Al-Jazeera Balkans Documentary Film Festival has announced the winners of its 7th edition.
Organised by Al-Jazeera Balkans, in collaboration with Al-Jazeera Media Network and Al-Jazeera Media Institute, the festival ran from September 13th to 17th in Sarajevo. Its aim: to promote film-makers and documentaries addressing social issues, focusing on the universal human values of courage, truth, justice and tolerance. The theme of this year’s festival was “Justice?”, examining “(in)justice on a regional and global scale through a programme of 12 documentaries”.
The Grand Prix went to Luka Beradze’s Smiling Georgia, a film looking back at the promises made by the Georgian President while he was running for re-election in 2012. His party promised subsidized dental care for the poor. So across the country state dentists began pulling out rotten teeth, promising to replace them within months. But the President lost the election… The film is built around interviews with victims of these unfulfilled political promises.
Choosing this film the jury said: “Through the beauty of a toothless smile the director tells a universal story about ordinary people abandoned and forgotten by politicians who do not care about their problems. It takes place in a world which considers healthcare a privilege for most people.”
José Carlos Soares’ documentary Holy Redemption won the Jury Award. Produced by TRT, this film explores the mentality of radical Israeli settlers on Palestinian lands. Through 22 interviews it reveals Israel’s strategies to displace Palestinians.
Sources: AJB DOC Film Festivals
