Huge emotions, touching reactions and awards for the creators of the best documentary films of this year! On 16th of May, the awards ceremony for the jubilee 21th edition of MDAG took place at the Teatr Dramatyczny in Warsaw. Grand Prix Bank Millennium Award went to „No other land” directed by Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor. Four cities also presented their local awards in the Main Competition that day - Wrocław (Lower Silesia Grand Prix Award went to “Forest” by Lidia Duda), Gdynia (The Mayor of Gdynia Award went to “Hollywoodgate’’ by Ibrahim Nash’at), Poznań (The City of Poznań Freedom Award went to “The Remarkable Life of Ibelin’’ by Benjamin Ree) and Bydgoszcz (Bydgoszcz ART.DOC Award went to “No Other Land” by Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor). In Katowice the Silesian Audience Award goes to „The Last Expedition" by Eliza Kubarska. 

However, the awards ceremony is not the end of the festival, which will last until 19th of May. This means that a weekend of exciting films and events awaits the audiences in Warsaw, Wrocław, Gdynia, Katowice, Poznań, Łódź and Bydgoszcz. This year, once again, MDAG has a hybrid formula. From 21st of May till 3th of June, the vast majority of titles from this year's edition will be available on the festival website - mdag.pl.

WINNERS OF 21. MILLENNIUM DOCS AGAINST GRAVITY

GRAND PRIX BANK MILLENNIUM AWARD

„No other land” dir. Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor

12 films entered the Main Competition of the Millennium Docs Against Gravity Film Festival to vie for the Grand Prix and its accompanying EUR 8,000 prize. The best film was selected by a jury consisting of: Anna Hints – Estonian movie director, Murtada Elfadl – sudanese culture writer, critic, and film curator based in New York City, Lauren Greenfield –  an American artist, awarded documentary filmmaker, exhibited worldwide photographer.

Justification: We would like to thank the Millenium Docs Against Gravity team and Artur Liebhart for their wonderful hospitality and for  inviting us to Warsaw and opening our hearts and minds with an unbelievably strong selection. 

With this selection, the programming team transported us from  the mountaintops of the Himalayas to the forests of Eastern Europe, showed us how injustice can manifest, how history can repeat itself. We got lost in gorgeous black and white photography and stunning tableaus of nature.We learned about the power of imagination and about how to resist  through self expression.

These films were aesthetically impressive and emotionally powerful. They showed us how informed and transparent subjectivity from trusted storytellers can allow us to experience different perspectives with nuance and understanding. Again and again, we felt the incredible power of documentaries to provide patient and thoughtful journalism, show us the capacity for healing from trauma, and provide hope and optimism against the backdrop of heartbreaking and complex  problems. Documentary’s capacity for empathy and connection is needed now more than ever against the backdrop of the superficiality of the 24 hour news cycle, the algorithmic silo, and the polarization of discourse.

As a jury we invite you to watch these spectacular films and experience standing in other people’s shoes. They don’t provide easy answers but illuminate, move, and educate.

A powerful documentary that crystalized grave injustice into a story of friendship and how hope can thrive only when everyone has freedom. This film masterfully uses all elements of filmmaking - gritty realistic cinematography, compelling editing - to tell the story of the human need for hope, peace and family. In the process, reminding us that true connections and friendships that transcend boundaries are more powerful than weapons and the only path forward for all of us. 

SPECIAL MENTION

,,Sugarcane” dir. by Emily Kassie, Julian Brave NoiseCat

Justification: For powerful personal storytelling capturing  the complexity of a tough subject matter in a beautifully made and touching narrative. A film about how forgiveness and healing comes when our voices and stories are allowed to be told. This film is relatable to the experiences of indigenous communities around the world. Communities whose voices are often muffled but should be heard.

,,Agent of Happiness’’ dir. by Dorottya Zurbó, Arun Bhattarai

Justification: How to measure happiness? Where does the secret to happiness hide itself? We were touched by this beautiful film that took us, as viewers,  on a contemplative journey into the inner lives of a few people searching for contentment. This was both funny and poignantly sad in equal measure.  

