Category: 2025 ARFF Amsterdam

(Finalist)

Original Film Title: Sandra: The Drift Queen

Director’s Name: Juozapas Mikulėnas

Writer’s Name: Juozapas Mikulėnas

Producer: Juozapas Mikulėnas

Country of Origin: Lithuania

Country of Filming : Cyprus, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Spain

Language: English, Lithuanian

Runtime: 1 hour 35 minutes

Film Description:

NOMINATED FOR BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY IN INTERNATIONAL MOTOR FILM AWARDS & EUROCINE GALA.

The Drift Queen is a high-octane documentary feature following Sandra Janušauskaitė — a fierce and resilient woman carving her path in the male-dominated world of professional drifting. Filmed across Europe — from Spain, Latvia, and Lithuania to Hungary, Germany, Estonia, Greece, and Cyprus — the film captures the sport’s intense physical and technical demands, along with the emotional and psychological toll it takes. Through Sandra’s eyes, we witness the grit behind the glamour: the podiums, the breakdowns, the comebacks, and the relentless pursuit of speed. It’s more than a racing story — it’s a raw, cinematic journey into passion, identity, and what it takes to lead in a world that rarely hands over the keys.

(Finalist)

Original Film Title: Section 1591_Sex trafficking of children in the U.S.A

Director’s Name: Dan Poole, Cort Kristensen

Writer’s Name: Dan Poole

Producer: Dan Poole, Cort Kristensen

Country of Origin: United Kingdom, United States,

Country of Filming : United Kingdom, United States

Language: English

Runtime: 1 hour 35 minutes

Film Description:

Section 1591 is a gripping and poignant documentary that juxtaposes the hidden world of sex trafficking in America, with the story of former U.S. Special Forces operator Jeff Tiegs, who now fights to free the oppressed as he once did in combat.

As the film unfolds, layers of Jeff’s character are revealed, showing that he shares more with the survivors than we might initially imagine.

But Section 1591 is not just Jeff’s story—at its heart are the survivors. Their voices, courage, and resilience form the backbone of the film. As Jeff works alongside these women who have escaped their traffickers, their stories rise above statistics, humanising the devastating realities of sexual exploitation for us watching.

Supported by advocates, law enforcement officers, district attorneys, and Homeland Security, the survivors are central to exposing this hidden epidemic, dismantling networks of exploitation, and demanding justice for those still trapped.

More than a call to action, Section 1591—filmed over six years—delivers unflinching vérité footage and a powerful, survivor-driven narrative. It compels us to confront not only the harsh reality of modern sexual slavery but also the lasting scars of PTSD carried by both the women and Jeff himself.

Section 1591 is definitively an exploration of courage, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of justice.

(Finalist)

Original Film Title: The Miracle of Gaza

Director’s Name: Hala Bousaab

Writer’s Name: Hala Bousaab

Producer: Hala Bousaab

Country of Origin: Lebanon

Country of Filming : Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, State of

Language: Arabic

Runtime: 51 minutes 59 seconds

Film Description:

In war-torn Gaza, children´s playful chants and songs compete with war planes and missiles, daily. Halima, a six-year old girl, was hurled away from her brother after an Israeli airstrike. She was thought dead after the fatal injury to her brain and buried. It wasn’t until her cousin discovered her barely moving finger that the story of a child martyr would transform into one of rebirth, and an embodiment of hope.

‘The Miracle of Gaza’ narrates Halima’s survival story through her eyes as well as by those who saved her, helped her and loved her along the way.

The documentary sheds light on the tormenting trauma of war endured by Gaza’s chirldren, reflecting the voice of those whose innocence was stolen from them, and confronts the horrors of war through the eyes of a child and the resilience of a girl who chose to continue to sing louder than war plane roars.

(Honorable Mention)

Original Film Title: Jaliya-A Storytelling of Jali Kunda

Director’s Name: Timothy Francisco Lima

Writer’s Name: Timothy Francisco Lima, Ebrima Mbye

Producer: Timothy Francisco Lima, Ebrima Mbye

Country of Origin: Portugal

Country of Filming : Gambia

Language: English

Runtime: 26 minutes 20 seconds

Film Description:

Jaliya – A Storytelling of Jali Kunda is a short documentary that explores the music, stories, and traditions of the Jali (Griot) of The Gambia—storytellers, musicians, and historians. Created by Timothy Lima and Ebrima Mbye, the documentary follows the journey of this Gambian musician, who lives in Lisbon and returns to his homeland to reconnect with his roots and share the vibrant world of the Jali.
The son of the legendary kora master Alagi Mbye, serves as a guide through this rich cultural mosaic. Through intimate interviews, captivating kora performances, and the enchanting sounds of traditional music, the documentary reveals how the Jali preserve history and maintain the social and spiritual fabric of their communities.
More than just music, the Jaliya tradition is a way of life—a centuries-old storytelling practice, which dates back at least to the 13th century, that connects generations. As the modern world evolves, the documentary captures the delicate balance griots must strike between preserving their ancestral legacy and adapting to change.
Jaliya – A Storytelling of Jali Kunda is a moving celebration of the griot way of life, reminding us of the enduring power of music and storytelling to preserve culture, unite generations, and keep history alive in an ever-changing world.

