The FIPRESCI International Critics Prize went to Exam / Ezmûn (Germany, Iraqi Kurdistan, Qatar) directed by Shawkat Amin Korki, while the daily ratings of the films in the Main Competition and East of the West competitions organised by FNE and FIPRESCI were hotly followed. To see how the FNE Critics rated the films click HERE.
The festival was forced to skip its 2020 edition due to the global pandemic and moved its 2021 dates from early July to the end of August to give more time for people to be vaccinated and the pandemic conditions to ease. But it was still a major effort on the part of the organisers to create conditions for a COVID safe on site event. Despite the difficult conditions the festival managed to screen 144 films, presented 456 screenings to 9267 visitors and sold 111 203 tickets.
Despite the difficulties KVIFF managed to put in a memorable event and attract major stars including Oscar winner Jan Sverak, Johnny Depp, Michael Caine and Ethan Hawke. Sverak, Caine and Hawke all received Special Prizes for their career achievements. Depp’s appearance drew crowds of dedicated fans, some of whom waited on the edge of the red carpet starting from 6 am to catch a glimpse of their favourite star. And Depp did not disappoint spending more than half an hour signing autographs and posing for photographs with his fans.
Full list of KVIFF Prize Winners:
Crystal Globe Main Competition
Grand Prix
As Far as I Can Walk / Strahinja Banović (Serbia, France, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Lithuania)
Directed by Stefan Arsenijević
Produced by Art & Popcorn
Coproduced by Surprise Alley, Les Films Fauves, Chouchkov Brothers, Artbox
Supported by Film Center Serbia, the Serbian Film Incentive, CNC’ Aide aux cinémas du monde, Film Fund Luxembourg, the Bulgarian National Film Center, the Lithuanian Film Centre, Eurimages, MEDIA-Creative Europe
Special Jury Prize
Every Single Minute / Každá minuta života (Czech Republic, Slovak Republic)
Directed by Erika Hníková
Produced by endorfilm
Coproduced by Punkchart Film
Supported by the Czech Film Fund and the Slovak Audiovisual Fund
Best Director
Dietrich Brüggemann for the film Nö (Germany)
Best Actress
Éléonore Loiselle for her role in the film Wars / Guerres (Canada)
Directed by Nicolas Roy
Best Actor
Ibrahim Koma for his role in the film As Far as I Can Walk / Strahinja Banović
Directed by Stefan Arsenijević
Special Mention
The Staffroom / Zbornica (Croatia)
Directed by Sonja Tarokić
Produced by Kinorama
Supported by the Croatian Audiovisual Centre
Special Mention
Vinette Robinson for her role in the film Boiling Point (UK)
Directed by Philip Barantini
Special Mention
Jelena Stanković for cinematography in the film As Far as I Can Walk / Strahinja Banović
Directed by Stefan Arsenijević
Pravo Audience Award
Zátopek (Czechia, Slovakia)
Directed by David Ondříček
Produced by Lucky Man Films, Czech Television - Česká televize, Z Films, Barrandov Studios, Azyl Production
Supported by the Czech Film Fund and the Slovak Audiovisual Fund
East of the West Competition
Nuuccha (Russia)
Directed by Vladimir Munkuev
Special Jury Prize
Sisterhood / Sestri (North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro)
Directed by Dina Duma
Produced by List Production
Coproduced by Added Value Films, ijVidea Production
Supported by the North Macedonia Film Agency, the Film Centre of Montenegro
Special Jury Mention
Intensive Life Unit / Jednotka intenzivního života (Czech Republic)
Directed by Adéla Komrzý
Produced by nutprodukce
Supported by the Czech Film Fund
Non-Statutory Awards
International Film Critics Award FIPRESCI
FIPRESCI JURY
Birgit Beumers, United Kingdom
Eirik Bull, Norway
Adéla Mrázová, Czech Republic
Exam / Ezmûn (Germany, Iraqi Kurdistan, Qatar)
Directed by Shawkat Amin Korki
Ecumenical Jury Award
As Far as I Can Walk / Strahinja Banović (Serbia, France, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Lithuania)
Directed by Stefan Arsenijević
Ecumenical Jury Special Commendation
The Staffroom / Zbornica (Croatia)
Directed by Sonja Tarokić
FEDEORA Award
Otar's Death / Otar's Death (Georgia, Germany, Lithuania)
Directed by Ioseb "Soso" Bliadze
FEDEORA Special Mention
Intensive Life Unit / Jednotka intenzivního života (Czechia)
Directed by Adéla Komrzý
Europa Cinema Label Award
As Far as I Can Walk / Strahinja Banović (Serbia, France, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Lithuania)
Directed by Stefan Arsenijević
Industry Awards
Eastern Promises
Works in Progress
Post-Production Development Award
An Owl, a Garden and the Writer (Iran, France)
Directed by: Sara Dolatabadi
Producers: Amir Naderi, Sara Dolatabadi, Farhad Mohammadi (associate producer)
Screenwriter: Sara Dolatabadi
Works In Progress TRT Award
Victim / Obeť (Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, Germany)
Directed by: Michal Blaško
Producers: Jakub Viktorín, Pavla Janoušková Kubečková
Screenwriter: Jakub Medvecký
Works In Progress Karlovy Vary IFF Award
Tina and Megi (Georgia, Germany)
Directed by: Ioseb "Soso" Bliadze
Producer: Eva Blondiau
Screenwriters: Tamar Mumladze, Ioseb "Soso" Bliadze
Works in Development-Feature Launch
Head Nurse / Sestra Hana (Czech Republic)
Directed by: Jan Vejnar
Producer: Kamila Dohnalová
Screenwriter: Jan Vejnar, Václav Hašek
Special Mention
Aliya (Israel, Russia, Poland)
Directed by: Dekel Berenson
Producers: Marek Rozenbaum, Alexander Rodnyansky, Paul Wesley, Co-Producers: Anna Rozalska, Ale-ksandra Aleksander
Screenwriter: Dekel Berenson, Co-writer: Greer Ellison
Connecting Cottbus Award
The Bomber / Spridzinātājs (Latvia)
Directed by: Pauls Kesteris
Producer: Inese Boka-Grūbe
Screenwriter: Gatis Murnieks
Rotterdam Lab Award
Aleksandra Aleksander, producer of project ALIYA (Israel, Russia, Poland)
First Cut+ Awards
TRT Award
A Piece of Sky / Drii Winter (Switzerland, Germany)
Directed by: Michael Koch
Producer: Christof Neracher
Screenwriter: Michael Koch
Sub-Ti Award
The Hatcher / Matecznik (Poland)
Directed by: Grzegorz Mołda
Producer: Izabela Igel
Screenwriter: Grzegorz Mołda, Monika Powalisz
First Cut+Award
The Hatcher / Matecznik (Poland)
Directed by: Grzegorz Mołda
Producer: Izabela Igel
Screenwriter: Grzegorz Mołda, Monika Powalisz
