INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
Hugo d’Or: “The Echo” (Mexico, Germany), Dir. Tatiana Huezo
Tatiana Huezo presents a captivating cinematic and poetic portrait of modern family life in rural Mexico. Huezo’s nuanced and observational narrative weaves a rich tapestry of a family and community who live off the land in a mountainous terrain and raise sheep. The film is a meditation on the cycles of life, birth, death, work, home, on a deep and profound respect for nature and on the inevitable clash between cultural tradition and the modern world . Through the eyes of three generations, the film presents a deeply moving portrait that subtly reveals the flashpoints of everyday life’s struggles, observations of evolving gender roles and the ever-increasing pull of a world outside the their. The power of storytelling lies in the smallest details, and Huezo’s directorial choices demonstrated an intentionality that elevated the narrative from thoughtful to profound. Textured cinematography and immersive sound design create a vast and incredibly intimate cinematic landscape.
Silver Hugo: “In the Rearview” (Poland, France, Ukraine), Dir. Maciek Hamela
In another remarkable example of truth-telling, the ravages of war are written on the faces of evacuees as they flee their homes and lives amid the escalating war in Ukraine, seen through the lens of ” rear view” of our director as he leads group after group out of danger and into new and uncertain lives ahead. The views of the war-torn landscape outside the vehicle’s windows are a continuous glimpse of the horrors of war that most people can only imagine. This emotional journey into the unknown for the film’s subjects, camera-wielding caravan passengers, captures the humanity of each face and the rawness of their experience in moments charged with fear, empathy, love, pain, sorrow and even, at times, humor.
Special mention: “Quatre Filles” (France, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Tunisia, Cyprus), Dir. Kaouther Ben Hania
We all felt this film was formally inventive and appreciated the director’s bold perspective. The “writing” of the story of Four Daughters was the result of a unique collaboration between the subjects, actors and filmmaker – a singular co-created portrait of a broken family grappling with unimaginable loss.
PERSPECTIVES COMPETITION
Or Q-Hugo: “Monster” (Japan), Dir. Hirokazu Kore-eda
A true gem, “Monster” cinematically reveals how false accusations, both in terms of gossip and the unfair stigmatization of homosexuality, resonate and shape people’s lives. Superb individual performances intertwine to provoke the unstable positions each takes in the face of their own version of events. A visually stunning film of twists and surprises, “Monster” unlocks the magic of personal truth in everyday life.