Zoya Laktionova’s “Ashes Settling in Layers on the Surface,” a deeply personal reconstruction of family life in wartime Mariupol, has won the Eurimages Co-production Development Award at the prize-giving of Visions du Réel’s industry section, VdR–Industry.
The €20,000 ($22,000) prize, one of the Swiss doc fest’s most prestigious industry honors, supports international co-production in early stages.
Blending personal archives, historical documents and contemporary footage, the film reconstructs the life of one family within the cycle of destruction and restoration in her hometown, Mariupol.
Produced by 2Brave Productions (Ukraine) and Cinéphage (France), it was hailed by the jury as “a story which celebrates an ambitious artistic proposition emerging from a deeply personal invitation to travel into a modern industrial fairytale shaped by lived experiences, physical memories of a city that is political, intimate and imagined at the same time.”
This marks the second year of the Eurimages Award at VdR–Industry. The jury includedEurimages’ Eleni Chandrinou, director Gianluca Matarrese (“GEN_”), and Hubert Bals Fund head, Tamara Tatishvili.
“A Distant Call”
Courtesy of Visions du Reel
Andrea Suwito’s “A Distant Call,” about Indonesia’s endangered Bissu culture and its gender-fluid traditions, won the Visions Sud Est Award, a €10,000 ($11,700) prize supporting independent filmmaking in countries with low production capacity.
The film follows Eka, a revered Bissu – a fifth gender identity among the Bugis people – as they confront rising hostility toward LGBTQ+ people in Indonesia and must choose between persecution, or renouncing their identity forever.
The jury, made up Pamela Biénzobas from Locarno’s selection committee, Gaëlle Genet, head of programming at Fribourg Film Festival, and Stefanie Rusterholz, co-director of Swiss distributor Trigon-Film, praised “a film that, with a kind and respectful gaze, reminds us of how complex people and societies are […]. We were impressed by the filmmaker’s intimate and immersive approach to her subject. “A Distant Call” sheds light on the people of Bissu and their endangered way of life, as well as gender fluidity and LGBTQ+ rights.”
VdR’s industry platform, now in its 23rd edition, handed out 16 prizes worth a total of 80,000 CHF ($93,500), wrapping up a vibrant four days of project pitching, work in progress presentations and rough cut labs.
The Vision du Réel Award for bold and ambitious storytelling, which comes with a CHF 3,000 ($3,500) cash prize, went to “I Eat With Two Hearts” by Natyvel Pontalier.
“I Eat With Two Hearts”
Courtesy of Visions du Reel
The VdR-Industry jury, whose members were Sarah Choi from Field of Vision, the Berlinale’s Michael Stütz, and Bénédicte Thomas from Arizona Distribution, welcomed “a project that won us over with its personal, humorous and complex perspective into the immigration experience and critical reflection on class mobility. A fresh and nuanced look at food insecurity, which will resonate with a global audience.”
“I Eat With Two Hearts” also picked up the RTS Award, a Swiss broadcaster pre-sale.
“Animaga” by Raphaële Benisty and Anamiga Joseph received a special mention. The film follows Joseph as she reclaims her life and story as the daughter of a Sri Lankan refugee.
Efraín Mojica and Rebecca Zweig won the Lightdox Award, a cash prize of €3,000 ($3,200) for a work in progress project, for their hybrid debut “Jaripeo,” about Mexico’s queer rodeo subculture.
“Time Hunter” by Daniel Chein and Mushiva swept three prizes: the €3,000 ($3,200) Party Film Sales Award for the pitching project with highest international potential, the Tënk Post-Production Award and the Cannes Docs Award, which includes an invitation to Cannes Docs as a “Spotlighted Project” and two Marché du Film badges.
“Alea Jacarandas”
Courtesy of Les Films du Bilboquet
“Alea Jacarandas” by Algerian director Hassen Ferhani won the Unifrance Doc Award, in partnership with TitraFilm, which includes €2,300 ($3,200) in subtitling services and a Unifrance membership for the project’s French producer.
Wrapping up her second edition as the festival’s head of industry, Alice Burgin said: “Visions du Réel would like to congratulate all the winners of this year’s awards. We know that receiving this type of recognition at early stages of a project can really shape its future, and so we are grateful to the variety of partners for coming together to support such bold and audacious storytelling… and the cinema of the future! “
Visions du Réel runs until April 13. The festival’s competition awards will be announced on April 11.
