The 11th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival - Images of the 21st Century  wrapped a 9 days event on March 22nd and awarded the following documentary filmmakers.

AUDIENCE AWARDS: Sponsored by the Hellenic Red Cross

The Hellenic Red Cross Audience Award for a film over 45' in the International Selection, accompanied by Euros 4,000, goes to: BURMA VJ - REPORTING FROM A CLOSED COUNTRY (BURMA VJ - REPORTER I ET LUKKET LAND) by Anders Hosbro Ostergaard, Denmark, 2008

The Hellenic Red Cross Audience Award for a film under 45' in the International Selection, accompanied by Euros 2,000 goes to: FLOWERS OF RWANDA (FLORES DE RUANDA) by David Munoz, Spain, 2008

The Hellenic Red Cross Audience Award for a Greek film over 45', accompanied by Euros 30,000 in an effort to reinforce Greek filmmakers and upgrade the documentary film genre in Greece, goes to: NATIONAL GARDEN (ETHNIKOS KIPOS) by Apostolos Karakasis, Greece, 2009

The Hellenic Red Cross Audience Award for a Greek film under 45', accompanied by Euros 20,000 in an effort to reinforce Greek filmmakers and upgrade the documentary film genre in Greece, goes to:  THE WORLD NAKED BIKE RIDE PROJECT IN THESSALONIKI (VGIKAME APO TA ROUHA MAS) by Elli Zerbini, Greece, 2008

FIPRESCI AWARDS

The FIRPESCI (International Federation of Film Critics) Jury consisting of:

Laszlo Kriston, President  (Hungary)

Dubravka Lakic (Serbia)

Michael Pekler (Austria)

Jose Miguel Gaspar (Portugal) and

Dimitris Haritos (Greece)

Bestows the FIPRESCI award for a film in the Greek selection to: BATHERS (LOUOMENI) by Eva Stefani, Greece, 2009

And the FIPRESCI award for a film in the International selection to: PRODIGAL SONS by Kimberly Reed, USA / UK, 2008

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AWARD

The Amnesty International Jury consisting of:

Sofia Papaioannou - Greece (Journalist)

Katerina Kalogera - Greece (Director)

Sotiris Danezis - Greece (Journalist)

Pavlos Nerantzis - Greece (Journalist)

Nikolas Kominis - Greece (Photographer)

and the representatives of Amnesty International Irini Tsolaki and Marianna Leontaridou

Awards the best film in the Human Rights section to: BURMA VJ - REPORTING FROM A CLOSED COUNTRY (BURMA VJ - REPORTER I ET LUKKET LAND) by Anders Hosbro Ostergaard, Denmark, 2008

WWF AWARD

The WWF Jury consisting of:

Athena Lambrinidou (Enviromental Activist - Consultant)

Rea Apostolides (Documentary Producer)

Yorgos Vellidis (Head of Communications,WWF Greece)

Awards the best film in the Habitat section to: CRUDE by Joe Berlinger, USA / Ecuador / UK, 2009

ERT3 (Greek Public Television) BROADCASTING AWARD

The Jury consisting of:

Nelli Zika - Tsemelegou - Greece (ERT 3 Administration Committee)

Yorgos Botsos - Greece (Director)

Lazaros Lazaridis - Greece (Head of Educational and Cultural Screenings Office)

Ioannis Keletzis - Greece (Head of Programming Production and Quality Control ERT 3)

The ERT3 Greek Public Television awards the best film in the Habitat section to: NOTHER PLANET: MASIK BOLYGO by Ferenc Moldovanyi, Hungary, 2008

The award consists of one broadcast of the winning film on ERT3, equivalent to the sum of Euros 3.000.

ERT (Greek Public Television) DOC ON AIR AWARD

The ERT Greek Public Television inaugurates this year the new Doc on Air Award, given to the best Pitching Forum 2009 project, by tutors who have participated in the 2009 Pitching Forum - Docs In Thessaloniki, running in collaboration with the European Documentary Network. The award is equivalent to the sum of Euros 7.000.

The Jury consisting of:

Philippe Van Meerbeeck - Belgium (Commissioning Editor, VRT)

Line Sandsmark - Denmark (EDN Director)

Peter Wintonick - Canada (Director, producer)

Katja Draaijer - Netherlands (Producer)

Joan Ubeda - Spain (Producer, Managing Director Media 3.14)

Christian Popp - Germany (Commissioning Editor, RBB - REDAKTION ARTE)

Awards the project: RUSH FOR LIFE, director Kate McNaughton, producer Tomas Tamosaitis, Takas Films, UK