"DokuFest" focuses on national films, "Sick Yellow" triumphs

When it reached its 23rd edition, the international documentary and short film festival "DokuFest" changed the importance of the categories. Now the National Competition and not the Balkan one will be the main one of the biggest film event that Kosovo has. After the movie marathon for 9 days, "DokuFest" has awarded the best. "Like a sick yellow" by Norika Sefa has received the main prize of the festival, that of the National Competition, while in other categories stories that touch from genocide to various social phenomena have triumphed

Considering that local cinematography is on the right path of development and that the new wave of filmmakers deserves as much support as possible, the 23rd edition of "DokuFest" is the first where the National Competition comes to the center of the festival. This year's winner is the short film "Like sick yellow" by Norika Sefa. 

She stated that the International Documentary and Short Film Festival has always been an inspiration for her. 

"'DokuFest' is very important to the way I make films and it has always been a place where I have been very inspired. This week has been fantastic, with the people I've met and the topics we've talked about. To end like this seems very special", said the director Sefa, after accepting the award. 

Sefa unfolds fascinating stories from old videotapes of the stories of families they are no longer members of. Beauty and sadness are combined there, building unique narratives.

The jury composed of Anna Henckel-Donnersmarck, Armando Lulaj and Oana Ghera has selected the winner of the National Competition.

At the closing ceremony, it was announced that the Festival, with the support of the Ministry of Culture, has increased the value of the National Competition Award. 

Minister Hajrulla Çeku distributed the award. 

"Congratulations to the team for another successful edition. On behalf of myself, those who are here and those who are not, on behalf of Prime Minister Albin Kurti, we assure you that the support will be serious and stable", he said.

"Balkan Dox" award for the story with two Albanians
 

This year, another Albanian film is awarded the "Balkan Dox" award. "One more day" by Eneo Çarka, which follows the chronology of the destruction of the society of two young Albanian artists in Italy, is the winner of the 23rd edition under the theme "New Order". 

In the 84 minutes of the documentary, the exciting journey of Besmir Sula and Rafael Hoxhaj from Shkodra unfolds over several years. Director Çarka's camera shows them unfolding their art on the streets of Italy. This was the whole purpose of the film and what the director wanted to tell. But their fraternal relations had taken other turns. They were torn apart and since that day everything they have built together has been destroyed. 

The jury composed of the Bulgarian Dina Iordanoca, the Turkish Somnur Vardar and Stefan Pavlovic who lives in Amsterdam, have rated this story as the best in the Balkan film competition. 

The scenes are also moved to Shkodër, to their city where they come from. There it becomes known that Besmiri has osteogonosis, a disease that does not allow bones to strengthen.

But all this is at the beginning of the documentary. The intro is a kind of short presentation of their relationship now and then everything starts from the starting point where they played together and to others they introduced themselves as brothers. To the point that today they have no contact. 

"We are not really brothers, but we are brothers in life. I think this is more important than having a blood brother", says Rafaeli to one of the crowd that had gathered to see their performance in the city of Milan.

After a while, small signs of a big rift between them start. They even start performing alone in squares or with other groups. 

The premiere at "DokuFest" was given on August 4 at "Kino Lumi" with the presence of the director. After accepting the award, he said that he feels very good.

"I don't happen to win, receive a prize at an Albanian-speaking festival. 'DokuFest' is the festival I grew up with. This is where I screened my first film at the age of 20. Thanks to the team that worked for five years on this project. So, viva 'DokuFest'", he said. 

"Special Acknowledgment" went to "Stray Bodies". Both the opening and closing are usually held outside the "Lumbardhi" cinema. 

This year's festival is considered an uncensored screen, especially when it comes to the interest of society. The images of the wars and the periods after them in different countries of the world, have been one segment of the themes among the 249 films in competition and out of competition that have been shown in this edition. The very theme of this edition was intended to reflect on the world troubled by wars.

The disappearance and return of memory 

"A fidai film" by the Palestinian Kamal Aljafari has been declared the best in the "International Feature Dox" category. Aljafari was not present but addressed the public with a video message thanking the Festival for the award. 

The feature-length film tells how during the military intervention in Lebanon in the summer of 1982 the archival collection of photographs and films from the Palestinian Research Center in Beirut was seized. Director Kamal Aljafari retrieves these images that have been preserved by Israel's army and Ministry of Defense and thus - as written in the description for the film - thwarts attempts to erase a people deprived of visual memory.

The award for the Best International Short Film was won by "History is written at night" by Alejandro Alonso. 

