This film was made in the midst of much obstruction from various sides. Yet it magnificently shows how people wounded and handicapped as result of the atrocities of a six days war in their city Kisangani gradually accepted their conditions and subsequently made the best of it. They decided to head to their country's capital to claim the money that the government received in order to restore their living conditions. In the meantime the audience sees how people determined by their being victims take their lives in their own hands again and grow out to men and women celebrating the victory of the opposition in the elections. In their misery they increasingly showed up well. This is something found in many religions: that God inspires people to struggle for justice for themselves and for others.
63rd International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film
Dzhoy (Joy) by Daria Slyusarenko (Russia 2020): first film of the international competititon
The winner of DOK Leipzig 2020 is "En route pour le milliard" (Downstream to Kinshasa) by Dieudo Hamadi. The film received the Golden Dove of the international festival jury and the Prize of the Interreligious Jury. Director Hamadi has already won the Forum Prize of the Ecumenical Jury at the Berlinale 2017 for his film "Maman Colonelle". Other Leipzig prizewinners are "The Poets Visit Juana Bignozzi" by Laura Citarella and Mercedes Halfon (Argentina 2019; Silver Dove), "Rift Finfinnee" by Daniel Kötter (Ethiopia, Germany 2020; DEFA Promotion Prize), "Nová šichta" (A New Shift) by Jindřich Andrš (Czech Republic 2020; MDR Film Prize) and the animated film "Vicenta" by Darío Doria (Argentina 2020; Prize of the Fipresci Jury ).
DOK Leipzig 2020, the first festival edition under the direction of Christoph Terhechte, took place as a hybrid festival, with 141 films shown on screens in local venues. 132 of these films were also available online as streaming by the festival. The Interreligious Jury appointed by INTERFILM and SIGNIS watched the films of the International Competition for Long Films online.
Statements of the members of the Interreligious Jury to their prize winner and to the festival
Awards
