Editor

Phase 2 of FIFOG 2020 VS COVID-19, held online from June 8th-14th 2020, has just ended with immense success. The thousands of interactions of Internet users recorded on the Facebook page of the FIFOG, the statistics of fifog.com as well as the connections to the Viméo platform, which hosted the movies in free access, inform us about the royal welcome reserved to the public for this online edition which exposes stars on the canvas.

The FIFOG has presented to its audience two painting and a photography exhibition, as well as the introductory course in oriental dance. 41 films were competing for the various prices, through various selections: 14 short films competing in the international competition, 15 competing for the Public Prize and 12 in school competitions. This rich program was largely followed.

In addition to the public and the schools which have awarded their prize, a jury of 6 members from various countries and professions awarded a gold FIFOG and a silver FIFOG.

The various juries have revealed their awards. While the public voted for 3 films from Iraq, Lebanon and Turkey, the official jury, made up of 6 members from various countries and professions, awarded films from Egypt, Lebanon and Morocco, Algeria and China. For their part, the school juries have set their sights on works of French, Indian and American origins.

FIFOG extends through time and space

Placed under the sign of the Resistance ... the feminine way, good mood in the face of adversity and the deconfinement of minds, the 15th edition of the International Festival of Oriental Film in Geneva, will extend through time and space. FIFOG’s final phase 3, will take place in the fall, if sanitary conditions permit it. Held in several places: a cinema, a center for asylum seekers and neighborhood houses. The line-up will include a dozen feature films and documentaries that will be competing for a gold FIFOG and a silver FIFOG.

FIFOG 2020 AWARDS VS COVID-19

1. SHORT FILM AWARDS

The Official International Short Film Completion jury, is made up of Mrs. Kammermann Catherine (President) - Journalist- Reporter - Switzerland, Mrs. Hana Menasria - Journalist - Algeria, Mrs. Malak Dahmouni - Artistic director of the Rabat Author Film Festival - Morocco, Mrs. Aurora Marion - Actress - Belgium - Rwanda - Greece, Mrs. Lilia El Golli - Tunisia - France- Author, -Photographer, Mr. Emmanuel Deonna, Social scientist and journalist - Switzerland .

The gold FIFOG is awarded to the film :

1. THIS IS MY NIGHT directed by YUSSEF NOAMAN, EGYPT / FICTION 2019

"Through this award, we wanted to recompense the film efficiency and narrative audacity, in particular the exploration of the urban landscape of a large city in Egypt and its contrasts. Finally, we salute the quality of the musical choice and the dreamlike force of the film."

The silver FIFOG is awarded to the films :

1. A PHILOSOPHER directed by FDIL ABDELLATIF, MOROCO / FICTION / 2019

"Through this award, we wanted to honor "an endearing film which inscribes itself between documentary and storytelling. This tender and humorous insight into a small Moroccan village, through its delicate writing and narration, clearly reflects the complexity of relations between men and women in a patriarchal society."

2. TWO WOMEN CAN TANGO directed by MARIA ABDEL KARIM, ENGLAND / LEBANON / FICTION/ 2019

"Through this award, we wanted to reward the fundamental values conveyed, and based upon diversity and the right to be different. A subtle and delicate writing supporting ideas uniting 3 continents, 2 women, 1 story."

THE SPECIAL MENTION is awarded to the film :

TOUIZA directed by KARIM BENGANA, FRANCE, ALGERIA / FICTION/2018

"With this award, we wanted to recompense a film with a strong universal story conveyed by the subtle acting skills of actresses. The director approached the years (1992-2002) of terrorism in Algeria with finesse. He takes a sincere look at this tragedy, in which life is confronted to death, illusion to hope, dignity to despise. "

SPECIAL MENTION is awarded to the film :

SHE RUNS directed by QIU YANG, CHINA, FRANCE / FICTION / 2019

"Through this Special mention, we wanted to salute the quality of the acting, the simplicity of the means used, the subtlety and the visual beauty of the film evoking contemporary China where young people feel suffocated by the weight of a collective now strongly imbued with the values of individualism."

2. PUBLIC PRIZES

The public had the opportunity to express themselves via Facebook and the Vimeo platform. To determine the winners, we added up the likes from Vimeo and from the voices expressed on the FIFOG’s Facebook page. The directors have largely contributed to the promotion of their film.

