Media City Film Festival is thrilled to announce the AWARD-WINNING films from its’s historic 26th edition. From a roster of more than 70 equality incredible and diverse film and digital artworks, MCFF’s International Competition Jury Ed Halter (USA); Malena Szlam (Chile/Canada); and Faraz Anoushahpour (Iran/Canada), awarded five films in the following categories.
Please read the Jury Statement at the end of this post (available in English, French and Spanish).
Grand Prize: Bloom (Helena Girón and Samuel M. Delgado, Spain, 2023)
Second Prize: Yaangna Plays Itself (Adam Piron, Kiowa/Mohawk, 2022)
Third Prize: The Newest Olds (Pablo Mazzolo, Argentina, 2022)
Honourable Mention: The Secret Garden (Nour Ouayda, Lebanon, 2023)
Best Regional Film: As close as your voice can call (Derek Jenkins, Canada, 2023)
Media City Film Festival Jury Statement
November 12, 2023
Many of you know that this week at IDFA, protesters who unfurled a banner reading “From the River to the Sea” were disavowed by the organizers of the festival, who said in a public statement that the “slogan does not represent us and we do not endorse it in any way.” As a result, Basma Alsharif stepped down from the jury, Miko Revereza pulled his film from the festival, and Sky Hopinka read a counter statement.
We would like to acknowledge the actions of these filmmakers and offer our solidarity as colleagues and comrades and community members and denounce the actions of IDFAs organizers for their cowardice in the face of the horrific and undeniable genocide happening in Gaza. International film festivals play an important role in keeping dialogue alive amongst artists of many nations at a time when authoritarian nationalism is on the rise. Their abrogation of this role in favour of crumbling to the pressures of those in support of this slaughter is reprehensible. Therefore we would like to state here in no uncertain terms that we call for a complete ceasefire and an end to apartheid and occupation in Palestine. From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.
Español
Muchos de ustedes saben que esta semana en IDFA, los manifestantes que desplegaron una pancarta que decía “Desde el río hasta el mar” fueron desautorizados por los organizadores del festival, quienes dijeron en una declaración pública que el “eslogan no nos representa y no lo respaldamos de ninguna manera”. Como resultado, Basma Alsharif renunció al jurado, Miko Revereza retiró su película del festival y Sky Hopinka leyó una contradeclaración.
Nos gustaría reconocer las acciones de estos cineastas y ofrecer nuestra solidaridad como colegas, camaradas y miembros de la comunidad y denunciar las acciones de los organizadores de IDFA por su cobardía ante el horrible e innegable genocidio que está ocurriendo en Gaza. Los festivales de cine internacionales desempeñan un papel importante para mantener vivo el diálogo entre artistas de diversas naciones en un momento en que el nacionalismo autoritario va en aumento. La abolición de este rol para ceder ante las presiones de quienes apoyan esta masacre es reprensible. Por lo tanto, nos gustaría declarar aquí en términos muy claros que pedimos un alto el fuego, el fin del apartheid y la ocupación en Palestina. Desde el río hasta el mar, Palestina será libre.
Français
Comme beaucoup d’entre vous le savent déjà, cette semaine à l’IDFA, les organisateurs du festival ont désavoué les manifestants qui avaient déployé une banderole sur laquelle on pouvait lire “From the River to the Sea” (de la rivière à la mer), en déclarant publiquement que ce “slogan ne nous représente pas et que nous ne l’approuvons en aucune façon”. En conséquence, Basma Alsharif s’est retirée du jury, Miko Revereza a retiré son film du festival et Sky Hopinka a lu une contre-déclaration.
Nous tenons à saluer les actions de ces cinéastes et à leur offrir notre solidarité en tant que collègues, camarades et membres de la communauté. Nous tenons aussi à dénoncer les actions des organisateurs de l’IDFA pour leur lâcheté face à l’horrible et indéniable génocide qui se déroule à Gaza. Les festivals de cinéma internationaux jouent un rôle important dans le maintien du dialogue entre les artistes issus de territoires variés à une époque où le nationalisme autoritaire est en hausse. Il est répréhensible qu’ils renoncent à ce rôle pour céder aux pressions de ceux qui soutiennent ce massacre. C’est pourquoi nous tenons à déclarer ici, en termes clairs, que nous appelons à un cessez-le-feu complet, à la fin de l’apartheid et de l’occupation en Palestine. De la rivière à la mer, la Palestine sera libre.
Faraz Anoushahpour
Ed Halter
Malena Szlam
MCFF 2023 INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION JURY
FARAZ ANOUSHAHPOUR
Faraz Anoushahpour (1987). Artist, filmmaker, and programmer originally from Iran, now based in Canada. Bachelor in Architecture from Architectural Association (London, UK); MFA (Interdisciplinary Art) from OCAD (Toronto). Programmer at Images Festival (2014–2018). 15+ films and installations since 2013 in collaboration with Parastoo Anoushahpour and Ryan Ferko; screenings and exhibitions at venues including European Media Art Festival, Viennale, The Museum of Modern Art, Media City Film Festival, and New York Film Festival. MCFF Chrysalis Fellow (2020). Lives in Toronto, Ontario.
ED HALTER
Ed Halter (1970). Film programmer and writer born in Boston, now based in New York. Director of Light Industry in Brooklyn and curator of screenings and exhibitions at venues including Whitney Museum of American Art, New Museum, Institute of Contemporary Arts, and Tate Modern. Programmer and Director of New York Underground Film Festival (1995–2005). Author of several books including Sun Tzu to Xbox: War and Video Games (2006) and frequent contributor to Artforum, Cinema Scope, frieze, The New Yorker, and other publications. Critic in Residence, Film and Electronic Arts, at Bard College (Red Hook). Lives in New York, New York.
MALENA SZLAM
Malena Szlam (1979). Artist and filmmaker born in Chile, now based in Canada. Studied visual art at ARCIS University (Santiago); MFA (Film Production) from Concordia University (Montréal). 10+ films and installations since 2008; screenings at venues including New York Film Festival, CPH:DOX, International Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen, Los Angeles Filmforum, and Moscow International Film Festival. MCFF Underground Mines commissioned artist (2015). Awarded Grand Prix Melbourne IFF and TIFF’s Top Ten Canadian Films (2018). Member of Double Negative, a collective dedicated to production and exhibition of experimental cinema. Lives in Montréal, Québec.