In the feature film competition, Stepne, directed by Maryna Vroda, and Roman Bondarchuk’s Redaction took home the top honors. Stepne was praised for its delicate exploration of generational trauma and the passage of time, marked by poetic visual storytelling. Meanwhile, Redaction earned acclaim for its sharp satire of modern society. Special mentions went to Gray Bees by Dmytro Moiseiev and Forever, Forever by Anna Buriakova.
The documentary award was presented to Sentimental Journey to Parajanov’s Planet by Taras Tomenko, which transports viewers into a world of boundless creativity, transcending conventional documentary form. Everything Must Live, a compassionate tale by Tetiana Dorodnytsina and Andriy Lytvynenko about rescuing animals in war-torn Ukraine, received a special mention.
In the short film category, Maciej Kundera’s Clear Sky won for its portrayal of young lives in a front-line town, with honorable mentions for We’re Home by Roman Krasnoshchok, The Haircut by Hanna Bauta-Jankowiak, and The Unsmiling by Yuliia Lymanska.
Audience awards rounded out the night, with Lessons in Tolerance by Arkadiy Nepytaliuk, focusing on themes of equality and acceptance, winning the feature category. In the documentary section, The Cypress, about a 79-year-old artist fulfilling his dream of visiting Greece, took the audience prize.
The festival continues its reach through December, with screenings in Polish cities including Kraków, Wrocław, Poznań, and Gdynia, while select films, including this year’s winners, will be available online from 1-17 November on the streaming platform megogo.pl.
(jh)
Source: PAP