Thessaloniki

Amnesty International Award for a film on Human Rights :

 The award goes to : « PETITION » Zhao Liag France/China. 2009. 124'

There are many reasons why theAmnesty International Award, is of great importance to the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival - Images of the 21st Century. First of all, because it brings in contact two institutions that share a strong sensitization andsimilar goals. Furthermore, they both operate on a complementary level, with the Festival promoting and screening films by documentarians that reveal the brutal violation of human rights, and with Amnesty International then taking onthe difficult task of mobilizing, exerting pressure and awakening the public's conscience. Moreover, receiving recognition by a humanitarian institution like Amnesty International within the context of a cinematic institution like theThessaloniki Documentary Festival is doubly important for the filmmaker, since his work is being honored on two levels: artistic and humanitarian. This year ,therefore, Amnesty International will be once again actively participating inthe Thessaloniki Documentary Festival by awarding a film from the segment "Human Rights". This year, the committee of experts on human rights issues consists of the journalists Sotiris Danezis and Pavlos Nerantzisand the representatives of the Greek Section of Amnesty International MaroSavopoulou, Irini Tsolaki and Marianna Leontaridou

 WWF Greece Award for a film from the "Habitat"segment

 The award goes to « The last days of Shishmaref. » Jan Louter. Netherland. 2008. 93'

The reciprocating relationshipbetween humans and nature is brought to the foreground in the "Habitat" segment of the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival - Images of the 21st Century, withfilms that capture the tragic consequences of human intervention on theenvironment and the price paid by humanity. The segment's main objective is tosensitize and raise awareness, not merely as our personal duty towards nature,but as an imperative obligation towards our very selves. An important award isgiven by the environmental organization WWF Greece to the best film screened inthe "Habitat" segment. As WWF Greece points out: "Through truths that concernglobal threats, such as climate change, through the exploration of our strangerelationship with time, through the need for and the overexploitation of ournatural resources, and through the stark contrasts between the natural andurban landscape, the directors of the documentaries that make up the ‘Habitat'segment merge realism and art to create works that go beyond the cologicaldocumentary. But above all, the topics of the films that make up the ‘Habitat'segment, which WWF Greece is proud to support, prove yet again the indissolublebond between humans and nature, and the need to preserve the world we inheritedand pass it on to future generations." Thus, in their own way, thedocumentarians taking part in the 'Habitat' segment are also taking part in thevision of Sir Peter Scott, the founder of the WWF, who, some years ago, declared:"We shan't save all we should like to, but we will save a great deal morethan if we had never tried."

ERT3 Broadcasting Award for a filmfrom the "Planet in Peril" segment

 The awards goes to « TheMermaids' Tears : Oceans of Plastic Sandrine Feydel. France 2009. 52'

The ΕRΤ3 award, within theframework of the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival - Images of the 21stCentury, will be presented to one of the films in the "Planet in Peril" segmentof the Festival. This segment presents documentaries that highlight thedisastrous effects of the destruction of the ecosystem and the urgent need forhuman intervention. The films send out a warning by revealing shocking imagesand truths, and unequivocaly stating that we canot afford to waste moreprecious time.

The award is accompanied by a cashprize of €3,000 and the award-winning film will be broadcast once by ΕΡΤ3. Thewinning film will be selected by a five-member committee.

ERT Award "Doc on Air"

 The award goes to « Life in acity full of Errors ». Myrto Papadogeorgou.

The new award was established lastyear, the "Doc On Air" prize, awarded by ERT S.A. HellenicBroadcasting Corp. The award was created last year and is for the best proposalfor an international co-production participating in the EDN European DocumentaryNetwork Pitching Forum. This award carries a money prize of 7.000 Euros and theproject to be awarded is selected by the committee of tutors participating tothe EDN Pitching Forum.

The FIPRESCI Αwards

 The  Greek award goes to  « Wondering soul »Angeliki Aristomenopoulou 2009.65'

The foreign award goes to  « To shoot an Elephant » AlbertoArce et Mohammad Rujailah. Spain. 2009. 112'

Two FIPRESCI Awards, one for BestGreek Documentary and one for Best Foreign Documentary, will be presented againthis year by the International Federation of Film Critics. The committee,consisting of distinguished film critics, only considers films having theirGreek premiere at the Festival.

Audience Awards

 The Foreign award for films over 45'goes to : « Eyes Wide Open-Exploring Today's South America. GonzaloArijon. Uruguay. 2009. 110'

 The Foreign Award for films Under 45'goes to : « Odysseas ». Vahagn Karapetyan. Greece. 2010. 26'

 The Greek award for films over 45'goes to : « Gaza we are coming » Yorgos Avgeropoulos/YannisKarypidis. 2009. 49'

 The Greek award for Under 45' goesto : « Active member ». Lefteris Fylaktos. 2009. 35'

Two AudienceAwards for films over 45' minutes in length(oneGreek and one

foreign).

Two AudienceAwards for films under 45' minutes in length(oneGreek and one  foreign).All Greekfilms having their first public screening at the Thessaloniki DocumentaryFestival, either in the International Program, or the Panorama Program, are alleligible for the Audience Award for a Greek Film.

All foreign films are eligible forthe Audience Award for a Foreign Film, except for those presented within thecontext of the tributes.

Catherine Esway and Julianna Photopoulos