CinEast announces its winners
The 19th edition of CinEast – Central and Eastern European Film Festival, held from 9 to 25 October, announced its winners during a ceremony on Saturday, 24 October, at Kinepolis Kirchberg in Luxembourg. The festival showcased films from across Central and Eastern Europe, highlighting diverse storytelling and cinematic talent from the region.Grand Prix awarded to Dua
The international jury, chaired by Hungarian director Ildikó Enyedi, awarded the Grand Prix to Dua, directed by Kosovar filmmaker Blerta Basholli. The film had its world premiere during the Critics' Week at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the SACD Award, marking its recognition on an international stage.Jury praises Tell Me What You Feel
The jury also awarded the Special Jury Prize to Tell Me What You Feel by Polish director Łukasz Ronduda. Members of the jury, Georgi M Unkovski and Petar Valchanov, praised the film for its sincerity, sensitivity, and bold, original approach to storytelling, emphasizing its exploration of acceptance and courage in being different.Special Mention for Only Beautiful Things to Look At
A Special Mention was given to Only Beautiful Things to Look At by Slovak director Ivan Ostrochovský. The film was acknowledged for its artistic merit and emotional depth, contributing to the festival's celebration of diverse cinematic voices.Critics' Prize goes to Shame and Money
The Critics' Prize, awarded by journalists Paulo Lobo, Öykü Sofuoğlu, and Marko Stojiljković from Cineuropa, went to Shame and Money by Kosovar director Visar Morina. The film was recognized for its honest portrayal of socio-economic challenges and its formal rigor in addressing class dynamics.Young Talent Prize awarded to I Matter
Romanian director Alina Șerban received the Young Talent Prize for I Matter, selected by a jury of four film students. The prize highlights emerging talent and the importance of nurturing new voices in cinema.Audience Awards highlight popular films
The Audience Award for Best Feature Film was given to In Hell with Ivo by Bulgarian director Kristina Nikolova. The festival also recognized three short films with its Audience Awards, celebrating both feature and short formats across various genres.Festival attendance and fundraising efforts
Festival director Radek Lipka announced preliminary attendance figures exceeding 8,500, excluding numbers from the festival's final days, school sessions, and online programming. Organizers estimate the final count could surpass 11,000 for the third time. The CinEast4Ukraine fundraising initiative had collected over 4,000 euros at the time of the announcement, with an ongoing campaign to fund another ambulance for Ukraine.Closing ceremony and film screening
The closing ceremony was followed by a screening of The Diary of a Chambermaid by Radu Jude. The festival concluded with a list of winners that highlighted the achievements of filmmakers across Central and Eastern Europe.