Silesian Audience Award (Katowice)

"The Last Expedition" dir. Eliza Kubarska

LOWER SILESIA GRAND PRIX (Wrocław)

,,Forest” dir. Lidia Duda 

This year  Lower Silesia Grand Prix was awarded for the thirteenth time. The local jury consisting of: Karolina Kuszyk - writer, translator, lecturer; Artur Wyrzykowski - director, screenwriter, producer; and Anna Zubrzycki - theater actress, educator, awarded the Marshal of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship PRIZE in the amount of EUR 3,000 for the best film selected from among twelve starting in the Main Competition.

Justification: “Forest”, directed by Lidia Duda, is a tender, intimate portrait of a family in search of happiness, which, in a deeply human way, responds to the suffering of Others who unexpectedly enter their peaceful world. The forest, an innocuous, protective space, transforms into a disturbed landscape, a field of struggle for humanity, a space of relationship with the world. It's a voice that resounds all the more loudly the more discreetly the camera accompanies the protagonists.

SPECIAL MENTION

“No other land” dir. Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor.

Justification: “No Other Land” by Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, is a brave and harrowing portrayal of the conflict escalating before our eyes, allowing us to almost physically experience how terrible and unjust it is for one nation to be occupied by another.

THE MAYOR OF GDYNIA AWARD

”Hollywoodgate’’ dir. Ibrahim Nash’at

In Gdynia, the Mayor of Gdynia Award in the amount of 15,000 PLN was awarded by the jury consisting of: Irena Wanda Banat - film editor, Patryk Hardziej - illustrator, graphic designer, creator of film and theater posters; and Dorota Karaś - journalist from "Gazeta Wyborcza" in Gdańsk.

Justification: For its immense courage in entering a closed, closely guarded world and exposing the mechanisms of authoritarian systems. 

SPECIAL MENTION

,,The Last Expedition’’ dir. Eliza Kubarska

Justification: For the story of an unusual, non-obvious character and her choices.

THE CITY OF POZNAŃ FREEDOM AWARD

,,The Remarkable Life of Ibelin’’, dir. Benjamin Ree 

This year's edition of the Millennium Docs Against Gravity festival in Poznań was the third time that The City Of Poznań Freedom Award was presented.From the films selected for the national Main Competition, a three-person Jury awarded the winning title that most faithfully defends the foundationsof freedom and fights for dignity and human rights through its cinematic message. The winning film received a prize of 3,000 EUR. The jury consisted of: Ewa Ewart - journalist and multi-award-winning director of documentary films, Agnieszka Jankowiak-Maik - history and social studies teacher, PhD in humanities, publicist, and educational activist; and Klaudiusz Chrostowski - author of feature films, documentaries, and music videos.

Justification: The jury unanimously awarded the Freedom Prize sponsored by the City of Poznań to the film IBELIN directed by Benjamin Ree for:

*a moving human story told in a non-obvious way

*for bringing out humanity where few look for it and find it

*for showing that freedom does not have to be conditioned by the limitations that life sometimes brings us

SPECIAL MENTION

,,The Last Expedition’’, dir. Eliza Kubarska

An honorable mention goes to a film that tells the story of an extraordinary protagonist. A story that should have been told long ago, but waited for the right, tender narrator. The film about the complex process of seeking freedom, which is combined with enormous sacrifice, and its success is ambiguous.

BYDGOSZCZ ART.DOC AWARD

,,No other land” dir. Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor.

The Bydgoszcz ART.DOC Award 2024, worth 2000 Euros, for the best film from the Main Competition was awarded by the jury consisting of: Stanisław Cuske - cinematographer and director of documentary films, Katarzyna Marcysiak - documentarian, journalist, and columnist, and Andrzej Kaliski - lawyer since 2005, member of the Bydgoszcz Bar Association.

The filmmakers managed to show, in a brave, yet artistically mature way the resistance of defenseless Palestinian villagers to the brutal violence of the Israeli army. 

They created a multifaceted story about the dramatic struggle to preserve their place on earth, but also an extraordinary story about the emerging friendship across the divides. 

