The short film Štarter by Péter Dóczé (Hungary, 2022) wins the fourth Edition of the Ermanno Olmi Award, an event aiming to promote short films by young directors.
Second place goes to Things Unheard Of by Ramazan Kılıç (Turkey, 2023) and third place to The Passing of Time by Nathan Le Graciet (France, 2022).
The special mention for the most significant work concerning “The Human Being and Time”, a reflection on the relationship of the human being with time, a theme that Ermanno Olmi explored in various aspects throughout his film production goes to Busan, 1999 by Thomas Percy Kim (USA, Republic of Korea, 2022).
The first three classified films – almost 100 entries from Germany, Spain, France, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Turkey, the Republic of Korea and Poland, among others, 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 Luigi Musini (film producer), Lorenzo Rossi (researcher and editor of Cineforum magazine), Omar Pesenti (director and screenwriter), Giada Mazzoleni (film producer and teacher) and Giorgia Goi (producer and distributor) – awarded Štarter: «A valuable story that addresses a socially relevant topic told through the eyes of children: a perfectly constructed short film that demonstrates mastery of the cinematic device». Things Unheard Of wins second place: «A short film that reveals a solid cinematic instinct and addresses relevant themes with an important – and universal – message of resistance in sharing». The Passing of Time takes home the third prize: «A film that stands out for its conscious direction, both in the use of the handheld camera – which allows maximum adherence to the characters – and in the choice of black and white, which enhances the poetic dimension of the story».
The jury also awarded a special mention to Busan, 1999 with the following motivation: «A well-calibrated narrative, with two very intense characters who effectively represent the poignant challenge that time represents for human beings, and the unbreakable bond that binds us to our birthplaces and the people to whom we owe our lives».
