The Ingmar Bergman International Debut Award goes to Me, Maryam, The Children And 26 Others by Farshad Hashemi.
The Award is presented together with the The Bergman Foundations, i. e. The Ingmar Bergman Foundation, The Bergman Estate and Bergman Center on Fårö.
The prize consists of a stay at The Bergman Estate on Fårö.
Motivation of the jury: At its core, this film is a personal portrait of solidarity and the transformative power of inviting life back in. The director injects moments of humor and lightheartedness while leaving the audience deeply moved. In an unexpected and cinematically creative way, the film also explores themes of loneliness and the power of letting go. All the while, it maintains a level of authenticity in the performances, making every moment feel genuine and heartfelt. We, the jury, can’t wait to see more from this director.
Members of the jury: Levan Akin, director, Sweden; Cristina Jardim Ribeiro, head of operations at Bergman Center, Sweden; Elene Naveriani, director, Georgia.