Find all the VdR–Industry Awards recipients below:
Eurimages Co-production Development Award“Ashes Settling in Layers on the Surface” by Zoya Laktionova (Ukraine)Production: 2Brave Productions (Ukraine), Cinéphage (France)
Visions Sud Est Award“A Distant Call” by Andrea Suwito (Indonesia)Production: Umbra Motion Picture Company (United Kingdom), Talamedia (Indonesia), La Fabrica Nocturna (France)
Visions du Réel AwardCHF 3,000 in cash“I Eat With Two Hearts” by Natyvel Pontalier (Gabon)Production: Les Films du Bilboquet (France), Centre Vidéo de Bruxelles (Belgium)
Visions du Réel Special Mention“Anamiga” by Raphaële Benisty (France)Production: Zadig Productions (France)
RTS Award“I Eat With Two Hearts” by Natyvel Pontalier (Gabon)Production: Les Films du Bilboquet (France), Centre Vidéo de Bruxelles (Belgium)
Tënk Post-Production Award“Time Hunter” by Daniel Chein (United States), Mushiva (Namibia)Production: Waypoint Pictures (United States), Seera Films (Germany), Joe Vision Production (Namibia)
Tënk Opening Scenes Award“Homunculus” by Bonheur Suprême (France)Production: Il Varco Cinema (Italy), Waterclock (Italy)
The Party Film Sales Award“Time Hunter” by Daniel Chein (United States), Mushiva (Namibia)Production: Waypoint Pictures (United States), Seera Films (Germany), Joe Vision Production (Namibia)
“Jaripeo”
Courtesy of VdR
Lightdox Award“Jaripeo” by Efraín Mojica (Mexico), Rebecca Zweig (United States)Production: Jaripeo Documentary LLC (United States), Misfits Entertainment (United States), Survivance (France), Tierra Roja (Mexico)
Unifrance Doc Award in partnership with TitraFilmSubtitles creation (to the value of €2,300) sponsored by TitraFilm and one Unifrance membership (value of €1,590) for the French producer attached to the project.“Alea Jacarandas” by Hassen Ferhani (Algeria)Production: Les Films du Bilboquet (France), Tact Production (France), Guelta Production (Algeria)
Masé Studios AwardCreation of a DCP package for one project pitched at the VdR-Work In Progress showcase with capacity to screen a projection in the Masé Studios Atmos Cinema-certified auditorium A (Geneva).“Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk” by Sepideh Farsi (Iran)Production: Rêves d’Eau Productions (France), 24images (France)
Raggioverde Subtitling AwardSubtitles creation included translation in one language.“Memory” by Vladlena Sandu (Russie)Production: Mimesis (Russia), Limitless (France), Revolver (Netherlands)
Cannes Docs AwardInvitation to feature as a Cannes Docs “Spotlighted Project,” including two complimentary Marché du Film – Festival de Cannes badges valid for the 2025 or 2026 edition.“Time Hunter” by Daniel Chein (United States), Mushiva (Namibia)Production: Waypoint Pictures (United States), Seera Films (Germany), Joe Vision Production (Namibia)
DOK Leipzig AwardTwo accreditation and four nights accommodation at DOK Leipzig and observer access to the DOK Co-Pro Market for the filmmaker and producer for the 2025 or 2026 edition.“The Big Boom” by Gabriel Tejedor (Switzerland)Production: Mira Film Basel (Switzerland)
No Nation Films Fellowship AwardSix Month Fellowship aimed at giving support, guidance, counsel and mentorship to exceptional documentary film teams from around the globe who find themselves grappling with challenges and in vulnerable circumstances for one project in the VdR–Rough Cut Lab.“Field Notes” by Daniel Asadi Faezi (Germany), Mila Zhluktenko (Ukraine)Production: Pong Film (Germany)
AIDC AwardTwo accreditations to attend the Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) and a fee waiver to apply to The FACTory for the 2026 edition.“The Simulation” by Justine Harbonnier (France)Production: TAK Films (Canada)
DAE Encouragement AwardTwo free consultations with network members tailored to the needs of the project.“Field Notes” by Daniel Asadi Faezi (Germany), Mila Zhluktenko (Ukraine)Production: Waypoint Pictures (United States), Seera Films (Germany), Joe Vision Production (Namibia)
