SEARCHING FOR AMANI wins first Dokumentale competition

SEARCHING FOR AMANI by Nicole Gormley and Debra Aroko won the competition at the 1st Dokumentale – International Documentary and Media Festival Berlin. Ten films, including nine German premieres and one international premiere, were nominated for the main prize of €20,000, which was awarded on Thursday, October 17th, at the silent green venue in Berlin.

The international competition jury, consisting of Marie Erbs Ørbæk (CPH:DOX), Mara Prohaska Marković (Beldocs), and director Ibrahim Nash'at (HOLLYWOODGATE), awarded SEARCHING FOR AMANI, a film that connects a personal story with a global narrative. From their jury statement:  
"SEARCHING FOR AMANI is a multi-layered film that begins with journalistic investigations into the death of Simon Ali's father and then seamlessly transitions into a story that addresses culture, tradition, identity, and the climate crisis, which affects all of us – though some more directly than others. Through Simon Ali, whose personality seems to leap off the screen, we are drawn into his search for justice and peace. At the same time, he shows us how the drought caused by climate change has devastating effects on people like him and his family."

Additionally, they recognized the work of directors Jennifer Wickham, Michael Toledano, and Brenda Michell with a Special Mention for their impressive film YINTAH. YINTAH powerfully portrays the Wet'suwet'en people in northern Canada as they protest land seizures and the construction of a pipeline.

Awards were also given in other areas of documentary storytelling. ORIGEN was recognized as the best VR work. The jury, consisting of Katharina Haverich, Sergey Prokofyev, and Fernanda Parente, explained their decision as follows: "ORIGEN stands out as a truly remarkable work, both artistically beautiful and technically masterful."  
The first part of Emilia Sánchez Chiquetti's VR trilogy immerses users into the Amazon through mythological creatures. The VR experience highlights the ecological consequences of human intervention and can be viewed at the Dokumentale festival center until October 20th.

This year, the curators of the Dokumentale also honored two outstanding non-fiction works in the fields of books and podcasts. The non-fiction book “Café der Freiheit” stands out for its personal narrative style and its ability to address complex topics like migration and integration in a touching way. The podcast “Springerstiefel” impresses with its investigative research and its clear stance against right-wing extremism. Both works are important contributions to current debates and showcase the diversity of topics covered by the Dokumentale.

With the awards ceremony on October 17th, the Dokumentale can already look back on eight successful festival days. The accessible exchange between Berliners and international guests at the festival center in Living Berlin, or on the dance floors of the sold-out D'Lounges, as well as the productive networking among professionals during the three-day D'Hubs (October 14-16), have all marked and continue to define this first edition of the festival. Highlights included Elizabeth Ai's NEW WAVE, which led to an open and deeply emotional discussion in the D'Lounge at the Dashi Canteen; the masterclass with iconic New York photographer James Hamilton, which brought together many enthusiastic fans of analog photography; and the subtle, thoughtful humor of Peter Perez, the 87-year-old Holocaust survivor and protagonist of PEPI FANDANGO. He wished the Berlin audience much joy in life while expressing his concern that "this wonderful world with so many opportunities might yet again fall into very dark times."

The 1st Dokumentale continues until October 20th at various cinemas, cultural venues, and the festival center in Living Berlin. Selected films from the program are also available to stream online until October 31st.

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The Dokumentale is organized by The Good Media Network, which is committed to supporting outstanding films that strive to make the world a fairer, more sustainable, and more beautiful place.