Winners Movies that Matter Festival 2024

Radical by Christopher Zalla, 

Asmae El Moudir’s The Mother of All Lies win Grand Jury Awards at 

Movies that Matter Festival 2024

Other winners include Mediha by Hasan Oswald and Mediha Ibrahim Alhamad; Kix by Bálint Révész and Dávid Mikulán; Eddyʼs oorlog by Joost van der Valk; and Mast-del by Maryam Tafakory

On Wednesday, 27 March the Movies that Matter Festival announced the winners of its 16th edition during the award ceremony at Theater Aan het Spui in the Dutch city of The Hague. The Mexican comedy-drama Radical by Christiopher Zalla and starring Eugenio Derbez nabbed the Grand Jury Fiction Award, worth € 5.000. Set in a Mexican border town plagued by neglect, corruption, and violence, a frustrated teacher tries a radical new method to break through his students’ apathy and unlock their curiosity, their potential and maybe even their genius. Jury members Marnie Blok, Fatih Abay and Elaheh Nobakht stated they were “unanimous” in their choice, celebrating the performances of the young cast and “addressed issues such as social class, gender, authority, inclusion and empowerment in a superior mix of humor and emotions”. 

 

Asmae El Moudir’s much-acclaimed The Mother of All Lies received the Grand Jury Documentary Award (€ 5.000). In a miniature Casablanca, El Moudir dives into her family’s past as her family and friends help her to unravel the disturbing lies from her childhood. The jury, which consisted of Lukasz Konopa, Anadil Hossain and Don Edkins, called the film “innovative, angry, funny and compassionate”.

Grand Jury Fiction Award

5.000 EUR

Jury members: Marnie Blok, Fatih Abay, Elaheh Nobakht

Winner: Radical by Christopher Zalla

Jury statement: “We as a jury were unanimous. Although we argued along the way about a possible

winner - and did not always agree, when this film came along - we looked at each other and knew:

we have a winner. For this film addressed issues such as social class, gender, authority, inclusion and

empowerment in a superior mix of humor and emotions. The performances of the young cast

members are impressive. This film addresses the very important basic human right to education,

gives hope for a new generation to stand up and highlights the utmost importance of dedicated

teachers. The winner of the Grand Jury Fiction Award 2024 is the Mexican film Radical by Christopher

Zalla.”

Special mention: Terrestrial Verses by Ali Asgari & Alireza Khatami

The jury also paid tribute to director Agniezska Holland for her film Green Border.

Grand Jury Documentary Award

5.000 EUR

Jury members: Lukasz Konopa, Anadil Hossain and Don Edkins

Winner: The Mother of All Lies by Asmae El Moudir

Jury statement: “We would like to highlight a film that brings to the fore an undocumented massacre

and the retelling of this event to honor the victims and their families, and bring healing and closure

to an open wound. The Mother of All Lies by Asmae El Moudir (Morocco) is innovative, angry, funny

and compassionate. It addresses generational trauma and the power of stolen memories, through a

family and community forced to confront a painful, and unresolved past. Using a hybrid form of

storytelling which takes a bold and creative approach the filmmaker takes us on a journey to excavate

emotions and artefacts to confront human rights violations and freedom of speech in her country.

Recreating a miniature stage for her characters to revisit this unspoken tragedy, this deeply personal

film allows the memories and actions from that time to begin a cathartic healing. The filmmaker

displays a dexterity and ingenuity with which she weaves through a complex narrative and we are

intrigued to see where this will take her in future endeavours.”

Special mention: Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat by Johan Grimonprez.

AWARDS 2024

Activist Documentary Award

5.000 EUR

Jury members: Gita Saedi Kiely, Joseph Curran, Hanne Küpers

Winner: Mediha by Hasan Oswald & Mediha Ibrahim Alhamad

Jury statement: “The activist award goes to a film that left the jury speechless and profoundly

touched. This intimate portrayal, told through first person and observational narrative, pulled you in

immediately and didn’t let you go. And in fact, the filmmaking process itself became a powerful tool

for the activist to discover and build her own voice. With the most poignant and beautifully captured

cinematic moments, this film shares a story of a people - and a young woman - that should not be

forgotten. Mediha will serve as a role model for many young women who have suffered and

survived, and the film will leave you gutted but hopeful through the resilience and joy Mediha and

her brothers continue to present. We are thrilled to give the Activist Award to Mediha and

co-directors Hasan Oswald and Mediha Ibrahim Alhamad.”

