & East Doc Platform's Guests Meet Guests on March 26 at the Mayor´s residence in Prague.
Look at the 10 nominated films and the International Jury that will decide about the winners. The winner will receive a unique award trophy and financial support amounting to 2500 €, and a year-long festival service of the East Silver Caravan worth of additional 3500 €.
Read about the East Silver Market at the East Doc Platform HERE.
International jury:
Michael Kaschner - Commissioning Editor, GE
Nevena Milašinović - Sales Agent, Lightdox, Bosna a Hercegovina
Nadja Tennstedt - director of DOK Industry at DOK Leipzig
Nominated films:
ALICE ON & OFF (dir. Isabela von Tent, RO, 2024, 85´)
Shot for ten years, the story revolves around 16-year-old Alice who becomes a mother to Aristo, a child conceived out of her deep affection for Dorian, despite their remarkable 35-year age difference. However, their trajectories quickly separate, compelling Alice to make the heart-wrenching choice of parting ways with both Dorian and Aristo. Confronted with fear and isolation, Alice seeks refuge and solace by expressing herself through painting, with a video chat camera as her witness. In this process, she not only finds comfort but also rediscovers love. Mirroring the actions of her parents, Alice sporadically appears in Aristo's life throughout the years, following a similar pattern.
Fakir (dir. Roman Ďuriš, CZ, SK, PL, 2024, 83’)
The psychological journey of Dalibor, a young Romani man from a dysfunctional family set against the backdrop of a Slovak slum. With a stolen childhood, Dalibor yearns for a father figure in a world that brings a constant struggle for one‘s place. „Fakir“ vividly explores the raw pain that arises from abuse and trauma.
Flowers of Ukraine (dir. Adelina Borets, PL, UA, 2024, 70’)
Set in the middle of the cement jungle of Kyiv - usually referred to as "sleeping quarters" - where we find 67-year-old Natalia, a rebel of the neighbourhood, the last one refusing to sell her land. On February 24, 2022, Natalia's fight for her tiny plot of land only gains momentum and quickly expands way beyond its borders. Everyone is changing even Natalia. Yet, she prepares for her death, dancing in her funeral dress in the garden among flowers. She will die here and no one can take it away.
Forest (dir. Lidia Duda, CZ, PL, 2024, 84’)
Asia and Marek bought an old house near the eastern border of Poland, in the oldest forest in Europe. This is their paradise – a place where their children can grow up safely, away from the problems of today’s world. Yet, one day refugees appear in their forest. Unwelcome neither in Poland nor in Belarus. The whole family helps refugees, even though it’s against Polish law.
The Guest (dir. Zvika Gregory Portnoy, Zuzanna Solakiewicz, PL, FR, QA, 2024, 84’)
Maciek lives in a Polish village close to Belarus. In the winter of 2021, the crisis at the border is intensifying and the whole area becomes a military zone. One day Maciek’s mother lets a Syrian refugee, Alhaytham into their home. Day by day the men grow closer, while every day of hiding puts them in danger Maciek could be accused of human trafficking and Alhaytham would be pushed back to Belarus again, which could cost him his life.
When Harmattan Blows (dir. Edyta Wroblewska, PL, 2024, 80’)
Barbara is 25 years old and lives in Accra, she is charismatic, straightforward and self-confident. However, when Harmattan blows, that suffocating wind from the Sahara makes her courage disappear. Along with the wind, unwanted memories return. As an eight-year-old girl, Barbara shared the fate of thousands of Ghanaian children who were put to slave labour by their parents. For many years she lived in a world full of abuse, violence and fear. With the help of her eldest brother and a good friend, Barbara is gradually overcoming the demons of the past and confronts her parents.
The Other One (dir. Marie-Magdalena Kochová, CZ, SK, 2024, 84’)
A coming-of-age documentary about responsibility, sisterhood and loving not only others but also yourself. Eighteen-year-old Johana is entering a critical year of her teenage life. She wants to leave her small Czech hometown, but there’s more than high school graduation that stands between her and her aspirations. Johana’s life is largely defined by her younger sister’s atypical autism and mental disability, which shape the everyday life of the whole family.
Putin’s Playground (dir. Konrad Szolajski, CZ, PL, DE, NO, LV, BG, 2024, 92’)
A pair of Polish filmmakers travel around Central and Eastern Europe and explore cases of hybrid warfare in this region. They show their investigation and the evidence they managed to produce in Poland, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Moldova and Latvia. They discover that behind-the-scenes activities of Moscow special agents have been carried out regularly since at least 2013.
Revolution 3.0 (dir. Reza Bird, CZ, USA, 2024, 78’)
A filmmaker in exile, Reza supports the Iranian revolution from thousands of miles away in this intimate personal story. This is the journey of a new generation of immigrants who use media and technology to bridge the gap between the Middle East and the rest of the world.
Zero Zone (dir. Mark Hammond, LT, 2024, 92’)
Zero Zone takes us to the Eastern front of the war in Ukraine, where in late 2022, the Ukrainian army bravely liberated villages and cities from Russian occupation. Here, the film delves into the deep wounds left by the Russian occupation in the lives of the Ukrainian people.
