It’s a wrap at the 15th edition of FEST, a festival dedicated to new directors and new cinema, which unspooled in Espinho, in the north of Portugal from 24 June-1 July. This year, the event welcomed more than 700 people hailing from all over the world, and the eight-day gathering boasted a rich programme including numerous speakers, master classes, debates and films.

Tales about children – their world, their hopes and their dreams – recounted with a remarkable female gaze, triumphed in the festival’s list of award winners. System Crasher [+leggi anche:
recensione
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intervista: Nora Fingscheidt
scheda film], a punky, visually audacious and socially relevant film directed by Nora Fingscheidt, was the ultimate winner of the Golden Lynx for Best Fiction. It is a movie that has been in the spotlight at several film festivals – from the Berlinale to the Filmkunstfest – ultimately thanks to the strength of its meticulously constructed and executed plot, a well-selected cast and an extraordinary (and sometimes haunting) performance by Helena Zengel, who plays Benni. She is a so-called “system crasher”, a problematic girl who, due to her past traumatic experiences, exhibits aggressive behaviour towards the people that surround her, but also exudes a vibrant and pure energy. She thus experiences a constant emotional rollercoaster ride and, consequently, is unable to find a stable place to stay.

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Gods of Molenbeek [+leggi anche:
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scheda film], directed by Reetta Huhtanen, was the winner of the Golden Lynx for Best Documentary. Gods of Molenbeek focuses on Aatos, a six-year-old boy with a Finnish father and a Chilean mother. He lives in Brussels and is filled with questions as he tries to explore and understand the world around him. It’s a world that is increasingly chaotic and tense, but it’s also a place where children’s naive and untameable spirits can prevail, much like friendship.

An Honourable Mention was given to Born in Evin [+leggi anche:
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scheda film], a documentary directed by Maryam Zaree, who is also the driving force and the main focus of the movie. Born in Evin captures her personal quest to understand the violent circumstances surrounding her birth, which occurred inside one of the most notorious political prisons in the world. The film was also the winner of the Cineuropa Audience Award for Best Feature Film. There was also a Cineuropa Audience Award for Best Short Film, which was bestowed upon Daughter, directed by Mara Tamkovich. The short tells the story of Piotr, a father who finds his daughter, Kamila, in a pool of blood on the day of her 16^th birthday. The story raises questions regarding the struggles and issues that parents have to grapple with.

Here is the full list of award winners:

International Feature Film Competition

Golden Lynx for Best Fiction Feature
System Crasher [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Nora Fingscheidt
scheda film] - Nora Fingscheidt (Germany)

Golden Lynx for Best Feature Documentary
Gods of Molenbeek [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] - Reetta Huhtanen (Finland/Belgium/Germany)
Honourable Mention
Born in Evin [+leggi anche:
trailer
scheda film] - Maryam Zaree (Germany/Austria)

Audience Awards

Cineuropa Audience Award for Best Feature Film
Born in Evin - Maryam Zaree

Cineuropa Audience Award for Best Short Film
Daughter - Mara Tamkovich (Poland)

International Short Film Competition 

Silver Lynx for Best Fiction Short Film
Desires of the Flesh - Rafaela Camelo (Brazil)
Honourable Mentions
023_Greta_s - Annika Birgel (Germany)
The Handover - Leonhard Hofmann (Germany)

Silver Lynx for Best Documentary Short Film
Liminaali & Communitas - Laura Rantanen (Finland)
Honourable Mention
The Dam - Natalia Koniarz (Poland)

Silver Lynx for Best Experimental Short Film
Bloom – Emmanuel Fraisse (France)

Silver Lynx for Best Animated Short Film
You Are Overreacting - Karina Paciorkowska (Poland)
Honourable Mention
Applesauce - Alexander Gratzer (Austria)

National Grand Prix

National Grand Prix for Best Portuguese Short Film
No Limiar do Pensamento - António Sequeira
Honourable Mention
Teus Braços, Minhas Ondas - Débora Gonçalves

NEXXT Awards

NEXXT Award for Best Academic Movie
Elephantfish - Meltse Van Coillie (Belgium/Finland/Netherlands/Philippines)
Honourable Mentions
Adjournment - Nina Marissiaux (Belgium)
Sister - Siqi Song (China/USA)

FESTinha Awards

FESTinha under 10 Audience Award
The Ape Man - Pieter Vandenabeele (Belgium)

FESTinha under 14 Audience Award
Birthplace - Sil van der Woerd and Jorik Dozy (Indonesia)

FESTinha under 18 Audience Award
Like: A Documentary About the Impact of Social Media on Our Lives - Scilla Andreen (USA)