International Competition Jury

The International Competition Jury selected the films to receive the International Competition Jury Award for the Best Film, the International Competition Jury Award for the Best Director, and the International Competition Jury Special Award. They had ten films to choose from, all of which stand out because of their original style and act as testimonies about the condition of human rights. 

The International Competition Jury members were Shanida Scotland, who is the head of Doc Society Film, the film critic and cultural journalist Pavel Sladký, and Belarus director Aliaksei Paluyan, whose film Courage opened last year’s One World Festival.  

The International Competition Jury Award for the Best Film went to director Simon Lereng Wilmont’s film A House Made of Splinters. This moving documentary follows stories in which the main aspects of childhood are erased. At the same time, however, it depicts the power of relationships, both with caregivers and with other children with traumatic family experiences. The jury’s decision to select A House Made of Splinters as the best film was unanimous:

“Through intimate observation we see a house full of tears, hope, care and importantly, life. We also want to highlight the trust and empathy that the director built with his child protagonists; they never feel far away from the decision making. The moments brought so intimately to the screen allow us to be a part of the world of the children. This documentary not only depicts that sometimes children are stronger than the adults around them, but also that care and love are important elements of both life and the filmmaking process.”