The winners of Tempo Documentary Festival have now been announced. On Saturday evening, the recipients in Tempo’s seven competition categories received their awards. Below are the names of the winners and those who received honorable mentions, along with the jury’s motivation for each award.
TEMPO DOCUMENTARY AWARD
The Tempo Documentary Award is one of Sweden’s largest documentary film competitions. The prize, awarded to the film’s director, consists of 100,000 SEK and a check of SEK 50,000 SEK from Dagsljus. The competition is organized with the support of the Swedish Film Institute.
Winner: Om alla bara drar by Karin Wegsjö and Nazira Abzalova
Jury’s motivation: “With warmth as a response to society’s coldness, we follow the protagonists in their struggle for security. The jury for the Tempo Documentary Award has decided to award the 2024 prize to a politically urgent and personally moving film that encompasses both love and fear – and if such films are not made, everyone will suffer.”
STEFAN JARL INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY AWARD
The Stefan Jarl International Documentary Award is the prize for the best international documentary. The prize sum is 3,000 euros. The competition is organized with the support of the Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation.
Winner: Bye Bye Tiberias by Lina Soualem
Jury’s motivation: “This film depicts life in the aftermath of cultural and political conflict, exile, dreams, and intergenerational bonds. Through the delicate use of personal and historical archives, the director calls upon the voices of four generations of women in an honest and moving way, unlocking the secrets of a broken heart. This year’s winning film is a work that stays with you, prompting reflection and sparking conversation long after the final scene.”
Honorable Mention: Canuto’s Transformation by Ariel Kuaray Ortega and Ernesto de Carvalho
Jury’s motivation: “More than a film, this is an attempt to rescue memories of a place, its people, and its myths, through a collective recreation. With the directors’ engaged approach and a strong sense of visual experimentation, it reflects upon cultural heritage and resilience.”
TEMPO SHORT AWARD
The Tempo Short Award is the competition for the best short documentary. The prize of 40,000 SEK goes to the film’s director, who also receives a check from Dagsljus worth 10,000 SEK. The competition is organized with the support of the Swedish Film Institute.
Winner: The Conquest of Space by Albin Biblom
Jury’s motivation: “The Conquest of Space took us on a journey to space like we have never experienced before. The film impacted us on several levels, captivating us with its craftsmanship, challenging us to reflect on our relationship with nature and the development of our world.”
Honorable Mention: The Building and Burning of a Refugee Camp by Dennis Harvey
Jury’s motivation: “The Building and Burning of a Refugee Camp is a film that is not only relevant and current but also genuine and authentic in its execution. It highlights the situation for refugees worldwide in an engaging and direct way, showing the ongoing polarization and its consequences for people worldwide, as well as how fear and social media affect our perception of the refugee issue and politics.”
NEW DOC
New Doc is a talent award for emerging Swedish filmmakers. The prize consists of 50,000 SEK and is awarded to a documentary film director. It is presented in collaboration with BoostHbg, Film Stockholm AB, Film i Dalarna, Film i Sörmland, Film i Öst, Filmregion Sydost, Förvaltningen för kulturutveckling/Västra Götalandsregionen/FilmCloud, Region Uppsala, Region Gävleborg, Film på Gotland, Region Värmland, Region Västmanland, and Kultur i Halland – Film.
Winner: Vittne by Ahmad Al Shehabi
Jury’s motivation: “A film that truly captivated us. With a personal and poignant approach and unique visuals, we follow a story from a perspective that has rarely gained media attention.”
Honorable Mention: Musen martyr by Ylva Ottervald Flygare
Jury’s motivation: “With an ingenious narrative approach, using a mouse and its family, to provide insight into the complexity of living as codependent to a loved one in addiction. In a short format and with effective stop-motion, the director manages to portray a difficult and painful subject in a touching way.”
TEMPO SOUND AWARD
The award is given to the short film, among the competition films in Tempo Short Award, with the most well-thought-out and creative sound design. The prize consists of 60,000 SEK to be used at Momento Studio.
Winner: arg_gubbe.mov by Daniel Aguirre
Jury’s reasoning: “This film takes us on an unexpected and chaotic journey into a snippet of our present time. From a short audio recording, both form and narrative emerge in a chaotic rhythm, without any respect for aesthetic norms.”
SHORT DOX RADIO
In Short Dox Radio, ten radio documentaries compete for a maximum of three minutes, with a prize of 5,000 SEK. The winning entry also gets to participate in the ShortDox Nordic competition.
Winner: Birds of Bushwick by Mårten Paridon Pettersson
Jury’s motivation: “Through careful craftsmanship, we get close to the main character in this intimate story about the need for a reason to get up in the morning.”
TEMPO PITCH
Tempo Pitch is the competition for new documentary film ideas. The winning project is awarded 90,000 SEK in development funds. The competition is organized in collaboration with Film Stockholm, SVT Dokumentär, and the Swedish Film Institute.
Winner: The Days I Will Forget by Morgane Dziurla-Petit
Jury’s motivation: “The project approaches a deeply personal, tragic, and universal subject with warmth and respect through playful and innovative storytelling. It challenges what a documentary film can be in both form and content.”
ANNA-PRIZE
During the evening, the ANNA Prize was also awarded. It is named after one of Sweden’s first female directors, Anna Hofman-Uddgren, and is awarded by WIFT Sweden (Women in Film and Television). The ANNA Prize is awarded to a person who, with moving images, depicts the UN Women’s Convention in a strong and artistic way. The prize also includes a scholarship, this year of 50,000 SEK.
Winner: Nipster by Sunniva Eir Tangvik Kveum
