Presse release

THE WINNERS OF THE 11° INERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL

VISIONI DAL MONDO

Best Italian Feature Documentary Award Visioni dal Mondo 2025 to “Achille Lauro – The cruise of terror” directed by Simone Manetti

GKSD Investment Holding New Talent Award Visioni dal Mondo 2025 to “Thank you, have a nice day” directed by Giuseppe Modafferi

Rai Cinema Award, dedicated to Franco Scaglia to “From my point of view” directed by Roberto Marra

Visioni dal Mondo 2025 Best International Feature Documentary Award to “Child of Dust” directed by Weronika Mliczewska

Visioni VR 2025 Award to “Ice Sailors” directed by Jérôme Waeselynck

Amici Cineteca Milano International Competition Award 2025 to “The Srebrenica Tape” directed by Chiara Sambuchi

Milan, September 15, 2025 – The 11th edition of the Festival Internazionale del Documentario Visioni dal Mondo, founded and directed by Francesco Bizzarri, with artistic direction by Maurizio Nichetti, came to a close yesterday.

The 2025 edition, held from 11 to 14 September, transformed Milan into a true capital of documentary cinema, with 37 documentary film premieres and events at Teatro Litta, Cineteca Milano Arlecchino, and the Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci.

A special thank you goes to the beating heart of the Festival and to all the people who collaborated. In particular, Luisa Morandini from the Selection Committee, Alessandro Arangio Ruiz for jury and selection committee coordination, and Michele Sancisi from the Selection Committee. A thank you also to Cinzia Masòtina, Head of Industry Visioni Incontra.

Award winners of the 11th International Documentary Festival Visioni dal Mondo:

The Visioni dal Mondo 2025 Best Italian Feature Documentary Award, worth €5,000, awarded by the jury: Giovanna Boursier, journalist, writer and documentary filmmaker, Ruben Gagliardini, director and author, Laura Zagordi, professor of directing and production at the Civica Scuola di Cinema Luchino Visconti; goes to “Achille Lauro – The cruise of terror”, directed by Simone Manetti. Motivation: for the ability to tell a story from 40 years ago with the explosive force of the present, transporting us into today’s reality marked by the struggle for the survival of Palestine, in front of which we feel our helplessness and a strong need for action. Furthermore, this film succeeds in delivering a compelling narrative through a fast pace and powerful, valuable testimonies

The GKSD Investment Holding Group New Talent Opera Prima Award 2025, worth €2,500, awarded by a jury composed of students from Milan’s film schools and universities: Civica Scuola di Cinema Luchino Visconti, IED – Istituto Europeo di Design, Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, and Libera Università di Lingue e Comunicazione IULM, goes to “Thank you, have a nice day”, directed by Giuseppe Modafferi. Motivation: for its directorial, narrative and editing choices, consistent throughout the work with a clear and strong vision of the message conveyed. For the contemplative gaze of the protagonist towards society, which becomes a universal gaze on the world around us. For a system that leaves behind the most vulnerable, who in their humility suffer the cruelty of indifference in a daily cycle with no way out.

The Rai Cinema Recognition, dedicated to Franco Scaglia, goes to “From my point of view”, directed by Roberto Marra. Motivation: for having portrayed blindness with lightness and irony, reminding us that a smile can enlighten the way we all look at disability.

The Visioni dal Mondo 2025 Best International Feature Documentary Award, worth €3,000, awarded by an international jury composed of Carolin Halperin, commissioning editor at Rundfunk Berlin Brandenburg (RBB)/ARTE, Artur Liebhart, president and founder of Millennium Docs Against Gravity Film Festival, and Kilian Kiefel, documentary sales manager at Mediawan Rights, goes to “Child of Dust”, directed by Weronika Mliczewska. Motivation: a heartbreaking film, masterfully shot and deeply human. This sensitive portrait allows us to understand not only her journey but also the depth of the trauma. The director created not only a powerful story but a profoundly emotional film that continues to resonate long after the end credits.

