19th Jihlava IDFF - FIRST LIGHTS Award
The International Jury of the FIRST LIGHT Award at the 19th Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival was composed by:
Anna Hoffmann (Berlinale Forum, Germany), Hyosook Hong (Busan IFF, South Korea), David Wilson (TrueFalse FF, USA), Nuno Sena (Indielisboa, Portugal), Alberto Lastrucci (Festival dei Popoli IDFF, Italy)
The Jury bestowed the following awards:
Best Documentary Debut Film in section Opus Bonum, Between the Seas or Czech Joy 2015:
FLOTEL EUROPA (Serbia, Denmark, 2015), directed by Vladimir Tomić
Jury statement: “For its sublime use of archival footage, and artfully crafted personal history, we the jury select a film that resonates with contemporary relevance while maintaining a sense of history that ranges from playful to serious. There are many coming of age stories and many films about refugees, but our winner finds everyday poetry in this story of romance amidst dislocation. Congratulations to Flotel Europa, winner of the First Light award."
Special Mention
THE DANGEROUS WORLD OF DOCTOR DOLEČEK (Nebezpečný svět Rajka Dolečka, Czech Republic, 2015) directed by Kristýna Bartošová
Special Mention: "For any filmmaker, managing a confrontational main character can be a challenge. For a first-time director investigating one of the darkest moments in recent European history, this task could be herculean. So we the jury honour a director who exhibits extraordinary patience, empathy and intelligence – traits that will carry her far in her career. Our special mention goes to Kristýna Bartošová for her direction of The Dangerous World of Doctor Doleček."