2016

On August 7, 2016, young director Zaynê Akyol became the 9th winner of the unique Doc Alliance Award. The Kurdish director based in Canada received the award for her documentary film Gulîstan, Land of Roses during an award ceremony at Locarno IFF.

The winner was decided by a nominated seven-member jury:

  • Tomáš Stejskal, Czech Republic
  • Michael Bo, Denmark
  • Gabriel Bortzmeyer, France
  • Gisela Wehrl, Germany
  • Piotr Czerkawski, Poland
  • Vasco Câmara, Portugal
  • Christian Jungen, Switzerland

Winner

Gulîstan, Land of Roses

Zaynê Akyol
Canada / Germany, 2016, 86 min

A group of female fighters from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party set up a camp in the mountains under constant attacks from Daesh, and the Turkish and Iranian armed forces. These girls and young women left their families to protect the families of others. Together, they train in combat, venture into war zones and then come back to the heavily mined hills. They openly speak about war and the role women play in it.

Nominations

CPH:DOX
Fragment 53

Carlo Gabriele Tribbioli, Federico Lodoli
Italy / Switzerland, 2015, 71 min

Doclisboa
Maybe Desert Perhaps Universe

Karen Akerman, Miguel Seabra Lopes
Portugal, 2015, 99 min

DOK Leipzig
Train to Adulthood

Klára Trencsényi
Hungary, 2015, 79 min

FIDMarseille
Maestà, the Passion of Christ

Andy Guérif
France, 2015, 60 min

Ji.hlava IDFF
Steam on the River

Robert Kirchhoff, Filip Remunda
Slovakia / Czech Republic, 2015, 83 min

Millennium Docs Against Gravity
Jarocin. Rock for Freedom

Marek Gajczak, Leszek Gnoiński
Poland, 2015, 109 min