World Cinema Jury Award
The three-member jury, consisting of Sasha Dees (producer/curator), Manon Portos Minetti (program maker) and Melvin Stewart (scriptwriter) unanimously chose Utama (Alejandro Loayza) as best film from the Competition programme. In this sublime, self-written debut, the Bolivian director shows that the consequences of climate change have far-reaching consequences for life on the high plateau of the Andes. He does this at a meditative pace and in breathtakingly beautiful images.
World Cinema Exchange Award - in cooperation with Het Filmgesprek
The World Cinema Exchange Award is intended for the film that best stimulates the viewer to start a conversation about essential human issues. The jury, consisting of Laura Quarto (director of the Leiden Shorts Film Festival), Rinke Vreeke (program and podcast maker) and Jeroen Helmers (film teacher), presented the award to My Small Land (Emma Kawawada). This coming-of-age story, written by herself, focuses on themes that are rarely discussed in Japanese cinema: immigration issues and racism.
World Cinema Audience Award
The public also made themselves heard. Throughout the festival, there were ballot papers at every screening of all selected World Cinema Amsterdam films, which the public could use to rate the film. Alejandro Loayza's Utama was the most appreciated by the public, making it the winner of another award.
Photography: Melanie Lemahieu
