Visioni Incontra Best Documentary Project 2025 Award
SHANE, directed by Francesco Cannavà produced by Zenit Arti Audiovisive
Motivation: for having found an original approach and for keeping the spotlight on an extremely urgent issue where the female body and mind remain a taboo subject to be punished
Cinema La Compagnia Award
THE ENCOUNTER, directed by Fabrizio Galatea produced by Zenit Arti Audiovisive
Motivation: recognizing the strength and urgency of its storytelling. Through the personal story of Giorgio Bazzega, the film promises to address with an intimate and rigorous gaze the still open wounds of the Years of Lead, showcasing the transformative power of restorative justice: a process of listening and mutual recognition capable of turning pain and conflict into dialogue. This award also expresses the hope that the project will complete its production journey and soon reach the big screen, offering the audience a work of high civil and emotional value.
Lo Scrittoio Subtitles Award
SHANE, directed by Francesco Cannavà produced by Zenit Arti Audiovisive
Motivation: for the importance of telling stories of struggle and resistance, especially those of women, so that particularly younger audiences can understand how there are still too many realities around the world where the violation of human dignity is the rule rather than the exception. A tribute to the courage and battles of women in Iran, Italy, and every other country in the world.
Archivio Luce Award
BENGAL’S DARKEST HOUR – THE FAMINE AND CHURCHILL’S WAR, directed by Diego D’Innocenzo, produced by TERRA Srl
Motivation: We have the duty to bring to light a painful, forgotten story — one that has never been told, and that we can still hear today through the voices of the last survivors
THE ENCOUNTER, directed by Fabrizio Galatea produced by Zenit Arti Audiovisive
Motivation: a necessary story in a difficult historical period, in which embarking on a path to overcome conflict and hatred seems impossible
Bio to B - Industry Days Award
SERETI. A SEARCH FOR LOVE, directed by Carlotta Piccinini, produced by Sayonara Film
Motivation: for the strength and urgency with which it addresses the theme of female genital mutilation, transforming it into a story of empowerment, care, and resistance. A work that centers on the body and voice of women, created by professionals who choose the female perspective as a tool of freedom and sisterhood, offering a contribution of extraordinary civil and cultural significance.
Millennium Docs Against Gravity Film Festival Award
WOMEN OF PEACE: A JOURNEY INTO THE WAR, directed by Keren Shayo, produced by Les Films du Sillage, Alma Films e Clin d’oeil Films
Motivation: in times of uncertainty, chaos, war, and genocide, we need heroes of peace. For this reason, the protagonists portrayed in the project can bring about change and show the tragedy from another perspective, this time one filled with hope.
Wanted Cinema Award
THE ENCOUNTER, directed by Fabrizio Galatea produced by Zenit Arti Audiovisive
Motivation: this documentary fully embodies the spirit of the Wanted Cinema manifesto, which promotes cinema that interrogates the present, stimulates critical thinking, and fosters dialogue in theaters. Courageously tackling the theme of restorative justice and the memory of the Years of Lead, the film tells an authentic and transformative path of reconciliation. It is a necessary work that speaks to the heart of our time and invites viewers to reflect on the profound meaning of listening, responsibility, and humanity.
Visioni Incontra Special Mention
THE GOLDEN SWAN, directed by Anette Ostrø, produced by Fri Film
Motivation: for bringing us into the intimacy of personal and family pain while still maintaining the necessary distance to engage a universal audience. The loss of a family member is always a sorrow. Therefore, we thank Annette Ostrø for sharing it with us.
