best film

APOLONIA, APOLONIA

DIR. LEA GLOB | DENMARK, POLAND, FRANCE | 2022 | 116' | DOCUMENTARY

A documentary sensation from the past year—a sincere and captivating chronicle of a young woman artist's struggle for her place in the world of art. The film was shot over a period of 13 years.

A beautiful and honest exploration of two intertwining journeys—that of the artist Apolonia and the filmmaker capturing her story. Despite facing seemingly different struggles, the two women find common ground in the shared challenge of processing life into images. This film goes beyond the typical artist portrait; it's a testament to the profound impact that capturing someone else's story on film can have on one's own life. In its simplicity, 'Apolonia, Apolonia' exemplifies the powerful connection between storytelling and personal transformation.

special mentions

'Sister, What Grows Where Land Is Sick' is a film made by the heart and intuition—the two most precious tools that the filmmaker can obtain and the ones that evoke creativity and imagery in their truest sense. How can we humans best fit into the landscape of this mortal planet? This is a question to be perceived not only through rational thinking but also through connecting to our deeper selves, and the film of Franciska Eliassen takes us exactly there. A bold and daring statement of the generation and the time.

'The Mountains' by Christian EInshöj researches the inner state of mind of some young men and a regular but unique family. Traditional, but still one of a kind, and with a precise narration script, the film is an honest, funny, nerdy navel gazing ride, sometimes with a bit of cringe. The director's father buys a camera to document a life that will get lost; the quest eventually passes on to the next generation, and the director is constantly documenting, one time describing himself as the "creepy uncle". He and his family are the only objects. The presence of the camera sometimes feels uncomfortable, but it is always interesting. Eventually, the camera brings the protagonists closer to each other and the viewers closer to themselves.