The 21st edition of ZagrebDox (30 Mar-6 Apr) came to a close with its awards ceremony on Saturday 5 April, held at the Kaptol Boutique Cinema, which traditionally serves as the primary location of the festival. The largest documentary gathering in the Croatian capital showcased 107 documentaries in various formats across 16 categories. Twenty films were in the running for the Big Stamp Award in the international competition, while 18 vied for it in the regional one.

The international jury, consisting of filmmakers Silje Evensmo Jacobsen and Igor Mirković, aided by Beldocs festival director Mara Prohaska Marković, awarded David Borenstein’s and Pavel Talankin’s Mr. Nobody Against Putin [+leggi anche:
recensione
scheda film] with the Big Stamp. It was praised as “a testimony for present and future generations, showing how we can understand the gradual embedding of war in our everyday lives and the fear it sows, especially among children. When the primary-school curriculum becomes a mechanism of indoctrination, the integrity of the individual and incredible courage inspire us with their essence and strike out against the cruelty of propaganda,” the jury's explanation reads. Elizabeth Lo’s Mistress Dispeller snagged the Special Mention in the same category.

In the regional competition, the Big Stamp went to Dalija Dozet’s My Dad’s Lessons [+leggi anche:
recensione
scheda film]. “This is a film about documentation and the act of filming. About the camera as a tool and a means of communication […]. It is also a film about family, interpersonal relationships and mourning. We witness the beautiful meeting of a father and daughter through numerous poetic images. This is an innovative and artistically extraordinary film,” goes the explanation by the jury, consisting of Pula Film Festival director Tanja Miličić, producer Viki Réka Kiss and filmmaker Vladimir Loginov. Maja Novaković’s At the Door of the House, Who Will Come Knocking [+leggi anche:
recensione
intervista: Maja Novaković
scheda film] was awarded a Special Mention.

The Small Stamp for Best Short Documentary went to Arshia Shakiba for Who Loves the Sun, while The Other Side of the Mountain by He Yumeng got the Special Mention. The same jury, consisting of Lucija Brkić, Mariusz Rusiński and Maja Malus Azhdari, also decided on the winners among the films by young filmmakers under the age of 35. Wind Has No Tail by Ivan Vlasov and Nikita Stashkevich won the Small Stamp, while Eyes of Gaza by Mahmoud Atassi got a Special Mention.

The Movies That Matter Award went to Sudan, Remember Us [+leggi anche:
intervista: Hind Meddeb
scheda film] by Hind Meddeb, while Trans Memoria [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Victoria Verseau
scheda film] by Victoria Verseau scooped a Special Mention. Night of the Coyotes by Clara Trischler won the FIPRESCI Prize. The Audience Awards went to Maja Prettner’s Woman of God [+leggi anche:
recensione
scheda film] in the regional competition and to Lidija Zelović’s Home Game [+leggi anche:
recensione
intervista: Lidija Zelovic
scheda film] in the international competition. Lastly, legendary Canadian-Swiss filmmaker Peter Mettler was presented with the Honorary Big Stamp.

Here is the full list of award winners:

International Competition

Big Stamp
Mr. Nobody Against Putin [+leggi anche:
recensione
scheda film] – David Borenstein, Pavel Talankin (Denmark/Czech Republic)
Special Mention
Mistress Dispeller – Elizabeth Lo (China/USA)

Regional Competition

Big Stamp
My Dad’s Lessons [+leggi anche:
recensione
scheda film] – Dalija Dozet (Croatia)
Special Mention
At the Door of the House, Who Will Come Knocking [+leggi anche:
recensione
intervista: Maja Novaković
scheda film] – Maja Novaković (Serbia/Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Shorts Competition

Small Stamp
Who Loves the Sun – Arisha Shakiba (Canada)
Special Mention
The Other Side of the Mountain – He Yumeng (USA/China)

Young Jury Awards

Small Stamp
Wind Has No Tail – Ivan Vlasov, Nikita Stashkevich (Russia)
Special Mention
Eyes of Gaza – Mahmoud Atassi (Qatar)

Movies That Matter

Movies That Matter Award
Sudan, Remember Us [+leggi anche:
intervista: Hind Meddeb
scheda film] – Hind Meddeb (France/Tunisia/Qatar)
Special Mention
Trans Memoria [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Victoria Verseau
scheda film] – Victoria Verseau (Sweden/France)

FIPRESCI Award
Night of the Coyotes – Clara Trischler (Germany/Austria)

Teen Dox

Teen Dox Award
Lessons of Happiness – Oleksii Yeroshenko (Ukraine)
Special Mention
Where the Kids Have No Name – Jamillah van der Hulst (Netherlands/Bangladesh)

Audience Awards

Aviteh Audience Award – International Competition
Home Game [+leggi anche:
recensione
intervista: Lidija Zelovic
scheda film] – Lidija Zelović (Netherlands)

Croatian Radio-Television Audience Award – Regional Competition
Woman of God [+leggi anche:
recensione
scheda film] – Iza Strehar (Slovenia)

Honorary Big Stamp
Peter Mettler