Kinenova showed that cinema can bring us closer to true values: Yesterday the Eye Didn’t Sleep wins Best Feature Film, Miroslav Terzić wins Best Director for Three Weeks Later, and Hristo Simeonov and Petar Krumov win Best Screenplay for My Father’s Shoes

The closing of the 11th Kinenova

The 11th Kinenova International Film Festival officially closed this evening with the presentation of the awards and a screening of “Fantasy”, a Slovenian–Macedonian co-production, in the presence of its director, Kukla Kesherović.

Festival director Nebojša Jovanović welcomed those present and thanked the supporters, the audience and the filmmakers for their cinematic stories.

Gena Teodosievska, the festival’s artistic director:

“We have shown that cinema has the power to bring us closer to true values, persistently and insistently asking us questions and offering certain answers, but above all revealing the causes of humanity’s darker side, as well as the tools with which we can overcome it. The choice is ours: whether we will overcome moral erosion, dare to speak the right word and face the challenge of our reality. We have met wonderful, dear people, human sensibilities that we will remember for a long time. We will quote them, speak about their films and write about them. No one can take that away from us.

At three venues, we screened 39 films and held five exceptionally well-attended workshops: with our laureate Emin Alper, his editor Özcan Vardar, Miša Terzić, Branislav Trifunović, Dejan Iliev and Goce Cvetanovski, as well as the workshop carrying the greatest responsibility, ‘Shoot Smart, Leave a Mark’, with children from schools in the Municipality of Kisela Voda, mentored by Marija Džidževa. We offer our sincere and warm thanks to everyone.”

The jury of the 11th Kinenova International Film Festival — chair Emin Alper and members Aleksandra Maksimović and Goce Cvetanovski — announced the award-winning films and filmmakers.

Best Feature Film

The Best Feature Film Award goes to Yesterday the Eye Didn’t Sleep, directed by Rakan Mayasi, for its combination of striking visual storytelling, natural performances and a sensitive portrayal of the relationship between two sisters whose lives are shaped by the decisions of others. Through its attention to everyday gestures and unspoken emotions, the film gives powerful, personal expression to their closeness and longing for freedom.

Best Director

The Best Director Award goes to Miroslav Terzić for Three Weeks Later, for his precise building of tension and assured direction of the ensemble cast. Terzić carefully shapes the relationships between the characters, creating a powerful and unsettling portrayal of bullying and its consequences.

“This time I cannot address you in Macedonian because I am very excited,” Terzić said at the beginning of his video message. “I thank the jury and the organisers for a wonderful stay in Macedonia and for everything a filmmaker could wish for — wonderful conversations after the film. Thank you for the Best Director award. It means a great deal to me, for many reasons. We do not make films to win awards, but to spark conversations. I think this is the right film for a serious conversation among all of us, among children and adults, and for trying to find a systemic solution to this tragedy that is gradually destroying our lives. Life can be much more beautiful if the language of violence is not the fundamental language of our lives,” said Terzić. He wished that each year the festival would remain brave, new and different, choosing bold, provocative films that somehow encourage all of us to be better.

Best Screenplay

The Best Screenplay Award goes to Hristo Simeonov and Petar Krumov for My Father’s Shoes, for their nuanced characterisation and exploration of the relationship between a mother and daughter confronting the father’s death and his long absence from their lives. Through unspoken emotions, family tensions and understated dark humour, the screenplay builds an emotionally layered story about memory, loss and the possibility of forgiveness.

“First of all, I would like to thank the organisers of Kinenova. It was a real pleasure to be in Skopje. This is my first time here, and I had a wonderful experience. Thank you for the award,” said Hristo Simeonov.

Jury Special Mention

The Jury Special Mention goes to In the Shadow, directed by Salem Salavati, for its courageous exploration of the sensitive subject of adolescence and sexuality in a young man with Down syndrome. Through his mother’s search for support, the film explores the complex relationship between love, protection and social pressure, raising important questions about the right to be different and the responsibility of the community.

Best Short Film — shared award

By unanimous decision of the jury, the Best Short Film Award is shared equally by Tarik, directed by Adem Tutić, and As the Crow Flies, directed by Clara Lacombe.

Tarik is recognised for its sensitive portrayal of growing up, family relationships and the need to belong, while As the Crow Flies is honoured for its inventive combination of animation and documentary storytelling, giving a personal voice to the experience of migration. Through distinct cinematic languages, both films bring us closer to the inner worlds of their young protagonists, preserving their complexity and dignity.