30/10/2023 - The festival's professional programme spotlights emerging talents championing narratives of bravery, empowerment, and history

(l-r) Producers Wanda Kaprálová and Klára Mamojková and writer-director Pepa Lubojacki with their award for If Pigeons Turned to Gold (© Jan Hromádko/Ji.hlava IDFF)

The industry strand of the Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival has handed out 10 industry awards to projects participating in the Ji.hlava New Visions Forum 2023. “We found this film to be brave, sincere, incredibly creative, and boldly experimental. It interrogates our paths in the world, the different paths inside one family, and the ways to exist beyond the ongoing pain of addiction,” said the Ji.hlava New Visions jury about the domestic project co-produced with Slovakia If Pigeons Turned to Gold, a feature-length debut by Pepa Lubojacki which won Ji.hlava New Visions Award 2023 for the most promising European project and will receive post-production services in the value of €15,000 (UPP) and €5,000 (Soundsquare).

Two projects were honoured with the Ji.hlava New Visions Forum Award 2023 for the most promising U.S. projects. Valley of the Night, by director and producer Lynne Siefert, received $5,000. The film's portrayal of temporal migration amidst a dystopian present was particularly noted by the jury. Vestibul, directed by Riley Hooper and produced by Caitlin Mae Burke and Bryn Silverman, was recognised with a $2,000 award for its daring exploration of body, sex, and empowerment.

In association with partners like Current Time TV, FilmAid, Docs Connect Taskovski training, Cannes Docs – Marché du Film, Documentary Association of Europe, European Film Market, EURODOC, and Meeting Point Vilnius, the festival presented various other cash and in-kind awards. Namely, Cypriot project Women Walk Home by director Stephanie Andreou clinched two awards, the Cannes Docs – Marché du Film Award and the DAE Award. Women Walk Home delves into the forgotten history of global women activists, including the filmmaker's family, who bravely confronted the Turkish army post-1974 Cyprus invasion, using extensive historical and personal archives to challenge state-dictated memory.

The creation of the Ji.hlava/JB Films co-production project was announced. This venture is a collaboration between Ji.hlava IDFF and long-standing partner Jan Barta. In the coming year, as much as €110,000 will be allocated to creative documentaries originating from Central and Eastern Europe. The selection process will commence with a call for proposals in February 2024, with the final projects set to be unveiled in June 2024.

Here is the full list of award winners:

UPP & Soundsquare Award
If Pigeons Turned to Gold – Pepa Lubojacki (Czech Republic/Slovakia)

AMDOCS Award
Valley of the Night – Lynne Siefert (USA)
Vestibul – Riley Hooper (USA)

Current Time TV Award
You Never Just Walk Away – Rozálie Kohoutová (Czech Republic)

FILMAID Award
The Ferryman – Pavlo Dorohoi (Ukraine)

#Docs Connect Taskovski Training Award
Society – Thomas Østbye (Norway/Indonesia)

Cannes Docs – Marché du Film Award
Women Walk Home – Stephanie Andreou (Cyprus)

DAE Award
Women Walk Home – Stephanie Andreou (Cyprus)

EFM Award
Barbara Hammer Project – Brydie O'Connor (USA)

EURODOC Award
Artifacts of War – Jorge Caballero (Colombia/Uruguay/Spain)

Meeting Point Vilnius Award
Society – Thomas Østbye (Norway/Indonesia)

Festival Identity Award
Trieste Film Festival 2023

Audience Award
Visions du Réel 2023