Press Release 16.05.2011

Although the 4th International Documentary Film Festival of Nicosia is now over, our scheduled return in March 2012 will be even more gratifying knowing our recent relocation to the Melina Merkouri Hall went over so smoothly.

Kicking off on March 11th and wrapping up March 13th, the Festival has proven beyond doubt that it is well-schooled in local sensibilities and knows how to pick the films that suit its audience best. Because a festival is nothing without its following and this year's Audience Award is solid proof of this growing complicity.

Opening night saw Kinshasa Symphony paying tribute to the perseverance of a unique orchestral outfit in Congo consisting of 200 hard-working lower class citizens who spend their day toiling away only to break free of their lives' constraints during rehearsal. No matter what they do for a living, the moment they enter the rehearsal space, each and every one of them is an artist – even if they have to replace their violin strings with bicycle brake cables.

As much as we love a good night out (in Congo and elsewhere) there's still a few inconvenient truths we need to lay out on the table. Into Eternity reveals Finland's darkest secret: somewhere in the countryside, below the earth's surface, tons of nuclear waste is permanently stored, with the intention of remaining there for 100.000 years until it is rendered inactive. As soon as the tanks are filled, they will be sealed forever. But who's going to warn our descendants of what we're about to leave behind? How can we be sure future generations will still speak our language - or even recognize our symbols – in order to steer clear of danger?

We might not be equipped to answer these burning questions, but what we can tell you is who won Audience Award for this year's festival. It's none other than Cinema Komunisto by Mila Turajlic, which takes an in-depth look into former Yugoslavia's history via its cinematic tradition. Political to the bone, the Cypriot audience embraced this reverse journey into a once thriving industry that reached its peak during Josip Broz Tito's presidency. The cinephile leader often spent the entire night watching Westerns, and was so determined that his country develop a bustling film scene that soldiers often served their entire duty as extras in war films. It would seem that his beautiful madness struck a core with local viewers and the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation, our sole Audience Award sponsor, is prepared to reward the director by acquiring television rights and sharing it with the rest of the country!

Patricio Guzmán's Nostalgia de la Luz was this year's second favorite, a nostalgic masterpiece by Chile's most acclaimed filmmaker to date. In a film so profound, it almost transcends the boundaries of non fiction, Guzmán combines a nearly metaphysical approach to the human condition with a mystical astronomical journey laced with bottomless pain. Let's not forget that the legendary Atacama, the driest desert in the world, was Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet's favorite burial ground, where he disposed of thousands of dissidents, never to be heard of again. But that doesn't mean their relatives ever stopped looking for them...

As for the rest of us, the search is finally over. We've found the perfect spot in the Melina Mercury Hall and our faithful following in everyone who joined us over three doc-filled days, spilling over to the cinema foyer and begging us for more. We've taken note and we'll be back soon!