The jury of the international film competition consisted of: the director Alexandre O. Philippe, the documentary film-maker Anne Georget and the producer Jennifer Walton. It was them who decided that the Best Documentary award in the feature- and medium-length film category went to "Communion" by Anna Zamecka. The same jury decided that the Honorable Mention for Short Documentary went to "Polonaise" by Agnieszka Elbanowska.
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"Communion"
When adults play house, children have to grow up quickly. 14-year-old Ola not only takes care of the ineffective father, autistic brother and the mother who lives separately; but most of all, she tries to bring the family together. She lives with the hope that she would be able to bring her mother back home. The pretext to meet her is the Holy Communion of the 13-year-old Nikodem, and Ola assumes full responsibility for preparing an ideal family celebration. Nikodem himself observes the struggles of his loved ones from his own, unusual perspective.
"Communion" reveals beauty in the rejected, strength in the weakest, the need for change where there is no promise of change. This is an accelerated lesson of maturity, which teaches us that no failures are final. Particularly where it comes to love.
"Polonaise"
In the small, central Polish town of Aleksandrów Kujawski, the director of the local culture centre announces a competition. The theme … a creative presentation of your personal patriotic attitude. Entrants are free to demonstrate their creativity in whatever form they like; in song, recitation or gesture, by giving a speech or staging their piece. Anything goes. There’s just one requirement; entrants may only present their own, original work. The eleventh day of the eleventh month arrives … Poland’s Independence Day. And on this very day, the jury, consisting of the director, the mayor, a priest and a local poetess, will select the region’s number one patriot.
The full list of the award-winning films is here.