The short film Mamo by Jan Ziewiecki (Poland, 2024) wins the 6th Edition of the Ermanno Olmi Award, an event aiming to promote short films by young directors.
Second place goes to We should all be futurists by Angela Norelli (Italy, 2023), and third place to Provocadora by Èlia Lorente Estopañan (Spain, 2023).
The special mention for the most significant work concerning “The exercise of peace”, a theme that Ermanno Olmi explored in various aspects throughout his film production goes to VOCE by Andrea La Puca (Italy, 2024).
The first three classified films – among more than 100 entries from Spain, Estonia, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, the UK, Poland, China, Iran and Malaysia, and a substantial Italian representative – received a cash prize of €1.200, €600 and €400, respectively, while the special mention received a cash prize worth €300 offered by FIC – Federazione Italiana Cineforum.
The jury – composed by Chiara Cremaschi (screenwriter and director), Rossana Galimi (PhD student), Massimo Lastrucci (film critic and journalist), Elisabetta Olmi (producer) e Stefano P. Testa (director) awarded Mamo: «The film combines a rigorous documentary approach with a delicate, respectful, and empathetic perspective. The mother-daughter relationship is portrayed with depth, spanning three generations united by care and sharing». We should all be futurists wins second place: «Using vintage material from silent cinema for a delightfully contemporary story. A humorous short film that showcases an impressive selection of elements: screenplay, editing, soundtrack, and voice acting». Provocadora takes home the third prize: «The film explores the transition from childhood to adulthood with remarkable cinematic awareness. The direction is surprisingly mature, skillfully portraying a complex range of emotions with great evocative power. Curiosity and turmoil, lightheartedness and unease, ambiguities hidden behind reassuring appearances».
The jury also awarded a special mention concerning “The exercise of peace” to VOCE with the following motivation: «For its ability to enact a collective response to gender-based violence. The short film stands out for the expressive intensity of its acting and the power of its choreographic construction, which together convey a strong message of resistance through body and voice».
The event featured a screening of the four finalist films and a tribute to Ermanno Olmi with a screening of I fidanzati (1963). The film print was provided by the Cineteca Nazionale CSC, courtesy of Titanus.
In the words of Councillor for Culture of the Municipality of Bergamo, Sergio Gandi: «The Ermanno Olmi Award is a legacy worthy of particular appreciation, which the current City Administration wholeheartedly embraces, as it combines cinema with the younger generations, commemorating the renowned Italian director with an annual event. Dedicating space and resources to recognize the creativity of directors under 30 is the best way to keep cultural production vibrant, relevant to contemporary themes, and appealing to young people. This initiative also serves more mature audiences, who, through the lens of short films, can view the younger generations with curiosity and a more attentive, welcoming disposition. The numerous entries from around the world confirm that this Award has become a true benchmark for today’s film production».
