Minsk International Film Festival Listapad has been organised since Belarus regained independence in 1994. One of the festival sections is the International Student Film Competition. This year the award went to Zofia Kowalewska for her film ”Close Ties” which was chosen the best student documentary of the festival. Jury awarded the film for showing complicated human relation without loosing cheerfulness and high spirits.
”Close Ties” tells the story of the 45th wedding anniversary. Barbara and Zdzisław could be proud of themselves if not for the fact that the husband left the wife for his lover for eight years. But now they are together again, although Barbara claims that if it were not for his infirm legs, Zdzisław would still be chasing skirts around Kraków. Despite the past resentment, everyday problems with paying bills, an occupied bathroom and rearranging furniture, they have a hard to define bond.
"The Prince and The Dybbuk" is the winner of the Diplomas Award in the Main Documentary Film Competition.
"The Prince and The Dybbuk" is a cinematic journey on the trail of Michał Waszyński, filmmaker and human chameleon, who in flight from the spirit of intolerance continually changed his identity, rejecting his Jewish origins and hiding homosexuality.
The full list of the awarded films can be found at the festival website.