(Honorable Mention)

Original Film Title: Trust the Legehness

Director’s Name: Anna Verloren van Themaat

Writer’s Name:

Producer:Stepahnie Burger

Country of Origin: South Africa

Country of Filming : South Africa

Language: Afrikaans

Runtime: 3 minutes 16 seconds

Film Description:

I was immediately drawn to ‘Trust the Legehness’ because of my love for Afrikaans, dance, electronic music and philosophy. ‘Legehness’ is a playful twist on the word ‘Lekker,’ blending Afrikaans and English—a phenomenon that Peach, the vocalist from Van Pletzen, refers to as ‘Mengels.’

The word Lekker is used as an adjective or adverb to positively describe almost any Afrikaans experience. But ‘Trust the Legehness’ is more than just a phrase—it’s a philosophy, a mantra, a way of life. It’s about trusting in all that is good.

To bring this philosophy to life, I wanted to infuse it with a distinctly Afrikaans cultural and religious visual identity. I asked myself: What do I remember about my cultural identity as a child? What did it look and feel like?

One vivid memory stands out—twirling in my red Volkspele dress in the school hall. That moment gave me a deep sense of belonging, strength, and freedom. Dancing together with unity and shared purpose created a feeling of oneness, a joyful spiritual connection.

Similarly, I’ve reached that same state while dancing to techno for hours. The rhythm, energy, and shared experience evoke a profound sense of presence and unity, much like those early moments in my Volkspele dress.

The choreography was inspired by the Vaganova style of character dancing, contemporary dance, and a touch of Pina Bausch’s influence. Louise Coetzer did an incredible job reinterpreting my references and perfectly capturing the mood I envisioned through the movement.

(Envision Award Winner)

Original Film Title: Fong La – Luci Rain

Director’s Name: Robin Ellis Lee

Writer’s Name:

Producer: Lennart Deen, Cedric Otten, Michael Berge, Finbar Commandeur

Country of Origin: Netherlands

Country of Filming : Netherlands

Language: Chinese, English

Runtime: 2 minutes 55 seconds

Film Description:

The Fong La music video captures the essence of transformation and empowerment, drawing inspiration from the ancient Chinese Moon Festival and the myth of Chang’e (嫦娥). This hauntingly beautiful visual journey follows a young woman as she undergoes a powerful metamorphosis, ultimately embracing her identity and emerging as the Moon Princess. Through the lens of a cult-like ritual, Fong La explores themes of self-discovery, female strength, and stepping into one’s full potential. With its fusion of traditional Chinese storytelling and Luci Rain’s unique avant-garde style, the video serves as a bold statement on identity and self-realization, embodying Luci’s entrance into her career as a new artist.

(Finalist)

Original Film Title: ZĀGBÉTO – Les Murmures du Masque

Director’s Name: Sitou Akolly

Writer’s Name: Sitou Akolly

Producer: Sitou Akolly

Country of Origin: Togo

Country of Filming : Togo

Language: English

Runtime: 11 minutes 19 seconds

Film Description:

ZĀGBÉTO is a lyrical exploration of memory, spirituality, and cultural continuity, set deep within the forests of Togo. Through the eyes of a young girl and the guardianship of a sacred ancestral figure, the film examines the fragile threshold between tradition and modernity.

When Ahuefa, whose name means “Calm Home” in Ewe, encounters the enigmatic spirit Zāgbéto, the masked protector of her village, she is drawn into a world shaped by oral history, ritual, and inherited wisdom. Narrated by griots, the storytellers entrusted with preserving the community’s collective memory, the film unfolds as a meditation on the enduring presence of the past in the present.

Infused with movement, music, and myth, ZĀGBÉTO is a poetic farewell to a guardian spirit and a quiet call to preserve what still lives within ancestral knowledge. In an increasingly fragmented world, the film invites viewers to reconsider what must be remembered and what it means to carry legacy forward.

(Honorable Mention)

Original Film Title: LATEXFAUNA – LUCERNA

Director’s Name:

Writer’s Name:

Producer:

Country of Origin: Ukraine

Country of Filming : Ukraine

Language:

Runtime: 6 minutes 27 seconds

Film Description: