On Saturday 28 May, DocsBarcelona handed out the awards of its 24th edition, which started unspooling on the 18th and which invited audiences to flock back to the movie theatres while simultaneously taking place online, via the Filmin platform. According to its director, Joan González, “With 85,000 viewers, this has been a year of transition, and we’ve been able to get back to experiencing the magic of documentaries in the cinemas.” Its programme of 33 features, hailing from just as many countries, was brought to close with a screening of High Maintenance – The Life and Work of Dani Karavan [+leggi anche:
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However, the big winner at the gathering was the tremendous Gunda [+leggi anche:
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In the Latitud section, dedicated to films from Spain and Latin America, Ida Cuéllar’s The Secret of Doctor Grinberg [+leggi anche:
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As for the industry area, it’s worth noting that more than 450 meetings between 83 financiers and participants hailing from 29 countries were organised during the festival, and this will provide a huge boost to documentary production over the next few months, given that the attendees got to know first hand 45 different projects (see the news). In addition, the gathering handed out a plethora of prizes in this strand, and all of the winners ended up being European: Unbound, Touché, Queen of Chess, Age, Ole mi coño – The Riposte to Digital Violence, Pepi Fandango [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Lucija Stojević
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To sum up this article, let’s look to the future. Indeed, as González explains: “We’re sure that this hybrid formula will be maintained once we reach the end of this exceptional period. Things are changing, and this festival is mindful of that so as to adapt to it in some cases and get ahead of the game in other cases, such as with the in-person experience in the theatres, encompassing new elements that we will gradually be developing. There were many small moments that set the tone of this very special edition, which paves the way for what will be its 25^th iteration, in May 2022.”

Here is the full list of winners:

DocsBarcelona Award for Best Documentary – Panorama Official Section
Gunda [+leggi anche:
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New Talent Award
Inside the Red Brick Wall – Hong Kong Documentary Filmmakers collective (China)

Award in the Latitud Official Section
The Secret of Doctor Grinberg [+leggi anche:
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Amnesty International Catalonia Award
Room Without a View – Roser Corella (Austria/Germany)

Audience Award
The Return: Life after ISIS [+leggi anche:
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DOC-U Award
La ermitaña – Anna Hanslik (Spain)

Docs&Teens Award
El niño de fuego – Ignacio Acconcia (Spain)

Award of the Reteena Youth Jury
The Return: Life after ISIS – Alba Sotorra

Docs del Mes Audience Award
Honeyland [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Ljubomir Stefanov, Tamara …
intervista: Tamara Kotevska, Ljubomir …
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DocsBarcelona 2021 Industry Awards

Public Pitch Award
Unbound – John English and Tom Garner (UK)

Speed Meetings Award
Touché – Martina Moor (Italy)

Docs Series Award
Queen of Chess – Bernadett Tuza-Ritter (Hungary)

Rough Cut Pitch Award
Age – Gustav Ägerstrand, Asa Ekman, Oscar Hedin and Anders Teigen (Sweden)

Public Pitch Award
Ole mi coño – The Riposte to Digital Violence – Patricia Franquesa (Spain)

DAE Award
Pepi Fandango [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Lucija Stojević
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FipaDoc Award
The Click Trap – Peter Porta (Spain)

East Doc Platform Award
Unbound – John English and Tom Garner

DokFest Munich – Doc Around Europe Award
Ole mi coño – The Riposte to Digital Violence – Patricia Franquesa

San Sebastián Lau Haizetara Co-Production Forum Award
The Click Trap – Peter Porta (Spain)