Festivals
The Norwegian film "Elskling" (Loveable) by Lilja Ingolfsdottir has won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury in Karlovy Vary 2024. The Crystal Globe, the festival's main prize, went to the British documentary "A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things" by Maurice Cousins.
The Ecumenical Jury at the Transilvania International Film Festival 2024 has awarded its Prize to "Zomervacht" by Joren Molter, which also won the Audience Award, and a Commendation to "Where Elephants Go" by Cătălin Rotaru and Gabi Virginia Șarga. The main award of the festival, the Transilvania Trophy, went to "Girls Will Be Girls", directed by Shuchi Talati from India.
The Ecumenical Jury in Zlín 2024 has awarded its Prize to "Sisterhood" by Nora el Hourch from the International Feature Film Competition in the category "Youth", and a Commendation to "Lars is LOL" by Eirik Sæter Stordahls from the International Feature Film Competition in the category "Junior".
"The Seed of the Sacred Fig" by Mohammad Rasoulof received the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury in Cannes 2024 and won the Prize of the Jury of International Film Critics (Fipresci) as well. The Palme d'Or went to "Anora" by Sean Baker.
On 5 May 2024, the prizes of the 70th Oberhausen International Short Film Festival were awarded at the Festival Cinema Lichtburg. The Ecumenical Jury in the International Competition awarded its prize to the German-Chinese film "O ma" (Before Then) by Xie Mengzhu, while the Ecumenical Jury in the Children's and Youth Film Competition honoured the Japanese-American production "The Old Young Crow" by Liam LoPinto. The Grand Prize of the City of Oberhausen went to Chinese director Wang Zhiyi for his film "Chūn Èr shí sān".
In its 38th edition, the Fribourg International Film Festival presents 100 films from 49 countries and puts the spotlight on hip-hop culture, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
The Iranian film "Keyke mahboobe man" (My Favourite Cake) by Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Sanaeeha has won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury for a film in the International Competition at the 74th Berlinale. The film was also awarded by the Jury of International Film Critics (Fipresci). The Golden Bear went to the documentary film "Dahomey" by French director Mati Diop.
At the 45th Film Festival Max Ophuels Prize in Saarbrücken, the Ecumenical Jury awarded its €2,500 prize to "Jenseits der blauen Grenze" (Beyond the Blue Border) by Sarah Neumann. The Max Ophuels Prize went to "Electric Fields" by Lisa Gertsch.
"Una sterminata domenica" (An Endless Sunday) by Alain Parroni has won the prize of the Ecumenical Jury at the Film Festival Mannheim-Heidelberg 2023. The International Newcomer Award went to "In Flames" by Zarrar Khan, while the Rainer Werner Fassbinder Award for the best screenplay, went to Nick Pinkerton for "The Sweet East" by Sean Price Williams.
"Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry" by Elene Naveriani has won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury in Cottbus 2023. The festival's main prize for the best film went to "Forever-Forever" by Anna Buryachkova from Ukraine
"Paradiset Brinner" (Paradise is Burning) by Mika Gustafson won the Church Film Prize of the INTERFILM Jury, endowed with € 5,000. The film also received the Prize of the Youth Jury.
"Kumva - Which Comes From Silence", directed by Sarah Mallégol, is the winner of the Interreligious Film Award at DOK Leipzig 2023. The Golden Dove in the International Documentary Competition went to "Where the Green Grass Grows" by Peter Mettler.
"Kein Wort" (Not a Word) by Hanna Slak won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury at the Warsaw Film Festival 2023. The Grand Prix of the festival went to "La sombra del Catire" (The Shadow of Catire) by Jorge Hernandez Aldana.
The Ecumenical Jury at SCHLiNGEL 2023 awarded its Prize to the French film "Juniors" by Hugo P. Thomas, and a Special Mention to "The Gift" (Belek) by Dalmira Tilepbergen from Kyrgyzstan.
The Ecumenical Jury in Miskolc has awarded its Prize to "Libertate" by Tudor Giurgiu. The Emeric Pressburger Award went to "Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry" (Switzerland, Georgia, 2023), directed by Elene Naveriani.
The INTERFILM Jury at the 80th Venice International Film Festival has assigned the INTERFILM Award for the Promotion of Interreligious Dialogue to the film "Io capitano" by Matteo Garrone. The Golden Lion went to "Poor Things" by Yorgos Lanthimos.
2023 in Locarno INTERFILM and SIGNIS celebrated the 50th anniversary of the first Ecumenical Jury. On this occasion, István Szabó received an Honorary Award.
Stefan Komandarev's film "Blaga's Lessons" is the big winner at Karlovy Vary 2023, taking the Crystal Globe and the Ecumenical Jury Award, and its lead actress Eli Skorcheva being honoured as Best Actress.
"Juniors" by French director Hugo Thomas is the winner of the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury in Zlín 2023. In addition, the jury awarded a Commendation to "Sweet As" by Jub Clerc from Australia which also won the Award of the Youth Jury for Best Feature Film in the Junior and Youth Category.
"Perfect Days" by Wim Wenders won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury in Cannes. The Palme d'Or went to "Anatomie d'une chute" (Anatomy of a Fall) by Justine Triet.
In Oberhausen 2023, "Let's be friends" by Arno Coenen and Rodger Werdhoven won the Ecumenical Jury Prize in the International Competition, "Le jour de gloire" the Ecumenical Jury Prize in the Children's and Youth Film Competition. The Grand Prize of the City of Oberhausen went to "Chornobyl 22" by Oleksiy Radynski from Ukraine.
"Pure Unknown" by Valentina Cicogna and Mattia Colombo won the Prize of the Interreligious Jury in Nyon 2023. The Grand Prix in the International Competition was awarded by the international festival jury to "While the Green Grass Grows" by Peter Mettler.
The Malaysian film "Abang Adik" by Jin Ong won the Ecumenical Jury Prize and the Audience Award at Fribourg 2023. The Grand Prix of the Festival as well as the Critics' Choice Award went to "Plan 75" by Chie Hayakawa from Japan.
The Ecumenical Jury at the Berlinale 2023 has awarded its Prize in the International Competition to "Tótem" by Lila Avilès from Mexico. The Golden Bear was won by the French documentary "Sur l'Adamant" by Nicolas Philibert.
"Franky Five Star" by Birgit Möller won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury at the Festival Max Ophuels Prize 2023. The Festival Prize for Best Feature Film went to "Alaska" by Max Gleschinski.
The Ecumenical Jury at the International Film Festival Mannheim-Heidelberg 2022 awarded its €2,500 prize to the Israeli-Ukrainian co-production "Valeria Is Getting Married" by Michal Vinik. The festival's International Newcomer Award was won by "You Won't Be Alone" by Goran Stolevski.
"Minsk", an Estonian film situated in the Ukraine, has won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury at the 32nd FilmFestival Cottbus. The main prize of the festival for Best Direction went to "Safe Place", a Croatian-Slovenian co-production directed by Juraj Lerotić.
The Church Film Prize of the INTERFILM Jury at the Nordic Film Days 2023 went to "Boy From Heaven", directed by Tarik Saleh, which addresses the political influence and exploitation of religion. The film also won the main prize of the festival, the NDR Film Prize.
The Interreligious Jury at DOK Leipzig has awarded its prize to the Franco - Belgian film «A Family Like Any Other» (Une famille comme une autre) by Faustine Cros. The Golden Dove for Best Documentary Film went to «Anhell69» by Theo Montoya.