Film "Up the Yangtze" a winner at 5th Planete Doc Review

A film by Yung Chang received the Grand Prix at the Planete Doc Review Film Festival. Over 20 000 viewers watched 106 documentary films during the event.


A jury consisting of Krzysztof Kopczyński, chairman (Poland), Aleksander Manić (Serbia), Cornelia Seitler (Switzerland), Piotr Szczepański (Poland), and Georgie Weedon (Great Britain) awarded the Grand Prix-Millennium Award to the film Up the Yangtze by Yung Chang (Canada, 93 min.).

The jury awarded Up the Yangtze for “a cinematically outstanding portrayal of a transforming society, and for the extraordinary sensitivity with which the filmmaker approaches his subjects. The film succeeds brilliantly in depicting and bringing close to us everyday life in China, as it is being assaulted by the values of an alien western society to which it is trying to adapt. The river is transformed into a universal metaphor speaking of loss and of change, of the old and the new, and of the departures of a society drifting towards an unknown future.”

Honourable Mentions
Recycle by Ai Massad the Netherlands, Germany, Jordan 2008, 90 min.
Encounters at the End of the World by Werner Herzog, Great Britain 2007, 90 min.
Lucio by Aitor Arregi and Jose Maria Goenaga, Spain 2007, 93 min

 

THE MAGIC HOUR AWARD

A jury consisting of Szymon Zaleski (Poland), Gisa Schleelein (Germany), and Suliman Mohammed Ibrahim (Sudan), granted:

Main AwardTo See If I’m Smiling by Tamar Yarom, Israel 2007, 59 min.

Honourable Mentions
Lakshmi and Me by Nishtha Jain, India/USA/Finland/Denmark 2007, 59 min.
Secret of Deva by Anca Miruna Lazarescu Germany/Romania 2007, 58 min.

 

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AWARD

A jury consisting of Tadeusz Sobolewski (Poland), Paweł Łoziński (Poland), Draginja Nadazdin (Serbia and Montenegro), Youcai Wang (China), one of the leaders from the protest at Tiananmen Square, awarded:

Anna, Seven Years On the Frontline by Masha Novikowa, the Netherlands 2008, 78 min.

 

AUDIENCE AWARDS

I Prize: Stranded: I’ve Come from a Plane That Crashed on the Mountains by Gonzalo Arijon, France 2007, 130 min.

II Prize: Ikizama by Tomasz Wysokiński, Poland 2008, 55 min.

Audience Award Cinem@use 2008 of the Internet cinema iplex.pl:

Mechanical Love by Phie Ambo, Denmark/Finland 2007, 79 min.

 

THE YOUNG JURY AWARD

A jury consisting of Adam Borkowski, Jędrek Malko, Filip Lech, Michał Grosz, Paulina Myślińska, Iwo Konfender, and Zofia Chylat awarded:

Yodok Stories by Andrzej Fidyk, Poland/Norway 2008, 85 min.

 

Master classes with Siergiej Dworcewoj and Jorgen Leth were a great success. Each of the lessons attracted about 180 students, filmmakers, and journalists. Films by both directors were shown during the festival; they were popular and triggered lively discussions. Jorgen Leth offered enthusiastic comments on Polish productions, including Ikizama by Tomek Wysokiński.

 

Translated by Monika Miziniak | Edited by Patricia Koza

 

19.05.2008