Category: Best Documentary – 2025 ARFF Barcelona

(HONORABLE MENTION)

Original Film Title: 9,169 th child of Oroqen people

Director’s Name: XU Jian sheng

Writer’s Name: Zhang Mi

Producer: Shen Yun

Country of Origin: China

Country of Filming: China

Language: Chinese

Runtime: 5 minutes 49 seconds

Film Description:

This is the story of a nation that is about to disappear. There are only 9,168 people left in this nation, and this nation has become a legacy. If we let them disappear silently into time, unfortunately, director Li was afraid that he wouldn’t be able to record as fast as the old people were leaving, so we got in on the action, you got in on the action, we couldn’t get you interested in Oroqen people, but in your mind, remember, Oroqen people is a people who are fighting against time, hoping that the old songs of Oroqen people will always be young

(FINALIST)

Original Film Title: A mi padre

Director’s Name: Pablo Diconca, Leon Diconca

Writer’s Name: Pablo Diconca,

Producer: Pablo Diconca,

Country of Origin: Canada

Country of Filming: Canada, Mexico

Language: Spanish

Runtime: 1 hour 24 minutes

Film Description:

A MI PADRE es un retrato cinematográfico íntimo y luminoso de León, un hijo adolescente que expresa su deseo de emanciparse de su padre, a punto de cumplir los dieciocho años.
En el pueblo mexicano donde nació, León se une al ritmo de la naturaleza y el deseo de abrirse camino en el mundo, recordándonos que la felicidad reside en los momentos sencillos. León asimila una parte de su identidad bicultural y de sus raíces, despertando en su interior una gran sensación de comprensión, aceptación y libertad. León encarna la dualidad, el contraste entre la luz y la oscuridad, las realidades del norte y del sur, y las líneas que separan la adolescencia de la edad adulta.

El segundo largometraje de Pablo Diconca es una inmersión delicada y sensible codirigida con su hijo, León. La película navega por los límites del cinema verité, el documental de archivo y la narrativa personal con secuencias poéticas e íntimas, aportando una dimensión onírica y abstracta. León nos invita a ser testigos de la historia de su familia dividida y desarraigada. En esta obra, que se centra en la relación padre-hijo, León refleja la dualidad, el contraste entre la luz y la sombra, la adolescencia y la edad adulta, el norte y el sur, la vida y la muerte.

(FINALIST)

Original Film Title: I Am Not A Princess

Director’s Name: Salvatore Assenza

Writer’s Name: Salvatore Assenza

Producer: Salvatore Assenza, Hannah Assenza, Irina Meyer

Country of Origin: United States

Country of Filming: Russian Federation, United States

Language: English, Russian

Runtime: 1 hour 26 minutes 16 seconds

Film Description:

“I Am Not A Princess” is a biographical documentary that explores the challenges of modern womanhood through the life of Irina Meyer, a Venture Capitalist, mother, and rebellious Russian-American who relentlessly works to create space for women in business.

(FINALIST)

Original Film Title: SEMANA SANTA – SEVILLA

Director’s Name: Marcos Ortega-Morales

Writer’s Name: Marcos Ortega-Morales

Producer: Marcos Ortega-Morales

Country of Origin: United States

Country of Filming: Spain

Language: Spanish

Runtime: 1 hour 9 minutes 29 seconds

Film Description:

Spanish-American filmmaker Marcos Ortega-Morales invites you to experience Spain’s most iconic celebration.

“SEMANA SANTA – SEVILLA” is a narrative feature/documentary that transports you to the streets of Sevilla, where you will live the passion, love, and respect that the city feels for this tradition that began in the 1300’s.

You will experience a week where the smell of incense, the epic music, the iconic images, and the brotherhoods warm and fill the hearts of those who are fortunate to live it. “SEMANA SANTA – SEVILLA” is a film that carries the passion of this grand celebration, and one that will share that same passion with you.

(FINALIST)

Original Film Title: Look Out Below

Director’s Name: Michael Dispenza

Writer’s Name: Michael Dispenza

Producer: Michael Dispenza, Jacobo Ruhane

Country of Origin: United States

Country of Filming: United States

Language: English

Runtime: 14 minutes 46 seconds

Film Description:

‘Look Out Below’ is a Los Angeles story about street artist, Colette Miller, and how her ‘Global Angels Wings Project’ created a social media phenomenon in experiential, participatory street art. Coping with the loss of her former lover and best friend, Stevie Casual, learn how her artwork gave her hope in the darkest times and helped inspire the world through her Angel Wings.

