AWARDS
17th edition TIFF 2019
FEATURE JURY
composed by Emanuel Parvu (Romania), Gjorce Stavreski (North Macedonia), Lydia Genchi (Italy) and Nadejda Koseva (Bulgaria)
awards:
BEST FEATURE FILM – GOLDEN OWL
The Father by Petar Valchanov, Kristina Grozeva | Bulgaria, Greece | 2019 | 90′
For the authors’ deep understanding of the characters leading us to love them through smiles and tears.
BEST DIRECTOR
Ena Sendijarevic
Take Me Somewhere Nice | Netherlands, Bosnia & Herzegovina | 2019 | 91′
For the unbearable lightness picturing the lost innocence of youth.
BEST SCREENPLAY
Ismet Sijarina, Arjan Krasniqi
Cold November by | Kosovo, Albania | 2018 | 93′
For the very powerful story that combines in a great manner personal fears with social dignity.
BEST EYE ON TIFF – SILVER OWL
(debut feature film)
A Decent Man by Hadrian Marcu | Romania | 2018 | 93′
For the calm and surgical, yet emotional cut of the simple man’s soul.
SPECIAL MENTION
Pause by Tonia Mishiali | Cyprus, Greece | 2018 | 96′
The story that almost half of the world can relate to, using the cinematic language crafted with gentleness and tension,
that leads us subtly to the inner world of the protagonist.
***
SHORT JURY
composed by Farnoosh Samadi (Iran), Konstantina Kotzamani (Greece) and Vladan Petkovic (Serbia)
awards:
BEST SHORT FILM – GOLDEN OWL
Tattoo by Farhad Delaram | Iran | 2018 | 15′
The award for best short goes to a film that depicts the dumb arrogance of petty authority
and a wicked maze of bureaucracy against a woman in a restrictive, patriarchal society,
through a simple story and masterful command of the cinematic form through which
the director paints the frustration of the hero and the pressure she is put under.
BEST SHORT FICTION/LIVE ACTION
The Christmas Gift by Bogdan Muresanu | Romania | 2018 | 23′
The award for best fiction short goes to a film that describes a historical era and frames
its climactic event through a story of an ordinary family plagued by fear and paranoia
from a totalitarian society, through top-notch acting, perfectly recreated period detail
and directing that is equally disciplined and artistic.
BEST SHORT ANIMATION
He Can’t Live Without Cosmos by Konstantin Bronzit | Russia | 2019 | 16′
The award for best animation goes to a work that transports us to a world that is both recognizable and surreal,
and in which loneliness, love, dedication of one parent and absence of another are combined in a story of a special child
who can never live up to undefined, perhaps imaginary, expectations of others, but more importantly, his own purposeless ambition.
***
DOCUMENTARY JURY
composed by Edon Rizvanolli (Kosovo), Ingo Starz (Germany) and Lara Stolman (United States)
awards:
BEST DOCUMENTARY – SILVER OWL
Fiancees by Julia Bünter | Switzerland | 2019 | 80′
“Fiancees” captivated and touched us with its access, honesty and nuanced look at the pressures and cultural norms
associated with marriage in Egypt. With layered, complicated characters, multi-generational perspectives and equal attention
paid to young men and women, Fiancés is a fascinating portrait of the dynamic interplay between tradition
and modern attitudes that characterizes marriage today in Egypt and everywhere.
BEST MID-SHORT DOCUMENTARY
The Patriot by Katja Fedulova | Germany | 2018 | 27′
“The Patriot” is an urgent account at the rise of populism today and warns of the potential danger lurking behind the slick smiles
and slogans of polished politicians. With its focus on the indoctrination and enlistment of youth, The Patriot is a chilling look at
how the game of politics can supersede the issues that matter most to societies.
***
STUDENT, BALKAN, IN ALBANIAN, VIDEO ART & EXPERIMENTAL JURY
composed by Arya Su Altioklar (Turkey), Driant Zeneli (Albania), Emrah Kilic (Turkey) and Maja Bogojevic (Montenegro)
awards:
BEST STUDENT FILM
Daughter by Daria Kashcheeva | Czech Republic | 2019 | 15′
Emotions especially the special relation between parent and child wouldn’t be that much closer to reality
with a special way of storytelling and high-quality animation technique that director used. One of the unique pieces of the entire samples of its genre.
BEST VIDEO ART & EXPERIMENTAL
Epoch by Kevin McGloughlin | Ireland | 2019 | 2′
Facing with the margins of our world that blinks us our shaped lives was shown us in a special storytelling idea by layers.
At the end of the film, you find yourself looking to your life as birds eye view too.
BEST BALKAN FILM
A Jar of Nuts by Savvas Stavrou | Cyprus | 2018 | 17′
With humor and tragedy, it tells the condition in which many parents share the space they live with their adults’ daughters or sons,
it tells the failure of the economic system and how it influences our everyday life.
SPECIAL MENTION
An Unforgettable Spring in a Forgotten Village by Kushtrim Bekteshi | North Macedonia, Albania | 2019 | 112′
The film most sarcastically tells a local story that contains many metaphors as well as discusses the role of power + the crisis of education,
faith, and especially the relationship between a man and woman, by questioning the rules of our society especially in the Balkans.
BEST FILM IN ALBANIAN – SILVER OWL
In Between by Samir Karahoda | Kosovo | 2019 | 14′
In dealing with family issues, the importance of living together and the winner of best film takes us into the beauty of nature in which
notions of brotherhood and our place in society. The film proves that a documentary could be pure cinema and can also turn into a poetic visual feast.
***
BEST DEBUT FILM “Ron Holloway”
A+ by Behrang Mirzayi | Iran | 2018 | 16′
Debut short film award goes to a film with a simple story can create a complex situation. With convincing directing and good performance
by the child actor, the film succeeded to show us that sometimes how society can turn innocence into dishonesty.
***
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD
Aga’s House by Lendita Zeqiraj | Kosovo, Albania | 2019 | 107′
***
HONORARY AWARD
Ali Asgari & Farnoosh Samadi
For their outstanding contribution in cinematography, for their continuous participation in Tirana Film Festival with almost all of their films,
for the sincerity of their unique stories, and for the emotions conveyed to the viewers through their directorial mastery.