Results of 11 edition of Gdańsk DocFilm Festival
9th June 2013
MAIN AWARD. THE GREAT GATE OF FREEDOM for: “Man at War” Director: Jacek Bławut, Poland 2012 Jacek Bławut gives us an insight into the world of virtual reality, showing us with masterful craft how the war air-to-air combats are being fought by the international players on the flight simulators. A film warning – with a pulsating under every shot question, whether the anonymous, fictional killing won’t soon change into a real one. We hope that despite Jacek Bławut’s announcement it is not his farewell to documentary. JURY AWARDS, so called Little Gates of Freedom: “Summer with Anton”, Director: Jasna Krajinovic, Belgium 2012 The director of the film Jasna Krajinovic introduces us to the world of 12-year-old Anton Belakov who lives with his grandmother. We spend the summer with him at the war camp, one of the many monitored by Putin. The director watches the servicemen through the eyes of the child, who absorbs the anti-Chechen and anti-Islamic propaganda. What awaits him and who will he become in the future, this emphatic boy who loves his grandma? We were captivated by the presentation of such an important issue in this simple and convincing classic form. “The punk syndrome” Reżyseria: Jukka Kärkkäinen and Jani-Petteri Passi (film photographer), Finnish-Norwegian-Swedish co-production 2012 For the joy of life with which the directors and the protagonists infect us from the first shot and for the story about this exceptional, for us the most beautiful punk-rock band. We thank the directors for their extraordinary gentleness, respect for distinctness and faith in strength given by creativity. With this film they managed to make us see ourselves in these four young men with severe mental disabilities, and we stay with them long after the end of the film. “Red wedding" Reżyseria: Guillaume Soun, Lida Chan, Cambodia, France 2012 In the film by Giullaume Soun and Lida Chan we were captured by the dignity and determination of the protagonist of the film, in which raped, young Sochan – forced to marry a Khmer Rouge – after many years decides to seek justice before the international tribunal. The Jury of the festival awards the directors and the protagonist for their courage and unconventional presentation of such a painful and difficult subject: more than 250 000 marriages imposed by the Khmer Rouge in years 1975–1979. SPECIAL MENTION For the film “Bahrain – forbidden country”, director: Stéphanie Lamorré, France 2012. Thanks to courage and determination of the director, who filmed out of hiding the dramatically brutal incidents in Bahrain in 2012 and the conversations with the victims’ families, we get information concerning what’s going on in this little isolated from the world country. Audience Award: Blood Brother, dir. Steve Hoover, USA, 2012 HONOURABLE “GATE OF FREEDOM” for Marcel Łoziński
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