by FilmInk Staff
The 13th Antenna Documentary Film Festival last night announced the winners of its three prize categories at an Awards Ceremony held at the Ritz Cinemas.
Best Feature Documentary, which comes with a $7,500 prize, sponsored by Macquarie University, was awarded to Intercepted by Oksana Karpovych. On awarding the Best Feature Documentary Award, the jury said:
The best feature documentary award is given to a film that lingered with us and was shocking and hauntingly chilling to watch. For its ability to reveal the human experience of the horrors of war through a commitment to a deceptively simple yet nuanced formal approach, the jury presents the Best Feature Documentary Award to Intercepted.
The Special Jury Award , which comes with a $2,500 prize, also sponsored by Macquarie University, was given to Apocalypse in the Tropics by Petra Costa. The jury said:
For its impressive access to influential key characters, deep curiosity, and ability to poetically synthesise the extremely complex social and political rise of the right in Brazil, and the world, we award the second prize to Apocalypse in the Tropics.
The Best Australian Short Award, was given to Breaking Plates by Karen Pearlman. The jury said:
… a playful invitation to consider very serious questions of feminism and voice, as well as dynamics of structure and agency. The film is an ambitious, experimental exploration of the power of images to both reflect and transform, to challenge and provoke new ways of being in and seeing the world”
A special mention was given to Stone Lions, Liquid Lions, by Georgia Plantzos.
Finally, Antenna Festival’s annual Audience Award reflects the audience’s favourite docs to screen at the festival. The winner of the Audience Award for Antenna 2025 was awarded to Flavors of Iraq by Leonard Cohen.
Here are the top 5 films voted by our audience for the Audience Award:
- Flavors of Iraq
- Whoopee Blues
- From Ground Zero
- One Mind, One Heart
- Apocalypse in the Tropics
Antenna 2025 saw 52 films screened over 11 days, with 15 sold out sessions and many more packed to the gills. This year’s festival has been an incredible success, setting new records and surpassing all expectations.
Due to the overwhelming popularity of Johatsu – Into Thin Air and From Ground Zero, Antenna added an additional screening of each film on 22 February. Don’t miss this final chance to catch them on the big screen.
