DocAviv Film Festival

"This is a film that left us utterly without words. Not too far from where we stand right now - in an area still largely controlled by ISIS - is an abyss of human suffering where a group of extraordinary people are fighting back. The jury was staggered by unforgettable acts of courage carried out by women who went through living hell but refused to stay victimized. Their acts of heroism, while risking their own lives, shine as a beacon of hope, not only for their own community but for the entire human spirit. For its brave and rare documentation of this still burning issue that most news outlets have somewhat abandoned, and for its ability to craft a story so powerful yet full of everyday beautiful simple moments of life, the jury decides to award the film Sabaya as the best International Film."

"The jury has decided to give an honorable mention to a film that challenges our very understanding of democracy in an unflinching look into post-colonial Africa. By obtaining rare access and using a unique verité cinematic gaze, the filmmakers craft a story of the nerve-racking election campaign in Zimbabwe. The protagonists are the brave young politicians who advocate non-violence and transparency as their weapon of choice and are fighting the older generation's tyranny to offer hope for the people of Zimbabwe. This film shows us what is at stake in post-colonial Africa in the urgent fight to create fair and just systems."

"The filmmakers portray a reality which both inspires and makes us reflect on our own priorities, the systems we are living within, and the price we are willing to pay to change them. Viewers are taken on a journey which shows democracy as a simultaneously fragile yet enduring phenomenon. As a result of this film's structure, protagonists, and depiction of collective strength, it has the power to reverberate through the streets of cities around the world. The Beyond the Screen Award goes to 'A La Calle.''"