The recent Bolzano Film Festival Bozen, which concluded on 13 April, announced its winners and honored two exceptional filmmakers and their outstanding contributions to the world of cinema. A total of nine additional prizes were awarded on the final day of the festival, in addition to the two honorary awards bestowed upon Christian Petzold and Alba Rohrwacher.
Awards Honoring Exceptional Film Careers
Two honorary awards were given to German director Christian Petzold and Italian actress Alba Rohrwacher for their remarkable careers in filmmaking. Petzold, known for his thought-provoking and emotionally charged films, was recognized for his outstanding contributions to the world of cinema. Rohrwacher, a highly acclaimed actress and director, was honored for her versatility and dedication to her craft.
- Christian Petzold was given the honorary award for his commitment to storytelling and his ability to create complex characters.
- Alba Rohrwacher was recognized for her dedication to her craft and her ability to bring depth and nuance to her performances.
The awards were presented to the two honorees via video message, with Petzold expressing his gratitude for the recognition and Rohrwacher stating that she was humbled by the honor.
The Documentary Karuara, la gente del rio Wins the “Dolomites UNESCO World cultural heritage” special prize
The documentary Karuara, la gente del rio by Stephanie Boyd and Miguel Araoz Cartagena won the “Dolomites UNESCO World Cultural Heritage” Special Prize, a recognition of the film’s universal values and its connection to the Dolomites cultural heritage area.
| **Award** | **Winner** |
| **Dolomites UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Special Prize** | Karuara, la gente del rio (Stephanie Boyd and Miguel Araoz Cartagena) |
The documentary tells the story of the struggles of indigenous people in Peru and was selected as the winner by a jury of four.
The young jury Award and PFX Prize Winners
The Euregio Young Jury, composed of nine young filmmakers, chose the winner of the Euregio Young jury award for Best Euregio Region Film. The award went to the UK-based director Sasha Nathwani for his film “Last Swim”.
- Sasha Nathwani was recognized for his original, artistic, and rich-in-contrast filmmaking style.
- The Euregio Young Jury Award was a significant recognition of Nathwani’s talent and dedication to his craft.
The PFX Prize for Best MASO Pitch was awarded to Anastazja Naumenko and Maks Pilasiewicz for their project “I’m Not Nearly Cool Yet”.
| **Award** | **Winner** |
| **PFX Prize for Best MASO Pitch** | I’m Not Nearly Cool Yet (Anastazja Naumenko and Maks Pilasiewicz) |
Other Award Winners
In addition to the two honorary awards and the awards for the documentary and young jury winners, several other films were recognized for their excellence in various categories.
- Wind, Talk to Me by Stefan Djordjevic won the Best Film award.
- Viet and Nam by Tru’o’ng Minh Quý won the Special Prize of the Jury award.
- Where the Night Stands Still – Liryc Dela Cruz won the Award for Best Artistic Performance.
- Our Time Will Come by Ivette Löcker won the Distribution Award.
- My Boyfriend El Fascista by Matthias Lintner won the Special Mention and Audience Award.
These films demonstrated exceptional quality and were recognized for their outstanding achievements in the world of cinema.
The Winners List
Here is the full list of award winners:
- Best Film: Wind, Talk to Me by Stefan Djordjevic
- Special Prize of the Jury: Viet and Nam by Tru’o’ng Minh Quý
- Award for Best Artistic Performance: Where the Night Stands Still – Liryc Dela Cruz
- Distribution Award: Our Time Will Come by Ivette Löcker
- Special Mention: My Boyfriend El Fascista by Matthias Lintner
- Audience Award: My Boyfriend El Fascista by Matthias Lintner
- Dolomites UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Special Prize: Karuara, la gente del rio by Stephanie Boyd and Miguel Araoz Cartagena
- Young Jury Award for Best Euregio Region Film: Last Swim – Sasha Nathwani
- IDM Film Commission Award for Best Feature-length Film from the Euregio Region: Worüber man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man reden – Karl Prossliner
- IDM Film Commission Award for Best Short from the Euregio Region: Moving Mountains – Andrea Costa
- PFX Prize for Best MASO Pitch: I’m Not Nearly Cool Yet – Anastazja Naumenko
The winners of the Bolzano Film Festival Bozen have been announced, and it is clear that this year’s festival was a celebration of exceptional films and filmmakers from around the world. The awards presented at the festival recognized the outstanding contributions of two filmmakers, the universal values of a documentary, and the talent of young filmmakers.