Honorary mention of the District Bar Council in Bydgoszcz for the best production dealing with the issue of human rights to a film ,,Hollywoodgate’’ dir. Ibrahim Nash’at

,,Hollywoodgate’’ dir. Ibrahim Nash’a

The special mention of the Bydgoszcz Regional Bar Council for a film that  addresses human rights issues goes to Hollywoodgate, directed by Ibrahim Nashʹat.

The author of the film, demonstrating great intuition, courage and responsibility, shows almost day by day the behind-the-scenes of the Taliban military regime taking over Afghanistan, which is gradually turning the country into a religious and patriarchal dictatorship, where disobedience is punishable by death.

The filmmakers managed to show in a brave yet artistically mature way the resistance of defenseless Palestinian villagers to the brutal violence of the Israeli army. 

The silent heroes of this film are the citizens of Afghanistan, especially women, whose rights are systematically suppressed. The current authority, based on the principles of Sharia, restricts their right to be present in public life, bans their education at universities, work in NGOs, interferes with their clothing, controls every aspect of their lives, and reinstates corporal punishment and its public execution.

The artist, recording at risk and showing the world this case study of the birth of a dictatorship, penetrating with his camera into the very interior of the dictatorship and showing the mechanisms of power from the inside, stands up for all those citizens who are deprived of their rights by this power, and who have no possibility in their country to express any opposition.

FIRST APPEARANCE AWARD

„Echo of You” dir. Zara Zerny

The First Appearance Award and its accompanying EUR 2,000 prize was awarded by The Inter-generational Jury consisting of teenagers and people aged 55+. The award supports emerging talents thanks to the Sponsor - the Visa brand, which is one of the world leaders in digital payments.This year they were: Eleonora Stokowska Starzycka, Ela Hołoweńko, Sylwia Sapocińska, Zuzanna Gawor, Krzysztof Kornfeld, Hanna Podleśna.

Justification:For its touching and beautiful portrayal of a subject that for many people remains taboo. For the way it shows love and loss. For the wonderful cinematography and music that emphasise the dignity of old age. The First Appearance Award goes to Echo of You directed by Zara Zerna 

BEST POLISH FILM AWARD

,,Forest” dir. Lidia Duda

In the Polish Competition at the 21th MDAG, 12 films competed for the Best Polish Film Award and EUR 3,000 prize. The best was selected by the jury: Anna Trzebiatowska - programmer of the Sundance Festival, Jaie Laplante - artistic director of DOC NYC, and Ola Salwa - film critic, head of Gdynia Industry at the Gdynia Polish Feature Film Festival.

Justification: When three little kids and their parents move out of the city, they think they found a paradise, and escaped the modern society’s problems. But the world’s oppression politics soon can be found there too, and is a test for both parenting philosophies and childhood resilience. The director and her creative collaborators have crafted a haunting rejection of immoral policies, through the eyes and hearts of unlikely heroes, and leave us with hope that even in these dark times, rays of humanity shine brightly. The jury names FOREST by Lidia Duda as the best film of the Polish Competition.

SPECIAL MENTION

,, Just hear me out’’, dir. Małgorzata Imielska

Justification: We would like to give our special mention to a director who is tackling a subject that remains a taboo in Poland, and doing so with much empathy, respect and love for the people whose world she so carefully enters. Special Mention goes to Małgorzata Imielska

SMAKJAM AWARD FOR THE BEST PRODUCTION IN A POLISH FILM

,,Forest’’, dir. Lidia Duda

The films presented in the Polish Competition had a chance to win the Smakjam Award for the Best Production - EUR 3,000 or the equivalent of this sum in the form of post-production services - awarded by the Smakjam studio. The winning film was selected by the post-production Smakjam Studio team.

Justification: This year we decided to award a film that reminds us of a world that is both very near and very far from us. That is Forest by Lidia Duda - a moving portrait of a family that, while building its private paradise, has to face hell. It is a subtle and brave cinema, tender to the protagonists, speaking about the most important things - concern for the other person, disagreement with indifference and a sense of helplessness.