It shows the darkness in Cuba with the country's unsafe streets. The director's mother is the character. There are her terrible visions. 

The director was not present, but appeared via the screen. Ku has said that the award empowers him and gives him motivation to continue working and sharing his cinematography. 
The award was announced by the artistic director of the international documentary and short film festival "DokuFest", Veton Nurkollari. Shortly before the announcement of the winner in this category, the lights were turned off. 
"This reminds me of the beginnings of 'DokuFest' when the festival worked all the time with a generator", said Nurkollari. 

"Best short film" was won by the film "The death of a hero" by Karin Franz Körlof, which centers on a young man in one of the church towers who falls to the ground and dies. But to do this he receives a large amount of money. People gather to see the "spectacle", but it dies and their enthusiasm turns to disappointment. 

The director stayed in Prizren for several days, but not until the awards ceremony. 

"I am shocked and very happy. This means a lot to me. I would have liked to be there to accept the film, but I had to go back to Sweden. The festival was great. The spirit of the festival was amazing with film screenings, discussions, parties. Thank you for the extraordinary hospitality!", she said through a video message.

The award was accepted by the film's producer, Melissa Lindgren.

The film "Dreams like paper boats" by Samuel Suffren received special recognition.

He thanked through a video message saying that the award goes to his country, Haiti. 

"DokuFest" has the right to nominate candidates for the best European short film. The winner of this competition is a candidate of the festival for this category of the European Film Academy. 
"Best Human Rights Dox" is the documentary "Silence of the Reason" by Kumjana Novakova. It is built from archival footage and forensic evidence. It acts as a reminder in itself by revealing the experiences of violence and torture against women from rape camps during the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. 

"Thank you very much! I wanted to say that 'DokuFest' is very important, like a miracle. I was very happy to grow here as a filmmaker and create memories", said the director on stage. 
The prize in the "Truth Dox" category was won by "23 Mile" from the American Mitch McCabe. 

In the film, the director talks and listens to the people on the streets in the uprisings and organized gatherings. These narratives challenge stereotypes, "creating a complex and nuanced portrait of ideas, perceptions, ongoing struggles." 

"I want to thank you very much for this award. Unfortunately I got sick and had to leave earlier than I should have, but I had fun at the festival, I met very nice people. I couldn't be happier. Thank you Veto and all the festival staff for making this festival an unforgettable experience!“, she said via a video message.

 "Afterwar" the best from the public

"Afterwar" by Brigitte Staermose won the Audience Award. 

"We have also been to Berlin, but there has never been such a large audience", said one of the protagonists in the film. 

The film follows young people in Pristina for 15 years since their childhood and life after that has been difficult for them. They are street vendors. 

The "Green Dox" award was won by "Apple Cider Vinegar" by Sofie Benoot

The director tells a forgotten story with this documentary film and her narration. The film asks pressing ecological questions and takes the viewer on a journey meeting Palestinian quarry workers, a British geologist and the people around them. 

"Thank you Kosovo, thank you 'DokuFest', thank you audience!", she said.  
"Special Acknowledgments" received the film "Lichens are the way" by Ondrej Vavreçka. 

The Cinematographic Center of Kosovo this year for the second year in a row gives the "Talent Doc Award". 
The director of this institution, Blerta Zeqiri, announced the winner - "Workers' Arms" by Ilir Hasanaj. 

The documentary features characters who have painful pasts in their workplaces. They show that they worked many kinds of jobs for little money, enough to support the family. The audio as a slight tension within illustrates the entire narrative. Their wounds still ache.
There, director Hasanaj gives voice to the forgotten experiences and stories of the three protagonists in the documentary, Milazimi, Fatmiri and Liridoni. In 19 minutes, the short documentary film is built as a poetic and experimental homage. 

"I thank the jury for this evaluation of the work that I have shared with my team with great love and I want to thank the workers who have enabled me to understand the conditions and problems of the workers in Kosovo", Hasanaj said while mentioning the numbers of injuries and deaths of workers in the workplace. They talk about increasing this number. 

"This has been for me the biggest reason that the film exists and I want to dedicate it to all the oppressed workers who are forced to work in difficult conditions to secure a morsel of bread".

The film "Remember2Human" by Durim Klaiq received the Distribution Award. 

"Thank you for the selection and the supporters who make it possible. I would only say that in my film I have used artificial intelligence, but the whole purpose has been to stir up debate because this technology is being ignored by the art world. So study it well and pay more attention", said Klaiqi. 

