European film projects honored at Ji.hlava festival

At the 30th edition of the Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival, several European film projects were recognized for their exploration of ecological crises, intergenerational oppression, and challenges to collective memory.

Belgian project wins top European award

The Belgian project 6TM, directed by Karim Akalay and produced by Walid Bekhti, won the Ji.hlava New Visions Award for Most Promising European Project. The award includes 15,000 euros in visual post-production services from UPP and 5,000 euros in sound post-production services from Soundsquare.

Film blends magic and social themes

The film, set in the residential district of Cité Modèle in Brussels during a hot summer, is a supernatural family comedy that weaves together three stories involving children searching for a magical lamp, a teenager forming a football team, and a mother mobilizing neighbors over the disappearance of rain. The jury praised its "imaginative blend of magical realism, humor, and social relevance."

US project tackles AI through childhood memories

The Ji.hlava New Visions Award for Most Promising US Project, in partnership with AmDocs, was awarded to Searching for SmarterChild by Lindsey Sitz and Zan Gillies, directed by Erin Williams-Weir. The project received 7,000 dollars and revisits the experiences of filmmakers with a primitive internet chatbot from their childhood, addressing contemporary issues around artificial intelligence.

Film explores human interaction with machines

The jury noted its potential to engage viewers with an amusing and original analysis of behavior with implications beyond technology. The film explores how people interact, confide in, and mistreat machines, using personal memories to frame broader questions about artificial intelligence.

British documentary wins dual awards

The British documentary Planet A by Emelie Mahdavian, produced by Charlotte Hailstone, won the #Docs Connect Taskovski Training Award and the Jacob Burns Film Center Award. The film follows scientists studying the Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica, combining an expedition on ice with a glaciologist's journal and a poetic perspective drawn from the landscape itself.

Awards include residency and distribution support

The awards include a festival consultation and distribution, plus a two- to four-week creative residency at the Jacob Burns Film Center in New York State. This support aims to help the filmmakers expand their reach and develop their work further.

Ukrainian documentary receives multiple honors

The Ukrainian project If Only the Pines Could Speak, directed by Yelyzaveta Myshkalenko and produced by Diana Nazaruk, received the EURODOC Award and the Bratislava Industry Days Award. The documentary combines archives with charcoal animation, focusing on the mass graves of Bykivnia near Kyiv and the repression of Ukrainian artists who sought to expose Stalinist crimes.

Support includes training and future presentation

The support includes a EURODOC training session and an annual subscription, estimated at 2,000 euros, along with selection for the 2027 Bratislava Industry Days presentation. This recognition helps the filmmakers gain visibility and access to resources.

Slovak-Czech-Belgian project highlights vision and blindness

The Cannes Docs – Marché du Film Award was given to Iridescence, a Slovak-Czech-Belgian project by Dominika Kováčová and Kilhan Wittock, produced by Matej Sotník and Klára Tasovská. The film works with the archive of ophthalmologist Benedetto Strampelli, juxtaposing images of surgery and travel with contemporary experiences of blindness and vision technologies.

Project to participate in Cannes Docs 2027

The project will participate in Cannes Docs 2027 as a highlighted project, including two Marché du Film badges. This provides the filmmakers with opportunities to network and showcase their work on an international stage.

Montenegro's films receive industry recognition

Montenegro, the industry focus country this year, was represented by Monument of Revolution by Mladen Ivanović and The 13th Fish by Sara Stijović. Monument of Revolution, a co-production with Croatia produced by Tamara Puizina, received the DAE Award, offering two annual memberships and a tailored consultation.

Films highlight cultural and social themes

The film contrasts the degradation of a Yugoslav monument with Stijović's hybrid narrative on pressures on daughters-in-law. The 13th Fish, directed by Stijović and Marija Vlahović, received the Meditalents Residency Award, supporting the filmmakers' development and creative process.

Other award winners include diverse international projects

Other award winners included Daughters of the Pit by Anshul Chauhan (Japan), Male Fantasies by Max Bowens (USA), Words We Never Say by Agnieszka Zwiefka (Poland/Germany/Bulgaria/Spain), A Spectre Is Haunting Europe by Robo Mihály (Slovakia/Czech Republic), and several others. These projects reflect a wide range of themes and styles from across Europe and beyond.