The 20^th edition of CPH:DOX recently concluded in Copenhagen after unspooling from 15-26 March. It wrapped with an awards ceremony where the top prize, the DOX:AWARD, was given to Motherland [+lire aussi :
critique
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fiche film] by Alexander Mihalkovich and Hanna Badziaka, from Belarus. The film addresses the prevalent issues of corruption and a harsh military environment that compel the youth to pick a side. It is a timely and dark portrayal of the current situation in Belarus.

“This was such a cinematic and meaningful film, which took its time unfurling the complexity of living within an oppressive and unjust system. It poses questions about the idea of an individual choice within a cornered society. The title of the film is a way to give back the power to the women who are at the forefront of this fight,” said the jury, comprising Gugi Gumilang, executive director of Indonesia’s In-Docs/Docs by the Sea; Mathilde Henrot, co-founder of Festival Scope; Ania Trzebiatowska, programmer at the Sundance Film Festival; Georgian filmmaker Salomé Jashi; and Danish filmmaker Lea Glob. The jury also gave a Special Mention to On the Edge [+lire aussi :
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fiche film] by Nicolas Peduzzi, which they said gripped them and took them on a journey through the labyrinth of a human mind.

The F:ACT AWARD was given to Seven Winters in Tehran [+lire aussi :
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In the NORDIC:DOX Competition, the winner was Mrs. Hansen & the Bad Companions by Jella Bethman, who paints a vivid and ultimately life-affirming portrait of “bad company” in a film that gives space to some of the people who don’t fit into society’s conformist puzzle of norms and frames. The Special Mention was bestowed upon Lynx Man [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
interview : Juha Suonpää
fiche film] by Juha Suonpää, for its “use of innovative visual language, ethereal sound and, of course, its spectacular lead subject; it pushes the boundaries of films that consider humanity's relationship with the sacredness of nature”.

The NEXT:WAVE Award went to Queendom [+lire aussi :
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The POLITIKEN:DOX Award was presented to Apolonia, Apolonia [+lire aussi :
critique
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interview : Lea Glob
fiche film] by Lea Glob, a film “that is clever, feminist, touching and sprawling documentary filmmaking at its very best”, while the Special Mention went to The Mountains [+lire aussi :
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Finally, in the NEW:VISION competition, the main award went to An Asian Ghost Story by Bo Wang, a tale about the presences haunting a city, and reflecting its complex cultural, economic and sociopolitical histories, while the two Special Mentions in this section were given to The Secret Garden by Nour Ouayda and to Pacific Club by Valentin Noujaïm.

Here is the complete list of award winners:

DOX:AWARD
Motherland [+lire aussi :
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bande-annonce
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Special Mention
On the Edge [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
fiche film] - Nicolas Peduzzi (France)

F:ACT AWARD
Seven Winters in Tehran [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
fiche film] - Steffi Niederzoll (Germany/France)
Special Mention
The Hostage Takers - Puk Damsgaard, Søren Klovborg (Denmark)

NORDIC:DOX
Mrs. Hansen & the Bad Companions - Jella Bethman (Denmark)
Special Mention
Lynx Man [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
interview : Juha Suonpää
fiche film] - Juha Suonpää (Finland)

NEXT:WAVE
Queendom [+lire aussi :
critique
fiche film] - Agniia Galdanova (USA/France)
Special Mention
The Last Year of Darkness - Benjamin Mullinkosson (China/USA)

POLITIKEN:DOX
Apolonia, Apolonia [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
interview : Lea Glob
fiche film] - Lea Glob (Denmark)
Special Mention
The Mountains [+lire aussi :
critique
fiche film] - Christian Einshøj (Denmark)

NEW:VISION
An Asian Ghost Story - Bo Wang (Netherlands/Hong Kong)
Special Mentions
The Secret Garden - Nour Ouayda (Lebanon)
Pacific Club - Valentin Noujaïm (France/Qatar)