The film is described as being about an indefinite future where forbidden memories challenge the collective memory. This collective memory in the documentary is presented as a database containing memories. Landscapes seem like journeys and passages in time. The scenes then move from Pristina to Tirana.
The permanent image of the opening and closing ceremonies is that of the crowd of people in front of the "Lumbardhi" cinema door. Not a single chair was left empty. Through film screenings the audience can be dispersed, but when it becomes one, many of the festival lovers remain outside the gates as the cinema does not accommodate everyone. 

The closing ceremony, like the opening and every screening of the film, was preceded by the intro of the festival. A short presentation of the activity of this year's edition and thanks to the public is the scenario that does not want to talk much.

Reconceptualization of the Festival

At the very beginning, two short films made by children during the workshops developed within the "DokuKids" program and a behind-the-scenes material of all the activities held at the Training and Innovation Center in Prizren were shown. As usual, the work of volunteers as well as the behind the scenes of film screenings and other activities has been shown. 

During the ten days of the festival, a total of 249 films, 12 performances, 9 exhibitions, 7 discussions, 3 masterclasses and 9 workshops for children were shown. "DokuFest" has brought the world of cinematography to 11 spaces in the city of Prizren. The scenery of the Historic Center and the images of documentaries and short films have been the unique photography of the city.

The leader of "DokuLab" of "DokuFest", Eroll Bilibani, said that this year they had a larger number of the public, unlike the previous editions. 

"Since this year, due to the Ministry of Culture and additional support from the Cinematographic Center, we have decided that the main award of 'DokuFest' will be the National Award. With this, we have ensured that the quality of the films will not decrease, it will only increase. That's why we will try to bring jury members who are members of big festivals, so that they can also see that something is being done in this small country, that film is a sector that is developing and that has extremely great potential" , said Bilibani. "We are extremely satisfied because it is one of the most attended editions that we have had in terms of the number of films and the number of participants as well as in other activities. This year we have made a new definition of 'DokuNights', we have tried something new and we have seen that it is working by distributing it in different corners of the city. We had interesting exhibitions and discussions, but above all, even though I don't know the exact statistics, I know that this year we had a larger number of the public", he told KOĖN.  

Within the central theme "New Order", a total of 103 films were shown in the competition, including a number of them, had their premieres where the directors and producers were there to answer the questions and dilemmas of the local and international public. Along with the films from the special programs, there were a total of 249 films for the audience to explore. 

Competing films were evaluated by a separate jury in each category. They are film critics, directors, cinematographers, producers and professors from the world, the region and the country.

The works of the filmmakers have been the ideal interweaving when illustrated with the view of historical monuments. In the evenings, the public moves to open spaces to enjoy every moment and not to lose the energy and dynamics of the city. 

Films from those that deal with technology, that use modern techniques or touch the future to those that go back in time have been another cinematic narrative of the festival. The image of the cinemas is not very different from the previous editions, but it is the quality program that makes "DokuFest" the headline not only in the country, but also on the international scene of art and culture.

The National Competition has brought feature films and short documentaries. This year has been rated as the best ever. 

Cinema "Lumbardhi" together with its garden, "DokuKino" and its platform "Kino Abi Çarshia" have been the hosts of documentaries and short films of "DokuFest". "Sonar Cinema", "Lunar Cinema" and "Kino Lumi" were also formed as cinemas.

"The road" goes back to the origin

The film "The Road" by Samir Karahoda has closed the program of the 23rd edition of "DokuFest". 
On the way, a father and son touch on the subject of migration. The latter seems sad that his coach had to flee from Kosovo. He is looking forward to receiving a gift, but at customs he is faced with a hefty payment. The father sadly has to tell him that the gift had not yet arrived. Played by Miron Karahoda and Ylber Mehmeti. 

Samir Karahoda has shown that every sequence in the movie "The Road" is a real event. 

"Everything you see is real, it has been transformed into the language of the film. As for the customs scene, that was for a Sundance award I got in America, and the point of this film from start to finish is that not everyone is treated the same. I can always imagine that it has happened to some athlete at the airport that they take his medal and ask him how much it costs you and you can't go home without paying for it. I saw several directors who had the same thing happen to them", said the director Karahoda. 

His film, which has had its national premiere, has been met with much applause and cheers. In the cinemas where there were films this edition, after the closing ceremony, the winning films were shown, while in "Lumbardh" the "Shkodra" orchestra accompanied with songs from Shkodra. 

With it, the road begins for another exciting and meaningful edition. One that brings the world of film and turns Prizren into a small world of cinematography.