The Giffoni Film Festival is one of the world’s most important film festivals dedicated to children and adolescents. The event takes place annually in the Italian town of Giffoni Valle Piana. The festival is renowned for having young viewers serve as jurors, evaluating films from around the world. During the event, one can not only watch numerous excellent productions but also meet international cinema stars and participate in workshops and panel discussions.
The main character of Agnieszka Zwiefka’s awarded documentary Silent Trees is a 16-year-old Kurdish girl Runa, who, after the tragic death of her mother at the Polish-Belarusian border, has to quickly grow up and take care of her four younger brothers and her depressed, helpless father. During their stay in a refugee camp, the family grapples with trauma, an uncertain future, and the threat of deportation. Runa’s escape from daily problems is her sketchbook, which she fills with disturbing images. This partly animated coming-of-age story is set against the backdrop of the global refugee crisis.
The list of all awarded films can be found here.