Editor

Director Jan Hřebejk picked up the Golden Kingfisher for best feature film and the Audience Award for Kawasaki's Rose at the closing ceremony of Finale festival of Czech films held in Plzen on Friday, April 23.

The Golden Kingfisher in the best feature film category:

Kawasaki's Rose - directed by Jan Hřebejk

Reason for the verdict: For its emotional interpretation of the recent past, and especially for its several virtous scenes, that were entertaining on one hand, and on the other hand helped to deal with our guilts from the past which still influence our life up to day.

International jury of feature films composed of:                                                             

Maria Procházková (Czech Republic), director - chairperson of the jury

Sasha Wieser (Austria), film distributor

Csaba Bollók (Hungary), director

Doru Nitescu (Romania), scriptwriter, director, vice-rector of Romanian film university

Special award:

Walking Too Fast - directed by Radim Špaček

Reason for the verdict: For its consequent way in creating the grey atmosphere of the 80s, and in presenting a character that embodied the nonsense brutality of the political system.

The international jury of feature films together with the Foundation of Dagmar and Václav Táborský further conferred:

The award of Dagmar Táborská for the most original documentary made by a female author under the age of 35:

Memory of Snovídky - directed by Kateřina Krusová

Reason for the verdict: For non-moralising film story about unpopular moral values.

The award of Václav Táborský for the best documentary made by an author under the age of 35 on film:

59/184/84 - directed by Lukáš Kokeš

Reason for the verdict: For his merry interpretation of a sad topic and for his strong and decisive approach to direction.

The golden kingfisher in the best documentary category on film:

Land of Destiny - directed by Pavel Kolaja

Reason for the verdict: The author did rely only on a mere documentation of the magic of prof. Vyskočil' s personality, but he also dutifully created his own film method, which reflects mind processes of the main character.

International jury of documentaries composed of:

Miroslav Janek (Czech Republic), director, cameraman - chairperson

Zuzana Piussi (Slovensko), director

Ivana Milošević (Czech Republic), Institute of Documentary Film, director, pedagogue

Special Award:

Phantom of Liberty II - directed by Karel Žalud

Reason for the verdict: For bold step beyond the borders of documentary genre and for experimentation with film time.

The audience award for the best film awarded on the basis of audience voting:

Kawasaki's Rose - directed by Jan Hřebejk

The Best Actress/Actor Award:

Ondřej Malý - for his role in film Walking Too Fast (directed by Radim Špaček)

The annual award of the Association of Czech Film Clubs for the best feature film:

Protektor  - directed by Marek Najbrt

            Forgotten Transports to Poland - directed by Lukáš Přibyl