SHORT NEWS

... and further more prizes to Austrian docs

The JIHLAVA Testimony On Nature-section honors Welcome to Sodom by Florian Weigensamer & Christian Krönes as its most outstanding contribution,
Sand and Blood by Matthias Krepp and Angelika Spangel receives a Special Mention at the Romanian ASTRA Festival and
Utopia Revisited by Kurt Langbein wins the Grande Prémio at CINEECO Festival at Serra da Estrella.


The Jihlava A Testimony on Nature-jury stated on WELCOME TO SODOM:
The lives of people at an electronic waste junkyard in Ghana is a metaphor for humanity and the way it treats this planet. While natural ecosystems produce no waste, humanity is incapable of doing the same. The film broaches the topics of migration, gender, sexual orientation and social inequality. Despite the terrifying conditions, people living at the junkyard still have the desire to experience joy and beauty while dreaming of a better future.

The jury of the Astra Film Festival stated on SAND AND BLOOD:
The documentary is a call for empathy from Iraqi and Syrian refugees, who recall a time when life was normal in their homelands while watching online what has become of their home countries. We decided to give a Special Mention to a film that gives profound insight into a very complex current situation.

The CineEco jury at Serra da Estrela stated on UTOPIA REVISITED
The film deals with "experiences of alternative models to the globalized capitalist system, through the voice and projects of four entrepreneurs and social activists who created spaces where it is possible to cooperate, share and preserve nature".