JJFF 2024 Winners

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

SCHOUMANN AWARD FOR JEWISH FILM

Most People Die on Sundays

Iair Said

Jury Statement:

“Heartfelt and genuine, the jury was hugely impressed by this Argentinian debut feature drama, set in a contemporary Buenos Aires Jewish milieu. It’s a beautifully-delivered, intimate family drama, looking at sexual identity, questions of life and death, loneliness and inter-generational family relationships.”

THE AWARD FOR HOLOCAUST REPRESENTATION IN FILM, COURTESY OF THE AUSTRIAN CULTURAL FORUM

The Future Awaits

Nils Tavernier

Jury Statement:

“A powerful and compelling new dramatisation of the true story of a French-Jewish family who hid for two years in a tiny sixth floor apartment in Paris. Brilliantly exploring themes of inner strength and resilience, the jury felt the film draws you effectively into the room itself.

At the heart of the film is a young teenage daughter, who holds the family together against all odds. Her relentless optimism leaves you with renewed hope for the human spirit.”

Honorary Mention:

From Darkness to Light

Eric Friedler, Michael Lurie

THE ISRAELI SHORT FILM COMPETITION IN MEMORY OF BNAYA ZUCKERMAN

Hotel Sanctuary

Rotem Pesachovish Paz

Jury Statement:

Hotel Sanctuary is a capsule of human love. With a confident, determined, but compassionate hand, the director succeeds in introducing us to the world of modern Israeli refugees. Every frame, every sync, every cut, holds some kind of attention. The one-time photo. The editing is accurate and smart. This is a film made out of great respect for these people, who are in the most exposed moment of their lives. And this seemingly incidental final scene is a scene that stays in the heart for days.

Honorary Mention:

Mythos

Omer Melamed

Jury Statement:

Mythos is a cinematic event. From the first frame to the last - you can't breathe. The heart beats, the brain works, the anxiety rises. This is a film that dives into the trauma that we live and breathe in this country. A trauma that we grew up with. A trauma that will be here in the years to come, and the years after that, and the years after that. The acting and direction of the two actors who lead the film is one of the most impressive we have seen. The cinematic language is brilliant and innovative. This film is a journey, and it is also a one-time cinematic burst of momentum and talent.