THE ARTHOUSE CINEMA ASSOCIATION AWARD IN THE POLISH COMPETITION

,,The Last Expedition’’, dir. Eliza Kubarska 

The prize entails supporting the promotional campaign of the winning film in cinemas, in the amount of 8,000 Polish złoty. The winner was chosen by the jury consisting of: Patrycja Blindow (Kino Żeglarz in Jastarnia), Krzysztof Ociepa (Kino Rialto in Katowice), and Iwona Bartnicka (Kino 60 Krzeseł in Gorzów Wielkopolski).

Justification: We present the Association of Studio Cinemas Award in the Polish competition to the film The Last Expedition, directed by Eliza Kubarska, for a cinematic journey in search – which does not only take place  in the mountains – of the spirit of Wanda Rutkiewicz, and for skillfully combining personal archives with a metaphysical peaks expedition. 

SPECIAL MENTION

,,Rave’’, dir. Łukasz Ronduda, Dawid Nickel

Justification: Rave, directed by Łukasz Ronduda and David Nickel, for showing “the world of equal beat”, capturing the transformation of the 90s erato the rhythm of techno that unites generations. 

 ,,Just hear me out’’, dir. Małgorzata Imielska

Justification: Just Hear Me Out, directed by Małgorzata Imielska, for its poignant, evocative portrait of a person facing illness, whose story deserves to be heard.

BEST SHORT FILM AWARD

,,Freshman’’, dir. Michał Edelman, Tomasz Pawlik

For the third time at the festival, the Short Film Competition was presented, the length of which does not exceed 45 minutes. Thanks to their diverse topics, they are an ideal starting point to learn about the issues developed in feature films presented at the festival. The prize in this competition is 2,000 euros and its patron is TikTok. The award was granted by the jury consisting of: Beata Pacak - selector of CANAL+ Polska and Ale kino+ channel, 
Mourad Moussa - Co-Head of the programming office and member of the selection committee ofthe Visions du Réel festival, and Qila Gill - Head of the Programming Department at the London Short Film Festival.

Justification: In the dimly lit corridors of masculinity, a suffocating shadow thrives, prowling in silence, its presence undeniable yet often ignored. Navigating this labyrinth of toxicity is akin to traversing a minefield, especially for juveniles. The narrative delicately unveils the protagonist's journey into adulthood amidst a challenging new landscape, catalysing profound transformation. As jurors, we acknowledge the compassionate gaze with which we observed the protagonist's raw struggle and resilience, the attentiveness given to the details in movements and body language, the tenderness found and exposed in the middle of a harsh environment, to build this true testament to the human spirit's capacity for growth. The jury is pleased to award the documentary short film Freshman directed by Michał Edelman and Tomasz Pawlik.

SPECIAL MENTION

,,Crushed’’, dir. Camille Vigny

Justification: In this dark symphony of emotions, the melody of love often becomes distorted, drowned out by the dissonance of manipulation and control. With meticulous care and unparalleled creativity, the portrayal offers a singularly personal perspective. Through the juxtaposition of a tale of abuse and physical violence with visual metaphor, the film penetrates beneath the viewer's skin, evoking a visceral response that compels us as the viewer to confront uncomfortable truths hidden beneath the surface. As jurors, we would like to honour Crushed, directed by Camille Vigny, with a Special Mention for the Short Documentary Competition.

AWARD FOR BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

,,The Basement’’, dir. Roman Blazhan

The cinematographer of the film, who is awarded for the best cinematography, received EUR 2,000. The competition includes 12 titles that delight us with their visual side. The winner was selected by a jury consisting of: Kacper Czubak - cinematographer, Alicja Lesiak - photographer, finalist of the Paszporty Polityki and Grand Press Photo awards, Paweł Ziemilski - director and producer of documentary films.

Justification: The jury of the Best Cinematography competition at the 21st Millennium Docs Against Gravity Festival decided unanimously to award the film which combines masterful craftsmanship with deep sensitivity and tenderness towards its vulnerable protagonists. 
The camera tenderly and patiently gazes into their eyes, drawing a universal tale of human frailty and greatness. It's a story that astonishes with its unforced beauty and brings hope for rebirth. The award for best cinematography at the 21st Millenium Docs Against Gravity Festival goes to Mihail Volkov for his film The Basement.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL POLAND AWARD

,,Forest”, dir. Lidia Duda

The Amnesty International Poland award and its accompanying EUR 3,000 prize is a special thanks to those who show what human rights are through their film work. The winning film was selected from among 12 nominees by a jury consisting of:  Anna Błaszczak-Banasiak - director of Amnesty International Poland, Marta Tomkiewicz-Januszewska - lawyer, member of the board of Amnesty International Poland, and Marek Kozakiewicz - film director.