(WINNER)

Original Film Title: Saving Lives: Sisonke

Director’s Name: Ashleigh Hamilton

Writer’s Name: Ashleigh Hamilton

Producer: Ashleigh Hamilton

Country of Origin: South Africa

Country of Filming: South Africa

Language: English

Runtime: 1 hour 4 minutes 56 seconds

Film Description:

A South African feature documentary which tells the untold, inside story of how 500 000 healthcare workers lives were saved from the pandemic by the largest, fastest vaccine study rollout of its kind in the world. The study initiated, inspired, led and driven by a team of powerful African women scientists who folded decades worth of experience into one of the greatest medical interventions in the world to save the lives of medical staff at the frontlines.
The film narrates tension and emotion through key women role players and heroines who shaped and shifted time to make it all happen in a remarkable 17 days when it normally takes years. This is a specialist documentary chronicling a proud South African legacy and the women scientists who stood tall to make it happen.

(FINALIST)

Original Film Title: My Name is Anxiety

Director’s Name: Alina Reyzelman

Writer’s Name: Alina Reyzelman

Producer: Alina Reyzelman

Country of Origin: United States

Country of Filming: United States

Language: English

Runtime: 1 hour 42 minutes

Film Description:

The new documentary film by Alina Reyzelman “My Name is Anxiety” focuses on uncovering the nature of anxiety, types of anxiety disorders, triggers, traditional and alternative treatments.

(FINALIST)

Original Film Title: A Way of Life: East Texas Cowboys

Director’s Name: Curtis Craven

Writer’s Name: Curtis Craven

Producer: Curtis Craven

Country of Origin: United States

Country of Filming: United States

Language: English

Runtime: 1 hour 15 minutes

Film Description:

The East Texas cowboys, with the help of their remarkable cow dogs, carry on a unique tradition—forged in the forests, soggy bottomlands and pastures of the region. The observational documentary, A Way of Life: The East Texas Cowboys follows a group of daywork cowboys and their dogs, a family of horse trainers and the controlled chaos of an auction house located in the heart of Texas cow-calf country.

(HONORABLE MENTION)

Original Film Title: BODY&SOUND – image meets music

Director’s Name: Alberto Nacci

Writer’s Name: Alberto Nacci

Producer: Alberto Nacci

Country of Origin: Italy

Country of Filming: Italy

Language: Italian

Runtime: 47 minutes 50 seconds

Film Description:

A documentary on the relationships between musicians and their musical instruments.
The director introduces six musical short films from the Body&Sound Series, taking the audience behind the scenes of the production of a film in which every detail is significant:
the light, the dynamics, the sound (which constitutes the guiding element of all Alberto Nacci’s works) and great care for the quality of the shots in which each scene is studied with absolute attention to the best lighting modes for musicians and musical instruments. Every frame is a work of art!!

(HONORABLE MENTION)

Original Film Title: American Pot Story: Oaksterdam

Director’s Name: Ravit Markus, Dan Katzir

Writer’s Name: Dan Katzir

Producer: Ravit Markus

Country of Origin: United States

Country of Filming: United States

Language: English

Runtime: 1 hour 34 minutes 56 seconds

Film Description:

WINNER OF THE AUDIENCE AWARD AT SLAMDANCE 2023 and dozens of other international awards, American Pot Story: Oaksterdam is a documentary about how change transpires in America. The account of “a small group of concerned committed citizens” (to quote Margaret Mead) who took a huge risk in order to bring about a massive shift in public perception. It all happened at Oaksterdam University in Oakland , California – a magical place where cannabis history was made, falling right in place with Oakland’s rich history of civil resistance. Today when we see celebrities and corporations get into the cannabis business it’s easy to forget how many millions of people unjustly suffered and still suffer because of the American drug policy. Our documentary is not just an important historical chronicle of a campaign that brought into the mainstream a taboo topic, it’s also an inspiring reminder of how democracy can work when people come together in an effort to fulfill our pledge to liberty and justice for all.