Covidentities – Prizes

Our annual screening event took place on zoom this year because of the pandemic. You can see all the films and interactive websites here.

You can read Felicia Dean’s report of the event and interview with two of the prize-winners (Ellie D. and Aqdas Fatima) here.

Public Engagement Prize

Awarded by  Dr Daniela Peluso (Senior Lecturer in Social Anthropology) and Georgia Buckland (Recipient of the Resolutionaries Public Engagement Prize 2019)

Public Engagement Prize – Farah Hallaba for Crawling on the Dust

Public Engagement Special Commendation – Melissa Ngige for Black Is

Prize winners are announced at 5.30 by Georgia Buckland after comments on the prize winners and other stand out projects by Dr Daniela Peluso.

Alumni Prize

Awarded by prize winning alumni (Emilia Brumpton, Noemie Degiorgis, Thomas Milroy & Kimberly Ubendran)  from Resolutionaries 2019.

Alumni Prize- Seasons Inside by Olivia Haywood Smith

Alumni Special Commendation – The Transition by Aqdas Fatima

Emilia Brumpton, Noemie Degiorgis and Thomas Milroy share their thoughts and impressions of the films that touched them. Noemie Degiorgis (above) announces the prize winners from 6.08.

New Horizons Prize

Awarded by Dr Yasmin Fedda.

New Horizons Prize- Another Hill by Becky Harrison

New Horizons Special Commendation –Locked Down Shot by Ellie Kriel Daly

Dr Yasmin Fedda speaks about some of the films that drew her attention and explains her choice of the two prizewinners.

From 7.15  you can also learn about how Yasmin is facing the challenges of the Corona crisis.  She also gives some advice to students interested in pursuing documentary film-making. She says, ‘”you have to put yourself out there, but also be patient”.

Dr Yasmin Fedda’s new film Ayouni was launched WorldWide on Wednesday 1st July and is available directly through the film’s website.  Yasmin shared with us some history of the film and its intention: ‘Made over 7 years, Ayouni follows the journeys of two phenomenal women Noura and Machi; their loved ones – open source software developer Bassel Khartabil, and Jesuit priest Father Paolo Dall’Oglio – are amongst over 100,000 forcibly disappeared individuals in Syria. Faced with the limbo of an overwhelming absence of information, hope is their only anchor. You can see the trailer here. THE launch was supported by The Syria Campaign, Amnesty International UK and Nophotozone – the organisation set up by Noura Ghazi, human rights lawyer and Bassel’s wife. We aim for it to have a significant impact particularly in light of the trials currently ongoing in Germany. We have focused our release plans on accessibility – Ayouni is available in all languages key to the international discussions relating to Syria (English, Arabic, French, Spanish, Italian, German and Russian), and it is free to view in the MENA region. Please help us spread the word! I would appreciate it hugely if you could help us spread the word (please use the hashtag #Ayouni via Twitter, Facebook, Instagram if you use them). It is a strange time, but we’re embracing the wonders of the virtual world with Bassel (who launched Creative Commons in Syria) firmly in mind – and with your help, we hope that Ayouni will reach as far and wide as the internet can take us! ‘

Hugh Brody Visual Anthropology Prize

Awarded by Professor Hugh Brody.  Following tradition he shares his appreciative and affirmative impressions of all the films screened this year.

Hugh Brody Visual Anthropology Prize- Ellie D. for The Golden Cage.

‘The story I told through film is the story I have struggled to tell my whole life‘ (Ellie D.)

Hugh Brody Visual Anthropology Special Commendation – Crawling in the Dust by Farah Hallaba

Hugh Brody Visual Anthropology Special Commendation- Stay Home by Sarah Mazza

From 29.20 Professor Hugh Brody announces the prize winners, and Sarah, Farah and Ellie respond. From 34. 10 Hugh speaks about the impact of the pandemic on his current film project on the history and impact of mapping with indigenous people in Canada.

From 37.25 Dr Mike Poltorak gives some thanks to the judges and alumni and Dr Daniela Peluso offers final thanks to Dr Mike Poltorak.