The Amici Cineteca Milano International Competition Award 2025, awarded by the 2025 Cinetessera cardholders of the Cineteca Milano Arlecchino, goes to “The Srebrenica Tape”, directed by Chiara Sambuchi. Motivation: for the sensitive and precise narration of a father-daughter relationship broken by war and reconstructed afterwards through the skilful editing of archival footage that seemed lost and forgotten.

The Visioni VR 2025 Award, awarded by the audience jury, worth €1,000, goes to “Ice Sailors”, directed by Jérôme Waeselynck.

The juries of Visioni dal Mondo 2025 also assigned special mentions:

The official jury awarded, for the Italian Competition – Feature Films category, a special mention to “The blue above, the gold within”, directed by Pepi Romagnoli. Motivation: for the clear and intimate story of a little girl who shares her daily life with us against the harshness of war and the pain of separation. With best wishes for an Olympic future to the “beautiful gymnast”.

The student jury, for the Italian Competition – Feature Films category, awarded a special mention to “Nyumba”, directed by Francesco Del Grosso. Motivation: the film is able to tell a story in a human and personal way without falling into the usual narrative that often trivialises this subject. We appreciated the aesthetic device that allowed us to visualise otherwise invisible stories. Quoting the author’s own words, we want to reward the story of a place by someone who chose it as their new home. For going further and removing anonymity.

The same jury awarded, for the New Talent First Opera category of the Italian Competition, a special mention to “What remains”, directed by Bianca Vallino. Motivation: for the courage to lay bare such a true experience. For a gaze able to bravely bring to the surface the most authentic confessions of a human relationship. The film is a stream of consciousness that reveals an intimate and pure picture, while at the same time overwhelming the viewer and leaving space for reflection.

The International Jury awarded a special mention to “The Srebrenica Tape”, directed by Chiara Sambuchi. Motivation: Sejfo’s message to his daughter is a moving exploration, through rare images, that takes us into everyday life before the war and allows us to witness how everything collapsed into catastrophe. The director managed to create an atmosphere in which the main character could open up, so that we as viewers can experience the journey of a woman able to free herself from bitterness and hatred despite her great loss.

For the Visioni VR competition, the special mention of the jury composed of press and content creators was awarded to “Sweet End of the World!”, directed by Stefano Conca Bonizzoni. Motivation: for the ability to transform an urgent topic such as excess and human greed into a visionary story that merges myth and reality, dream and rawness. The film strikes for its visual impact and immediacy of language, thanks to the skilful use of virtual reality and 3D footage that enhance audience engagement. In a world on the verge of collapse, the documentary transforms the apocalypse into a powerful and evocative fable, capable of moving and prompting reflection on the legacy humanity leaves to future generations.
The jury is composed of both traditional and new media: Daniele Daccò, Maurizio Dalla Palma (Grazia), Lucia Del Pasqua, Pasquale Elia (Corriere della Sera), Stefano Gallarini (Radio Monte Carlo), Francesca Guatteri, Marco Paretti (Will), Gianluca Rocco (Libertà), Elisabetta Roncati, Orazio Spoto, Luca Tremolada (Sole 24 Ore), Ilaria Vita and Luca Zorloni (Wired).

Partners e sponsors 2025

The 11th Festival Internazionale del Documentario Visioni dal Mondo is organized by Frankieshowbiz. Main sponsor GKSD Investment Holding Group, sponsors Pirelli e Fundstore.

The Festival is supported by the City of Milan and is held under the patronage of Regione Lombardia, Rai Documentari, 100autori, and CNA Cinema & Audiovisivo Lombardia.

With the support of Rai Cinema, the Festival’s media partner is Rai Cultura, radio media partner is Radio24, and web media partner is Taxi Drivers.

The Leonardo da Vinci Science and Technology National Museum as a cultural partner, the support of Image Building Benefit Society and in collaboration with Cinecittà, Lombardia Film Commission, Doc/it – Italian Documentarist Association, MYmovies.it, Cineteca Milano Arlecchino, AIR3/Italian Director Association and the Regional Direction of National Museums Lombardia. The Festival is a member of Afic – Italian Cinema Festivals association.

11° International Documenatry Festival Visioni dal Mondo 2025
Milan, September 11-14
www.visionidalmondo.it

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