The 23rd edition of Iceland’s largest film festival, the Reykjavík International Film Festival (RIFF), wrapped up on 4 October after more than ten days of screenings, discussions, and events. At an awards ceremony last Saturday, the winners of the festival’s competitive categories were announced. Marine Atlan’s La Gradiva won the Golden Puffin, the top prize in the New Visions section, which showcases first or second features—whether documentary or fiction. The film, set in Campania, Italy, outperformed other acclaimed titles such as Blerta Basholli’s Dua and Jacqueline Lentzou’s A Day in the Life of Jo: Chapter Phaedra. The New Visions jury praised La Gradiva for avoiding “easy sentimentality” and for its “exceptional emotional intelligence” and ability to capture the unspoken aspects of human interaction. Chronovisor, described by the jury as both thrilling and frustrating, by US directors Jack Auen and Kevin Walker, received the New Visions Special Mention. This was also the directors’ debut film. In the A Different Tomorrow strand, which is dedicated exclusively to documentaries, If Luck Will Come by Camille Bildsøe won the top prize in the section. The documentary follows two Afghan children who find freedom and joy through training in a local circus, despite living under the Taliban’s strict rule. The jury highlighted the film’s “deeply humane approach” to portraying the systemic oppression of women and girls in the country. Lana Daher’s Do You Love Me, an archival documentary about Beirut that premiered at the Venice Film Festival, took home the A Different Tomorrow Special Mention. The jury praised the film for its “masterful use of archival material.” The Best Icelandic Short Award was won by Fan Sissoko for her animation Hold It Together, which tells the story of a young immigrant in Iceland trying to find her place at the country’s geothermal baths—social spaces that bring people together. Based on Sissoko’s own experiences, the film premiered at Annecy and won the André-Martin Award for a French Short Film. Sudanese filmmaker Ibrahim Omar’s Nothing Happens After Your Absence—which stars, writes, directs, and produces Omar—won the Best International Short Award. The film had its premiere earlier this year at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight. The full list of award winners includes: Golden Puffin – La Gradiva – Marine Atlan (France/Italy); Special Mention – Chronovisor – Jack Auen, Kevin Walker (USA); A Different Tomorrow Award – If Luck Will Come – Camille Bildsøe (Denmark/Iceland/Norway); Special Mention – Do You Love Me – Lana Daher (France/Lebanon/Germany/Qatar); Golden Egg Left Behind – Yannis Karpouzis (Greece); Best Icelandic Short – Hold It Together – Fan Sissoko (France/Belgium/Iceland); Best International Short – Nothing Happens After Your Absence – Ibrahim Omar (Sudan); Special Mention – Taxi Moto – Gael Kamilindi (Switzerland/France); Icelandic Student Shorts Award – Congratulations, Asshole – Orri Guðmundsson (Iceland); Young People’s Jury Award – Club Kid – Jordan Firstman (USA).