Justification: This is a film about human rights defenders who didn't plan or want to be them at all. They don't work in organizations, they didn't plan to commit to a cause or be on the front line, but they couldn't have acted any other way in the face of the human tragedy happening right next door. It is a film about profound humanity.

It is a sincere and moving film, free from didacticism; one that does not raise monuments, but rather forges bonds and mutual understanding. A film that refrains from interference, creating an image that is poetic and full of metaphors. The film is based on careful observation and proximity – it allows you to touch a piece of paradise on earth and feel the sorrow of its loss, when the Arcadia of the domestic asylum is disturbed by the outside world, the world of big politics, which refuses to be forgotten. It touches on a subject somewhat neglected, powdered with the words of politicians. A topic that is still painful, that festers and, unfortunately, often divides. It is a beautiful, authentic and moving film. Great cinema. The Amnesty International Award for the best film on human rights goes to Forest, directed by Lidia Duda.

SPECIAL MENTION

,,Abortion Dream Team’’, dir. Karolina Domagalska

A special mention goes to Abortion Dream Team, directed by Karolina Domagalska.

Justification: A special mention goes to a film that openly addresses an important topic that is still enveloped in an aura of stigma. A film that portrays reality as it is and does not run away from showing the personal cost that human rights defenders bear when they take on the responsibilities of the state and the health care system. 

“NEWSWEEK PSYCHOLOGIA” AWARD FOR THE BEST FILM ON PSYCHOLOGY

„The Monk”, dir. Mira Jargil, Christian Sønderby Jepsen

This year, for the second time, the editors of "Newsweek Psychologia" awarded their prize for the best psychological film in the amount of 1,000 euros. The best film was chosen by jury consisting of: Dellfina Dellert, Małgorzata Mierżyńska, Joanna Gutral, Iwona Zabielska-Stadnik, Katarzyna Burda oraz Artur Stadnik.

Justification: Is it possible to achieve peace of mind if you leave harm behind? Why do we hurt those we love? Is it possible to always act right or only wrong? Does not talking about something makes it go away? What does life look like without remembering the past and thinking about the future? Is it possible to live happily with an interrupted history? Or do we not owe the world anything? Maybe we are entitled to non-obvious choices and conflicting feelings? Maybe not every suffering can be silenced? Maybe not every road can be turned back from, even if one does return?
Here's to the opportunity to ask ourselves such questions. Not simple, yet somehow fundamental. The kind that we don't ask ourselves at all, or do so too rarely. For the ambiguity of the feelings that the protagonist arouses, and for the way he makes us think.

SPECIAL MENTION

„Eternal Memory”, dir. Maite Alberdi

Justification: The jury also awarded a special mention to the film Eternal Memory, directed by Maite Alberdi from Chile. Thank you for the story of Paulina and Augusto. For the beautiful portrayal of love, which is not only about loving and devotion. It is a refuge for the memory that goes out in Alzheimer's disease. Because as long as at least one person remembers who the other one is and that they exist, they really do.

CHOPIN’S NOSE AWARD

„I am not everything I want to be”, dir. Klára Tasovská

The award and 2000 euros were received by the best film about music and art. This year's jury included: Dominika Olszyna-Kniaź - editor-in-chief of Onet Kultura, Onet Lifestyle, and ofeminin.pl, Jakub Piątek - film director, and Agnieszka Szpila - writer and feminist activist.

