10/09/2021 - Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s movie has come out on top in the international competition of the Polish gathering, while Karol Pałka’s Bucolic topped the national one

l-r: Paweł Łoziński, Daria Maślona, Kuba Mikurda, Mikołaj Borowy, Karol Pałka and Marianne Hougen-Mouraga during the awards ceremony

At the 2021 edition of Millennium Docs Against Gravity, the jury headed up by Agnieszka Holland unanimously picked Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s Flee [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jonas Poher Rasmussen
film profile] as their winner and stated in their verdict: “This film speaks about a real, extremely important subject in an artistically powerful, compelling and complex way. The original form, the sincerity of the main character, the lack of sentimentality and its strong emotional content make it not only an attractive movie for the wider audience, but also an important statement about the real situation of today’s refugees, helping us understand their destiny and choices, and evoking deep empathy. Far beyond the usual limits of documentary storytelling, this powerful film speaks about the importance of being allowed to live in truth.” The unique oeuvre by Poher Rasmussen previously triumphed at Annecy, and also took home the “Zwierciadło” Award for the Best Film on Psychology.

A Thousand Cuts by Ramona S Diaz and The Balcony Movie [+see also:
film review
interview: Paweł Łoziński
film profile] by Paweł Łoziński earned themselves Special Mentions. Bucolic [+see also:
film review
film profile] by Karol Pałka, an enigmatic and soulful story of two older women living as recluses, triumphed in the Polish Competition, while Kuba Mikurda’s lovely essay on Andrzej Żuławski’s film maudit, On the Silver Globe, aptly called Escape to the Silver Globe [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], snagged the Studio Cinema Association Award and the Chopin’s Nose Award, as well as the Smakjam Polish Competition Prize for the Best Production, presented to producer Daria Maślona. Songs of Repression [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Estephan Wagner and Mariann…
film profile] by Estephan Wagner and Marianne Hougen-Moraga got the Amnesty Internation Poland Award, Who We Were [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Marc Bauder
film profile] by Marc Bauder scooped the Green Warsaw Award, while Elizabeth Lo was given the Best Cinematography nod for Stray.

TV station TVP Dokument awarded Courage [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Aliaksei Paluyan and Jörn M…
film profile] by Aliaksei Paluyan, while Greta Thunberg, the protagonist of I Am Greta [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Nathan Grossman
film profile] by Nathan Grossman, was named the Biggest Personality of the Festival by Focus Magazine. A Black Jesus [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Luca Lucchesi triumphed in the First Appearance Award category.

The physical part of the festival will continue unspooling until Sunday 12 September, while on 16 September, the online screening rooms will fling open their digital doors. The virtual programme is a 95% match with the offline one.

Here is the full list of winners at the 18^th Millennium Docs Against Gravity:

Grand Prix – the Bank Millennium Award
Flee [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jonas Poher Rasmussen
film profile] – Jonas Poher Rasmussen (Denmark/France/Norway/Sweden)
Special Mentions
A Thousand Cuts - Ramona S Diaz (USA)
The Balcony Movie [+see also:
film review
interview: Paweł Łoziński
film profile] - Paweł Łoziński (Poland)

Studio Cinemas Association Award in the Polish Competition
Escape to the Silver Globe – Kuba Mikurda (Poland)
Special Mention
The Balcony Movie - Paweł Łoziński

Best Polish Film Award
Bucolic [+see also:
film review
film profile] – Karol Pałka (Poland)

Smakjam Polish Competition Prize for the Best Production
Escape to the Silver Globe – Kuba Mikurda

Amnesty International Poland Award
Songs of Repression [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Estephan Wagner and Mariann…
film profile] – Estephan Wagner, Marianne Hougen-Moraga (Denmark/Netherlands)
Special Mention
Courage [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Aliaksei Paluyan and Jörn M…
film profile] – Aliaksey Paluyan (Germany)

Award for Best Cinematography
Elizabeth Lo – Stray (USA)

Green Warsaw Award
Who We Were [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Marc Bauder
film profile] – Marc Bauder (Germany)
Special Mention
The Last Generation – Mikołaj Borowy (Poland)

Chopin’s Nose Award
Escape to the Silver Globe – Kuba Mikurda

TVP Kultura Award
Courage – Aliaksey Paluyan

“Zwierciadło” Award for the Best Film on Psychology
Flee – Jonas Poher Rasmussen

“Focus” Award for the Biggest Personality of the Festival
Greta Thunberg - I Am Greta [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Nathan Grossman
film profile] (Sweden)

Best Debut Award
A Black Jesus [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] – Luca Lucchesi (Germany)

City of Poznań Freedom Award
Sabaya [+see also:
film review
interview: Hogir Hirori
film profile] – Hogir Hirori (Sweden)

Lower Silesia Grand Prix
Flee – Jonas Poher Rasmussen

Special Mention
A Thousand Cuts - Ramona S Diaz

The Mayor of Gdynia Award
Sabaya – Hogir Hirori

Etnomatograph Award
Nheengatu - The Language from the Amazon Forest [+see also:
film review
film profile] - José Barahona (Brazil/Portugal)

ART/DOC Award Bydgoszcz 2021
Nothing But the Sun [+see also:
film review
interview: Arami Ullón
film profile] - Arami Ullón (Paraguay/Switzerland)

Special Mention
Flee – Jonas Poher Rasmussen

Silesian Audience Award 2021
The Balcony Movie - Paweł Łoziński