The 28th Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival has announced its winners, showcasing the breadth of European documentary storytelling. This year, Czech and Slovak films took centre stage at an edition that tackled women’s issues. In the Opus Bonum competition, the Best Film Award was presented to Slovak filmmaker Marek Šulík for Ms. President [+lee también:
crítica
ficha de la película]. The international jury – comprising Australian philosopher Robert Sinnerbrink, Chinese director Xiaoshuai Wang, and Czech filmmaker and composer Eliška Cílková – praised the film as “a captivating character study of Slovak president Zuzana Čaputová's five years in office”. It explores the ethical and political changes in Slovak society, with a focus on gender and family dynamics amidst a tumultuous political backdrop. The Award for Best Central and Eastern European Documentary went to Filip Remunda's Happiness to All [+lee también:
crítica
entrevista: Filip Remunda
ficha de la película]. The jury described it as “a provocative examination of nationalism, delving into the societal roots of Putin’s populism through an unsettling observational study of a discontented individual on the fringes of society”.

In the Czech Joy competition, intended for domestic works, Tomáš Hlaváček’s House with No Way Out won the Best Film Award. The jury called it “a compelling film that cohesively weaves together footage collected over several years, creating a powerful depiction of individual crime and systemic failure”. Set against the backdrop of exploitative housing practices, the film captures both the despair and the growing defiance of its Roma protagonists. The First Lights competition, aimed at emerging filmmakers, celebrated Grey Zone [+lee también:
crítica
ficha de la película] by Slovak director Daniela Meressy Rusnoková as Best Debut Film. The jury commended its “raw depiction and cinematic quality, skilfully combining personal narrative with archival footage” to explore “the traumatic reality of premature birth, the care for a premature new-born and later life with a child with special needs”. Grey Zone also received the Visegrad Award for its “brave and aesthetically refined storytelling” in addition to the Best Sound Design Award.

The Testimonies competition, dedicated to politically and socially engaged documentaries, awarded its main prize to The Sky Above Zenica by Zlatko Pranjić and Nanny Frank Møller, honoured for its “in-depth portrayal of a community resisting corporate greed”. In the experimental cinema category, the Fascinations Award went to Saigon, Kosovo by Tino Dirdamal, celebrated for capturing “the emotional turmoil of uprooted lives”. The main Exprmntl.cz Best Film Award was claimed by Jiří Žák and Matěj Pavlík’s Hopeful Visitors and Grieving Guides, a unique exploration of “dark tourism”. The Audience Award was given to Dajori, directed by Martin Páv and Nicolas Kourek, for its moving portrayal of care and resilience within a Roma family. Renowned Taiwanese director Tsai Ming-liang received the Contribution to World Cinema Award in recognition of his influential role in contemporary cinema. Finally, Slovak producer Zuzana Mistríková, of PubRes, was honoured with the APA World Excellence Award for her extraordinary contribution to producing.

Here is the full list of award winners:

Opus Bonum

Best Film
Ms. President [+lee también:
crítica
ficha de la película] – Marek Šulík (Slovakia/Czech Republic)

Best Central and Eastern European Documentary
Happiness to All [+lee también:
crítica
entrevista: Filip Remunda
ficha de la película] – Filip Remunda (Czech Republic/Netherlands/France)

Award for Original Approach
Cleaning & Cleansing – Thomas Fürhapter (Austria)

Best Editing
Gustavo Galuppo - The Goodbye (Argentina)

Best Cinematography
Catherine Martin - In Praise of Shadows (Canada)

Students Jury Award
The Goodbye – Toia Bonino

Czech Joy

Best Film
House with No Way Out – Tomáš Hlaváček (Czech Republic)
Special Mention
Happiness to All – Filip Remunda

Best Editing
Matěj Sláma, Vadim Usoltsev, Tomáš Merta – Echt – The Art of Jan Merta (Czech Republic)

Best Sound Design
Jan Mesany - once i got in, it was hard to get out (Czech Republic)

Best Cinematography
Michaela Hošková – Fakir (Slovakia/Czech Republic)

Award for Original Approach
Dajori – Martin Páv, Nicolas Kourek (Czech Republic)

Students Jury Award
World Between Us [+lee también:
crítica
ficha de la película] – Marie Dvořáková (Czech Republic/Slovakia)

First Lights

Best Film
Grey Zone [+lee también:
crítica
ficha de la película] – Daniela Meressa Rusnoková (Slovakia)
Special Mention
Becoming Outline – Miriam Bajtala (Austria)

Best Sound Design
Richard Fűlek – Grey Zone

Best Cinematography
Marie Dvořáková – World Between Us

Award for Original Approach
Me + You – Zohra Benhammou (Belgium)

Testimonies

Best Film
The Sky Above Zenica – Zlatko Pranjic, Nanna Frank Møller (Bosnia and Herzegovina/Denmark)

Special Mention for Best Film on Politics
The Day Iceland Stood Still – Pamela Hogan (Iceland/USA)

Special Mention for Best Film on Knowledge
Pistachio Wars – Yasha Levine, Rowan Wernham (New Zealand/USA)

Special Mention for Best Film on Nature
Every Little Thing – Sally Aitken (Australia)

Fascinations

Best Film
Saigon, Kosovo – Tin Dirdamal, Runway Al (Kosovo/Vietnam/USA)

Special Mentions
Dinosaur's Egg – Sruthil Mathew (India)
space_invaders.exe – Malaz Usta (Netherlands/Syria)

Exprmntl.cz

Best Film
Hopeful Visitors and Grieving Guides: Notes from the Travel Notebook of a Dark Tourist – Jiří Žák, Matěj Pavlík (Czech Republic)

Special Mentions
Ruvja and Morena – Julie Slovenčíková (Czech Republic)
Pyramid – Matěj Smetana (Czech Republic)

Visegrad Award

Best Film
Grey Zone – Daniela Meressa Rusnoková
Special Mention
Comrades – Joanna Janikowska (Poland/Italy)

Other awards

Audience Award
Dajori – Martin Páv, Nicolas Kourek

Short Joy

Best Short Documentary Film
Only if the Baby Cries… - Shadab Farooq (India)

Best VR Project
Dreaming of Lebanon – Cynthia Sawma, Martin Waehlish (USA)

Contribution to World Cinema Award
Tsai Ming Liang