Justification: We live in a time of false representation, in which identity means as much as a “selfie.” The artist whose film shocked us has shown us that a self-portrait can be something extraordinary. Her “selfies” are unique images of striking power. Unflinching, brazenly veristic, unadulterated. The artist takes her photos looking at herself in the mirror in a very raw, somber way. She never poses. When she fragments herself, dismembering her body into individual elements: her belly, her thighs, her feet - she is talking about the reality she has come to live in. Her body describes this reality. It is her non-official first language. In this way, by speaking with her body, she creates a whole new dimension of intimacy. Not only in her relationship with herself but also in her relationship with the world. I would so love to see an Instagram where all the selfies, including mine, were taken that way. Maybe then, instead of a carefully constructed delusion, our bodies would finally tell something interesting about the world around us. After very brief deliberations and unanimously, the jury decided to award the film, which tells us an individual, intimate story and at the same time the story of our entire region by opting for a radical and minimalist form. The Chopin’s Nose Award goes to “I’m Not Everything I Want to Be” by Klára Tasovská.

GREEN WARSAW AWARD

„The Giants”, dir. Laurence Billiet, Rachael Antony

The Green Warsaw Award and its accompanying PLN 15 000 cash prize funded by the City of Warsaw was once again given to the best film on ecology.The winner was chosen by the jury consisting of:  Leszek Drogosz, deputy director of the Infrastructure Office of the City of Warsaw, Maria Krauss - producer of documentary films, and Wiktoria Jędroszkowiak - activist, co-founder of the WSCHÓD initiative.

Justification: The world we live in will not survive if it does not change and if we, humans, do not change. Changing the world does not happen overnight, however. We award the prize to a success story told from start to finish, in which accounts of the life and functioning of natural forests are intertwined with the biography of not only the ''faces of these protests'', but also the story of many decades of movement for conservation and climate justice. From student blockades protecting biodiversity, to the fight for marriage equality,  risky direct opposition to President Bush and the war in Iraq. One man's personal story takes us through the private as well as the public – over 50 years of intense and, more importantly, effective action for a life of dignity and security. Remarkably moving, inspiring and uplifting at a time when so many battles are, after all, still to be won. A reminder that bringing about profound change is a marathon, not a sprint, which BOB BROWN has demonstrated to us in an exemplary manner. The GREEN WARSAW AWARD at the 21st Millennium Docs Against Gravity goes to the film The Giants. 

SPECIAL MENTION

„Sowing the Seeds of the Wild”, dir. Dyba Lach 

Justification: Land from a different perspective. The perspective of a being who has always been here. A delightful journey through Poland, in which we rediscover where we come from. A story about the full-fledged protagonists of our world – rivers to be cared for and admired for their beauty instead of being owned and exploited. Also, a touching account of a father-daughter relationship. 

A beautiful and intimate film, telling the story of a struggle to reclaim what we so often lose at our own request.

Audience Award

"No Other Land", dir. Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor

ONET BIG SCREEN DOC AWARD

"A New Kind of Wilderness", dir. Silje Evensmo Jacobsen

Other awards granted during the Awards Ceremony in Gdynia:

ETNOMATOGRAF AWARD

God is a woman’’ reż. Andrès Peyrot

For the fourth time at the Millennium Docs Against Gravity Festival, the Department of Ethnography of the National Museum in Gdansk awards the ETNOMATOGRAPH prize for the best film on ethnographic and anthropological themes.

Justification: For the fourth time at the Millennium Docs Against Gravity, the Ethnography Department of the National Museum in Gdańsk is awarding the ETNOMATOGRAPH prize for the best film on ethnographic and anthropological themes. The Jury's intention was to distinguish a director for the most sensitive way of showing the authentic face of a human being.

The Jury's decision was unanimous, although preceded by an animated discussion - each of the nominated films was authentic and extremely moving. For its careful and subjective look at the Kuna community, the indigenous inhabitants of the Panamanian islands of San Blas, and recording their struggle to take control of their image and cultural heritage - the Ethnomatograph Award goes to Swiss-Panamanian director Andrès Peyrot for his film God is a Woman. 

The jury recognized the maturity of the debuting film, attentiveness and respect for its protagonists, as well as objectivity and a decolonizing approach to archival anthropological narratives. 

ALL ABOUT FREEDOM AWARD

,,Forest’’ dir. Lidia Duda

For the first time, the All About Freedom Festival Award was presented by the European Solidarity Center for the film that most accurately refers to the most current challenges faced by man and contributes to a broad understanding of the value of solidarity.