Special mention: Our Land, Our Freedom by Meena Nanji & Zippy Kimundu.

Camera Justitia Award

5.000 EUR

Jury members: Doreen Boonekamp, Jennifer Huang

Winner: Kix by Bálint Révész & Dávid Mikulán

Jury statement: “Our choice for the Camera Justitia Award captures globally shared issues on an

intimate scale, offering a unique insight into the human cost when state institutions fail their citizens.

The jury believes the film makes a powerful statement about the realities of poverty,

intergenerational violence and failures of the social welfare system within Europe and around the

world. The film spotlights issues that often fail to capture headlines, leading to entrenched societal

weaknesses resulting in individual, ubiquitous tragedies that are often ignored. Yet it also captures

humor, love, and the hope of redemption for its young protagonist. We commend the filmmakers’

great independence of spirit in their filmmaking approach and their courage in the risk they took

following their protagonist for twelve years. This year, Movies that Matter Camera Justitia Award

goes to Kix by Bálint Révész, Dávid Mikulán.”

Special mention: I Shall Not Hate by Tal Barda

AWARDS 2024

Dutch Movies Matter Award

5.000 EUR

Jury members: Jean-Jaques Peretti, Mercedes Stalenhoef, Bülent Bahri Küçükerdoğan

Winner: Eddyʼs oorlog by Joost van der Valk

“The jury was deeply moved by the films presented in this Dutch selection. Thanks to all the brilliant

filmmakers! The films were very different in their subjects and forms which made the work of the

jury even more difficult. Nevertheless, the jury members agreed that one of the films carried – not

only an important human issue – but also used a very strong narrative form, confronting two types of

images, photos and films. Rather than a confrontation, these two forms reinforced each other,

projecting us into the subject with an incredible feeling of empathy! That being said, the jury is happy

to announce the winner of this Dutch selection: Eddyʼs oorlog directed by Joost van der Valk.”

Shorts Award

1.500 EUR

Jury members: Julian Ross, Clara Helbig, João Carlos Rodrigues

Winner: Mast-del by Maryam Tafakory

Jury statement: “The awarded film is resolutely political, but not in a way that we are used to seeing

in cinema. It plays with what can be shown and what is left to the imagination. Approaching a

sensitive subject through tactile sensuality, this personal recollection of adolescent romance

becomes a tale on prohibited intimacy. The Short Award goes to Maryam Tafakory for Mast-del.”

Special mention: Mute Utopia by Julio Matos

Education Award

Jury members: Annelou Molendijk, Valentino Zaalman, Arthur Gort, Elly de Bruin

Winner: The Mind Game by Sajid Khan Nasiri, Eefje Blankevoort & Els van Driel

Jury statement: The winning film is an incredibly impressive documentary. A must-see for every

young person and adult. It teaches you to consider people who have fled. There are many people,

AWARDS 2024

including many children, on the run. Even today. This documentary takes you through the life story of

the protagonist band the fears he, like many others, unfortunately had to endure for years. Especially

in these times of much polarization and discrimination towards refugees, it is extra valuable that this

film can raise awareness. We have a lot of respect for the protaganist, the friends he has made along

the way, and the crew that has followed and supported him for years. We hope that this

documentary will be watched by many. And that we all become a little kinder to each other.”

Special mention: Waves of War (Kleinkinderen van de Oost) by Daan van Citters

Students’ Choice Award

1.500 EUR

Jury members: Jop Emonts, Irene Altavilla, Timo van Daal

Winner: Photophobia by Pavol Pekarčík & Ivan Ostrochovský

Jury statement: “With unanimous agreement since rather the beginning of a genuinely long

deliberation of around 3 hours. We believe the unanimity to speak for itself in regards to the beauty,

realness, and intentionality in storytelling of this documentary. Congratulations, Pavol Pekarčík and

Ivan Ostrochovský!”