Alongside the three competitions for the best feature, short and youth film, another eight programme sections of the festival included a Close up: Kazakhstan, EcoEast, What Remains of History, Spectrum and Kids at the Movies, among others.
The industry segment of the festival, the East – West coproduction market connecting cottbus, celebrated its 25th anniversary from 8 to 10 November 2023.
FilmFestival Cottbus, one of the world's leading festivals for current filmmaking in Central and Eastern Europe, is largely supported by the Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg and the City of Cottbus as well as the Media Programme of the European Union.
Click HERE to see the winners of the 25th connecting cottbus.
FULL LIST OF WINNERS:
Feature Film Competition:
Main Prize for Best Film:
Forever – Forever (Ukraine, the Netherlands)
Directed by Anna Buryachkova
Special Award for Best Director:
Rezo Gigineishvili for Patient #1 (Georgia)
Produced by Independent Film Project
Award for an Outstanding Individual Performance:
Eka Chavleishvili in Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry (Switzerland, Georgia)
Directed by Elene Naveriani
Produced by Alva Film
Coproduced by Takes Film
Short Film Competition;
Main Prize for Best Short Film:
It`s Alright (Belarus)
Directed by Anton Zhuk
Special Prize for a Director:
Nikola Stojanović for The Ghost You Draw on My Back (Serbia, Estonia)
Youth Film Competition:
Best Youth Film:
Dyad (Bulgaria)
Directed by Yana Titova
Produced by Portokal
Coproduced by No Blink, Sonus, Right Solutions
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center, Creative Europe MEDIA Programme, the National Culture Fund Bulgaria
DIALOG Prize for Understanding Between Cultures:
Vasil (Spain, Bulgaria)
Directed by Avelina Prat
Produced by Distinto Films
Coproduced by Activist 38
Supported by the Bulgarian National Film Center, ICA Cine Instituto Creativo Audiovisual Americano, Cultural Institute of Valencia, GVA Invat·tur, ICEC, Creative Europe MEDIA Programme, RTVE, TV3, Institut Ramon Llull, ICO, CREA SGR
Best Debut Film Prize:
Hela (Poland)
Directed by Anna Kasperska
Produced by Iris Media
Supported by the Polish Film Institute
FIPRESCI Prize:
Libertate (Romania, Hungary)
Directed by Tudor Giurgiu
Produced by Libra Film Productions
Coproduced by Mythberg Films
Supported by the Romanian Film Centre (CNC), the National Film Institute – Hungary
Ecumenical Jury Prize:
Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry (Switzerland, Georgia)
Directed by Elene Naveriani
Long Night of the Short Lusatians - Prize of the Foundation for the Sorbian People:
Ankleidezimmer – Hoblekaŕnje (Germany)
Directed by Frauke Rahr
Sorbian Young Talent Award of the Foundation for the Sorbian People:
Vom Suchen und Finden – Pytaś a namakaś (Germany)
Directed by Luka Golinski, Mira Dubian
Audience Award:
Clara (Romania, Germany)
Directed by Sabin Dorohoi
Produced by Western Transylvania Studio
Coproduced by Eyrie Entertainment in collaboration with ZDF and Arte
Supported by the Romanian Film Centre (CNC)
"Cottbus to Cinema" Award - to Promote the Distribution of a Festival Film:
Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry (Switzerland, Georgia)
Directed by Elene Naveriani
MIOB in Shorts Award:
Primal Therapy (Finland)
Directed by Santtu Salminen
