Best Documentary

WINNER

Holz Erde Fleisch: Sigmund Steiner (director)
Jury: "In his essayistic documentary, Sigmund Steiner, himself son of a farmer, follows three men while working in the woods, in the fields and on alpine pastures. He provides sensitive insight into their world of thoughts while creating a meta-level of the father-son conflict, which runs like a thread through the film. Steiner treats his protagonists with a gentleness that is tangible in every minute. As a result, he succeeds, also in a remarkable manner, in letting them tell their story - in a transparent way, with the camera seemingly forgotten - a story that is partly also Sigmund Steiner's own."

Best Feature Film

WINNER

Thank You for Bombing: Barbara Eder (director)
Jury: "THANK YOU FOR BOMBING tells the story of three war reporters during their assignment in Afghanistan, thrillingly narrated in three loosely connected episodes. In addition to these personal narratives, which are convincingly performed by the actors, the film primarily addresses media and socio-analytical issues. It is, therefore, about making it possible to distinguish between real information and propagandistic disinformation, be it in the example of war reporting, as in this film, or generally in everyday media coverage. THANK YOU FOR BOMBING contributes to a reflection on this subject."

Best Feature

IN-COMPETITION

An Outpost of Progress: Hugo Vieira da Silva (director)

Best Film

WINNER

Bodkin Ras: Kaweh Modiri (director)
Jury: "The appearance of a mysterious stranger in a small Scottish town evokes feelings of alienation among the locals themselves. The film BODKIN RAS is impressive in the way it succeeds in showing the multiple aspects of social exclusion. Director and scriptwriter Kaweh Modiri crosses the thin line between fiction and documentary in a manner that is astounding from both a formal and narrative point of view."

WINNER

Under the Shadow: Babak Anvari (director)
"The specter of terror is haunting us - invisible, ungraspable. Out of historic events arises a domestic fiction that connects outer and inner war, oscillating between the concrete and disturbing generality. "Evil spirits travel on the wind" it says at some point in this film, which attacks our perception and merges formal elements. Every moment hits home in this cinematic trip, from which you neither can nor will tear yourself away."

Best Feature Film

WINNER

Mister Universo: Tizza Covi (director), Rainer Frimmel (director)
"A charming, empathic and simultaneously optimistic film that is convincing due to the sympathy and authenticity of its protagonists. A story, just like life itself. A young man takes the disappearance of his talisman as an opportunity to leave his everyday life behind. He travels across Italy in search of the former "Mister Universo" in order to retrieve his lucky charm. An exceptional search for traces, conceived as a subtle journey of discovery with magical moments."