This year's award winners at Films from the South
ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT and AGENT OF HAPPINESS are the winning films at the 34th edition of Films from the South. The Audience Award went to A RAVAGING WIND, and the Silver Mirror Honorary Award to director Mohammad Rasoulof.
THE SILVER MIRROR AWARD
This year, ten films have participated in the festival's international main competition, with the chance to win the festival's main award, the Silver Mirror. The jury evaluating the films consisted of Nataša Urban, Abirami Logendran, and Christian Fredrik Martin.
The winner of the Silver Mirror is Payal Kapadia's ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT.
Jury Statement
«This year's Silver Mirror Award goes to All We Imagine as Light, written and directed by Payal Kapadia. In a sort of a cinematic love letter to Mumbai, through the lives and intimacies of three main characters, the film portrays a broken system without explicitly pointing out what isn’t working, but by showing how beautiful life can be despite the challenges. The relationship between the main characters - dynamic and nuanced, is very well-written, their performances simply outstanding and memorable.
The jury is mesmerized by Kapadia’s poetic storytelling, and particularly impressed by her formal choices, not the least the brilliant use of music. In All We Imagine as Light, one of the characters describes everyday life in a dark factory, where hours pass while dreaming of stepping into the light. The use of light, both as a metaphor and an aesthetic and formal device, elevates the film to something truly unique, placing compassion and women solidarity in the spotlight. This moving, soul-nourishing film is such a bright ray of hope. It makes our world a much better place.»
The film is distributed in Norway by Another World Entertainment, and will premiere in cinemas in January 2025.
DOC:SOUTH
In the competition program DOC:SOUTH, ten documentary films competed for the main documentary film award. The jury, consisting of Angelika Alsén, Bjørn Baltazar Reilly Brænne, and Lydia Kok, selected AGENT OF HAPPINESS, directed by Araun Bhattarai & Dorottya Zurbo, as this year's DOC:SOUTH winner.
Agent of Happiness
Jury Statement
«Agent of Happiness is a visually stunning journey through the country of Bhutan. On a mission from the government, Amber surveys the population’s level of happiness, but one soon finds that it is a property far too subjective to measure. While Amber is conducting the surveys, we see how he himself struggles to regain his citizenship, while desperately longing for someone with whom to share his life with. The way we meet interesting people and their stories through Amber’s own journey towards happiness is gripping and effective.
The visuals in this film are enthralling. The cinematic language is thoroughly consistent and never ceases to impress. Throughout its runtime, the film brims with artfully composed images that enhance our understanding of the characters’ relationships with each other. It is hard not to fall in love with the mountains, forests and villages of Bhutan depicted with such vibrancy and detail.
The film often strikes a humorous tone, while at the same time fearlessly diving into themes of poverty, loneliness, alcoholism, and social justice. It makes you eager to learn more about the society the film is set in. The characters are portrayed with such warmth that one cannot help but grow a deep affection for them, even those we only spend a few scenes with. Through fascinating personal stories, the film shines a light on societal challenges in an unforgettable manner.»
In addition, the jury has chosen to give an Honorable Mention to Shiori Ito's BLACK BOX DIARIES.
Black Box Diaries
«Black Box Diaries depicts Shiori Itō’s profound, painful and brave battle for justice. The film gives a close-up and compassionate point of view into her struggle, through elegant dramaturgy, portraying her most dire moments contrasted with glimmers of humor and hope.»
SILVER MIRROR HONORARY AWARD
In a year when director Mohammad Rasoulof – known for The Seed of the Sacred Fig – goes into exile in Germany, we are awarding him the festival's honorary prize, The Silver Mirror Honorary Award 2024. The festival's honorary prize is awarded to a director who fights for the freedom to create films and protests against an oppressive regime using the camera as a weapon.
THE AUDIENCE AWARD
The audience has voted, and the winner of the Audience Award is A RAVAGING WIND, directed by Paula Hernández.