(ZENIT News / Mentón, France, 13.02.2025).- The 16th edition of the International Catholic Film Festival “Mirabile Dictu” (htpps://www.mirabiledictu-icff.com/) concluded in the Palace des Ambassadeurs (Cote d’Azur – France. In the year of the Jubilee of Hope, the theme of the Festival was Hope and Redemption as the common thread of all the finalist works.
The prize for the best film went to “Aydinlar” of Muzaffarkhon Erkinov and Muzaffar Karabayev (Uzbekistan); the best Director was Alexandre Machafer for “George of Cappadoccia” (Brazil; the Best Short Film was “Anniversary” of Kristóf Szalay (Hungary) and the Best Documentary “I Hope for Heaven” of Daniele Pignatelli (Italy). The Capax Dei Prize for Evangelization was given for the documentary “The Jews of Lackenbach” of Austrian Producer Norbert Blecha.
The winners chosen by the international jury, presided over by the Princess and actress Maria Pia Ruspoli (Italy), and made up of Actor Rupert Wynne-James, journalist Luca Caruso, producer Geoffrey d’Adhémar and screenwriter Elliot Harper, received the Silver Fish, inspired by the first Christian symbol. The statuette given to the winners was renewed this year and created by American artist Kim Boulukos.
3,284 works were presented for this edition, of which the finalist films were selected. They came from ten different countries: Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Philippines, Iran, Italy, the United States, Uganda, Hungary and Uzbekistan.
Thought out in 2010 by Director and Producer Liana Marabini to give space to Producers and Directors of films, documentaries, docu-fiction, television series, short films and programs, which promote universal moral values and positive models to follow, the Festival was born under the High Patronage of the Pontifical Council for Culture, now the Dicastery for Culture and Education.
Liana Marabini, President of the Festival, thanked the jury and the numerous Producers from all over the world who presented their works. “For the first time in its history, the Festival was held abroad,” she said. The place was the Marabini-Martac Museum, located in a historic building of the Belle Époque, designed by Gustave Eiffel. Held here for years have been other cultural initiatives of evangelization: the Biennial of Contemporary Sacred Art and the Salon of the Spiritual Book. However, next year it will return to the installations of the Vatican. I thank all those who have made possible, year after year, this event dedicated to culture and faith, in the first place the Dicastery for Culture and Education, and Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, who believed in us from the beginning (it was 2010). I big “thank you” also to Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, who continues the tradition of sponsoring the Festival.”
The Awarded Works and Finalists:
Short Film: “Anniversary” of Kristóf Szalay (Hungary)
In a very humble and homely environment, this short film presents a very brief and impressive story, which makes us reflect on the suffering endured by relatives of the victims of terrorist attacks.
The other short film finalists were: “Ninò” of Michele Li Volsi (Italy) and “The Saraban” of Hamed Nobari (Iran).
Best Documentary: “I Hope for Heaven” of Daniele Pignatelli (Italy)
In the high security prison of Opera (Milan), three inmates responsible for murder – Ciro, Giuseppe and Cristiano – makes hosts with their blood-stained hands, which are consecrated in churches worldwide, thus becoming the Body of Christ. Their dream is to give them personally to Pope Francis, to whom they are writing a letter.
The other finalist documentaries were: “Pilgrimage Day” of Livia Rojas (Brazil), and “The Dying of the Light” of Ivan Perić and Álvaro Congosto (Croatia).
Best Film: “Aydinlar” of Muzaffarkhon Erkinov and Muzaffar Karabayev (Uzbekistan)
Set in the Aral Sea region, it tells the story of Seyit, who lives in Muynak, a city in ruins due to the dessication of the lake. Seyit grows up with his grandfather Nurpeis, who tells him stories about the sea. Because of lack of work, Seyit is obliged to leave Muynak to change his destiny. What motivates him most is the decision of his beloved Kizlargul to marry rich Maman. Seyit begins work as a ship captain in Egypt. Six years later, when he receives the news of the death of his grandfather, he returns to his native city, finding it profoundly transformed.
The other finalist films were: “The River” of Vasil Stepanov Barkov (Bulgaria) and “Cries from the Cotton Fields” of Larry Foley and Ed Eaves (USA).
Best Director: Alexandre Machafer for “George of Cappadoccia” (Brazil)
The story takes place in 303 A.D., after George won another great battle and was promoted to Commander of the Roman Army. Emperor Diocletian was beginning his last great persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire, issuing cruel decrees to overcome the resistance of those that refused to worship the gods. George faces his greatest challenge: to stay faithful to his faith and his beliefs or succumb to Diocletian’s orders.
The other finalist Directors were: Nisha Kalema for “Makula” (Uganda), and José Lorenzo Diokno for “Gomburza” (Philippines).
The Capax Dei Foundation Prize for Evangelization went to the “Jews of Lackenbach” by Norbert Blecha
This documentary tells the moving story of a community that was once prosperous before its Jewish inhabitants were oblied to flee from the National-Socialist persecution. The documentary explores the experiences of those that were able to escape from Austria and those that died in the Holocaust. At the center of the story is the collective memory of what one day was the largest Jewish community of Burgenland: How do the descendants of the Jews that lived there at that time remember Lackenbach? And how do the present inhabitants of Lackenbach react to this story? Based on the stories of the adventures of the three protagonists, the film traces the desirable place that the city represents today for the descendants of the Jews of that time.
