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The Golden Tower of the 32nd European Film Festival Palić goes to “Two Prosecutors“ by Sergei Loznitsa

23.07.2025.

At the final press conference of the 32nd European Film Festival Palić, held on July 23 at the Grand Terrace, the winners of several prestigious awards were announced. These include the Golden Tower for Best Film, the Palić Tower for Best Director, Special Mention by the International Jury, Best Film Award and Special Mention in the Parallels and Encounters program, and the FIPRESCI Jury Award for Best Film in the Official Selection program. The awards will be presented at the closing ceremony of the festival.

The Jury of the Official Selection program of the 32nd European Film Festival Palić, composed of Nikola Joetze (Germany), Holly Daniel (UK), and Zoran Amar (Serbia), awarded the Golden Tower for Best Film of the Official Selection program to “Two Prosecutors” by Sergei Loznitsa.

In their explanation, the jury stated that this is “a tragic story showing how hope for more justice has no chance. Honesty is noble, but Sergei Loznitsa points out why it does not/could not/did not work.”

The Palić Tower for Best Director was awarded to Paolo Marinou-Blanco for his film “Dreaming of Lions.”

The jury explained that “the ability to balance the surreal with real emotion and intimacy for this important and timely issue shows Paulo Marinou-Blanco as an authentic, relevant and promising new voice.”

The jury awarded Special Mention to “Out of Control” by Anne Le Ny, for “a gripping portrayal of how power can shift and distort human relationships,” and that “rather than offering easy answers, it constantly tests the boundaries between dominance and vulnerability, between victim and perpetrator, inviting us to question who truly holds power at any given moment – and at what cost.”

The Jury composed of Peter Webber (UK), Bernd Buder (Germany), and Tomi Salkovski (North Macedonia), has made a decision to give the Best Film Award in the Parallels and Encounters competition program to the film “Honeymoon” by Zhanna Ozirna.

The jury explained that the award for Best Film goes to a film “which powerfully humanizes a brutal and terrible war – one that is happening only 300 kilometers from where we are now standing in Palić,” adding that “through carefully observed detail and restrained performances, the film reminds us that the price of war is paid in the quiet heartbreaks and shattered illusions of everyday people. The jury is honored to celebrate the filmmakers’ artistry and resilience in the face of adversity – a testament to cinema’s power to hold onto truth and empathy, even in the darkest times.”

Special Mention of the International Parallels and Encounters Jury goes to “The Black Hole” by Moonika Siimets. The jury explained: “The Special Mention goes to a film which wore its themes lightly and reminded us that laughter is as important as tears. We are proud to award a film affirming that dark humor, weirdness and joy also deserve a place on our film festival screens, as do slimy aliens and crooked teeth.”

The FIPRESCI Jury of the 32nd European Film Festival Palić, composed of Davide Magnisi (Italy), Kata Gyürke (Hungary), and Leigh Singer (UK), has awarded the FIPRESCI Award for Best Film in the Official Selection to “Quiet Life” by Alexandros Avranas for “the expressive power in recounting the harsh conditions of a refugee family in a Northern European country, combining a poetic element with the ruthless realistic machine of bureaucracy.

The European Film Festival Palić has been supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, the Provincial Secretariat for Culture, Public Information and Relations with Religious Communities, the City of Subotica, the European Union through the Creative Europe MEDIA program, as well as numerous friends and media partners.

For 29 years, Gorki List has proudly stood alongside the European Film Festival Palić as a long- term partner and supporter of film art that inspires and connects. Believing in the power of authentic expression and meaningful dialogue with audiences, Gorki List will once again, in keeping with tradition, present the Audience Award for Best Film. By listening to the voices of the viewers, Gorki List affirms their role as essential allies of art, which lives on through those who truly appreciate and understand it.