THE PUBLIC GOLD FIFOG – DOCUMENTARY, is awarded to :

SMILE IN ONE MINUTE by MUSTAFA ALSUMAIDAIE, IRAQ / DOCUMENTARY / 2020

The film has received 1370 reactions, including 968 likes.

THE PUBLIC GOLD FIFOG – FICTION, is awarded to :

TOPRAK DE ONUR YAGIZ, TURKEY, FRANCE / FICTION / 2017

The film has received 436 reactions, including 371 likes.

THE PUBLIC SILVER FIFOG, is awarded to :

DJANGO de SCARLETT SAAD, LEBANON / FICTION / 2015

The film received 316 reactions including 259 likes.

3. SCHOOL COMPETITIONS

SCHOOL COMPETITION AT HENRY-DUNANT ECG GENERAL CULTURE SCHOOL

The jury of the short films school competition composed of the classes (CIS, 1st, 2nd) whose French teacher is Mrs. Alba Bianda of the École de Culture Générale Henri-Dunant.

The GOLD FIFOG Prize is awarded to the film Ô RAGE, directed by FLORENT SABATIER/FRANCE/ FICTION/ 2019

"Through this award, we wanted to reward a film whose semantic and formal continuity between a monologue of the Cid and the words / ills of a disadvantaged youth which reminds us how the themes of our classics remain accurate in our time. In particular, the dishonor of the police brutality which took on its full extent in the tragic light of recent events in the USA. In addition, the choices of directing and post-production highlighted the non-violent communication of the young person of color whose pacifist combat contrasts with the unjustified police violence."

SCHOOL COMPETITION AT ELLA MAILLART ECG GENERAL CULTRE SCHOOL

The jury for the short film school competition is made up of classes 101, 105, 106, 102 and 110. The teachers are Ms. Claire Clavel, Ms. Corinne Diserens and Mr. Claude Torche, of the École de Culture Générale Ella Maillart.

The GOLD FIFOG 2020 Prize is awarded to the film LE CHANT D’AHMED directed by FOUED MANSOUR, FRANCE / FICTION / 2019

"Through this award, the jury wanted to highlight “the story that delivers a fair and touching translation of a relationship between a young man and his tutor, an elderly person, through whom the director reveals the difficulties of exile and the challenges of integration."

A SPECIAL MENTION was attributed to the film CLASH OF MORALITY directed by Vinay Pujara, USA / FICTION /2017

" This SPECIAL MENTION is notably having known how to touch the mind and the heart of the audience especially with its clarity and simplicity. (…) A film which draws attention to the damage that prejudice can cause, in particular that linked to religion. "

SCHOOL COMPETITION BY INTEGRATION RECEPTION CLASSES

The jury for the short film school competition is made up of several migrant students from the Geneva integration classes.

The FIFOG D’OR 2020 Prize is awarded to the film PEARL ISLAND directed by DANA KARIM, IRAQ / FICTION / 2016

"We were touched by the courage of these women. Despite the war, the fighting, there is always the hope of purity, of peace ..."

FIFOG 2020 PHASE 2 VS COVID-19 IN NUMBERS

• FIFOG 2020 held online from June 8th till 14th 2020, accessible for free to the widest public (www.fifog.com) in the context of the sanitary crisis (COVID-19).

• The 2020 FIFOG’s edition is about resistance to adversity, the deconfinement of minds, openness to others and to all hopes.

• 5 female jurors, 1 male juror

• 41 competing short films to celebrate Resistance… the feminine way.

• 6 short films for children (FI-FON-FAN section)

• 3 partner municipalities: Geneva, Presinge, Céligny.

• 20 countries: Algeria, Belgium, Egypt, Afghanistan, United States of America, France, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Turkey, Great Britain, Switzerland, Canada, Argentina, Kosovo, China, India.

• 2 exhibitions; online painting and photography (Akila Dahache, Ahmed Ait Issad)

• 1 initiation course to oriental dance online (by www.maryam.ch)

• 5 Competitions: Official International Short Film Competition, Short Film Public Prize Competition, 3 School Competitions (ECG Henry-Dunant and ECG Ella Maillart, Lissignol Integration Reception Class)

• Over 150 partners

• Indoor screenings, including feature films, are postponed to the fall of 2020, depending on the evolution of the sanitary situation.

The FIFOG’s team would like to thank all of its partners as well as everyone who contributed to the success of its 15th edition and looks forward to seeing you next fall.

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