Justification: We award a film that is excellent in terms of story, cinematography and sound design. A brisk, interesting, surprising and poignant one. One that we will remember for many months, because it invites the viewer to a multi-layered analysis of the world presented.

For its insightful look into the reality of people who, while creating a peaceful and safe home for their family, are faced with the need to help others, which in Poland is against the law.
For the tenderness and serenity of the story of a family that gives subjectivity to its children, without hiding their everyday life from them. It engages in action, teaches empathy and responsibility. It prepares for life in the underworld.

By awarding this film, we want not only to recognize the director for her artistry, but also to express our admiration for the characters in the film, who bear witness to decency, although they pay a high price for it. 

The All About Freedom Festival award, sponsored by the European Solidarity Center, goes to the creators of the film Forest, directed by Lidia Duda. For promoting solidarity, magnificent images of nature and an extraordinary sound layer - adding to the narrative. For the lesson of parenthood and humanity.

CONTESTS THAT ARE STILL GOING ON:

 After the online part of the festival, on June 3, the Online Audience Award will be announced, which will go to the most popular film of the second part of the 21th MDAG.

THE LIST OF ALL AWARDS

GRAND PRIX BANK MILLENNIUM AWARD: “No other land” dir. Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor.
Special Mentions:
  ”Sugarcane” directed by Emily Kassie, Julian Brave NoiseCat
 ”Agent of Happiness’’ directed by Dorottya Zurbó, Arun Bhattarai

LOWER SILESIA GRAND PRIX (Wrocław):  ”Forest” dir. Lidia Duda 
Special mention: “No other land” dir. Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor.

THE MAYOR OF GDYNIA AWARD: “Hollywoodgate’’ dir. Ibrahim Nash’at
Special mention:  “The Last Expedition’’ dir. Eliza Kubarska

The City Of Poznań Freedom Award: 
“The Remarkable Life of Ibelin’’dir. Benjamin Ree 
Special mention:  ,”The Last Expedition’’ dir. Eliza Kubarska

BYDGOSZCZ ART.DOC AWARD: “No other land” dir. Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor.
Honorary mention of the District Bar Council in Bydgoszcz for the best production dealing with the issue of human rights to a film: “Hollywoodgate’’ dir. Ibrahim Nash’at

FIRST APPEARANCE AWARD: “Echo of You” dir. Zara Zerny

BEST POLISH FILM AWARD: “Forest” dir. Lidia Duda 
Special mention: “JUST HEAR ME OUT’’ dir. Małgorzata Imielska

SMAKJAM AWARD FOR THE BEST PRODUCTION IN A POLISH FILM:
  “Forest” dir. Lidia Duda 

THE ARTHOUSE CINEMA ASSOCIATION AWARD IN THE POLISH COMPETITION:  “The Last Expedition’’ dir. Eliza Kubarska
Special mention:
 “Rave’’ dir. Łukasz Ronduda, Dawid Nickel
“JUST HEAR ME OUT’’ dir. Małgorzata Imielska

BEST SHORT FILM AWARD: ,,Freshman’’ dir. Michał Edelman, Tomasz Pawlik
Special mention: “Crushed” dir. Camille Vigny

AWARD FOR BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: “The Basement’’ dir. Roman Blazhan

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL POLAND AWARD: “Forest” dir. Lidia Duda 
Special mention: “Abortion Dream Team’’ reż. Karolina Domagalska 

GREEN WARSAW AWARD: "The Giants”, dir. Laurence Billiet, Rachael Antony
Special mention: "Sowing the Seeds of the Wild”, dir. Dyba Lach 

NEWSWEEK PSYCHOLOGIA AWARD FOR THE BEST FILM ON PSYCHOLOGY: "Monk”, dir. Mira Jargil, Christian Sønderby Jepsen
Special mention: "Enernal Memory”, reż. Maite Alberdi

AUDIENCE AWARD: "No Other Land", dir. Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor

ONET BIG SCREEN DOC AWARD: "A New Kind of Wilderness", dir. Silje Evensmo Jacobsen