The current, 31st edition of Slovakia’s largest and oldest film festival, IFF Art Film, is drawing to a close—and the winners are already known. This year’s trophies, the prestigious Blue Angel awards, were handed out in four competitions: the International Competition of Feature Films, the International Competition of Short Films, the International Competition of Central and Eastern European Films, and—for the first time—the Blue Angel-FIPRESCI Prize presented by a jury of the International Federation of Film Critics. In addition to the main categories, the jurors also honoured the best performances, direction, and several special mentions.
At the start of the ceremony, the honorary Golden Camera for Outstanding Contribution to Cinematography went to master cinematographer and filmmaker Martin Štrba, a four-time Czech Lion and three-time Sun in a Net laureate. Director Iveta Grófová presented the prize. Another honorary award—the Actor’s Mission—was bestowed on actress Daniela Kolářová for her extraordinary contribution to screen acting, although health reasons prevented her from attending the gala.
The audience once again chose the festival’s most-popular film. The JOJ Cinema Audience Award went to Estonian director Liina Triškina-Vanhatalo for Lioness.
The professional jury for the International Competition of Short Films—Hungarian producer Timea Huszár and directors Alica Bednáriková (Slovakia) and Zornitsa Dimitrova (Bulgaria)—awarded the Blue Angel for Best Short Film to the Slovak documentary Confession (2024) by Rebeka Bizubová. “This film hits like a punch. It strips cinema to its essence: a raw, honest story told with striking yet simple means. The director’s courage and craftsmanship are remarkable—hats off,” the trio said. They also granted two Special Mentions. The first went to O (2024) by Rúnar Rúnarsson, praised for its unflinching treatment of a difficult subject: “Authentic and delicate, yet heartbreaking, it lays bare addiction in all its rawness—masterfully done.” The director received €500 along with the Blue Angel.
A Special Mention was likewise given to Obituary Service for You (2024) by María Salafranca, described as “a refreshingly absurd work that straddles comedy, documentary and advertisement—an absolute delight to watch.”
The jury for the International Competition of Central and Eastern European Films—FIPRESCI vice-president Olena Rubashevska (Ukraine), French talent agent André Raphaël Ivanov and Swedish multimedia critic-artist Anders E. Larsson—awarded the Blue Angel for Best Film to the longitudinal documentary I Was Born to Serve (2025) by Attila Moharos, portraying the harsh fate of two brothers in Romania’s Transylvania region. The jury cited its “deeply human story—scarred by alcoholism and abuse—about a kind of servitude most people have never heard of,” praised the film’s 23-year perspective, and lauded its “simple yet potent aesthetic that interweaves past and present.” The producers received €1,500 along with the Blue Angel.
The International Competition of Feature Films was judged by American director Alexandre O. Philippe, Slovak director-producer Marko Škop and Hungarian director Glória Halász. The Blue Angel for Best Feature went to the Macedonian debut DJ Ahmet (2025) by Georgi M. Unkovski. Juror Philippe said, “This prize honours a film that boldly tells a tale of love’s power. It shows that by following our inner rhythm and expressing our individuality without fear or shame, we can break free from oppressive forces. With great pride we present the Blue Angel for Best Film to DJ Ahmet.” The producers also earned a €2,000 cash award.
The Blue Angel for Best Direction likewise went to Unkovski for his debut DJ Ahmet. “The award goes to an exceptional storyteller who created a whimsical, magical world and, with an incredibly fluid and clear vision, delivered a heartbreaking, utterly original rural Macedonian love story. His flawless casting and emotionally precise direction are nothing short of extraordinary,” Halasz said.
Besides direction and best film, the international jury honoured the actors. The Blue Angel for Best Actress was presented by Marko Škop and Audiovisual Fund director Vladimír Burianek to Vesta Matulytė and Ieva Rupeikaitė for their double performance in the Lithuanian film Toxic (2024). “The prize goes to a dual performance by two young actresses whose impressive commitment brings to life teenage girls dreaming of a better life in harsh conditions. We were deeply moved by the authenticity of their dynamic, and both deserve to share the Blue Angel for Best Actress,” the jury explained.
The jury awarded the Blue Angel for Best Actor to Arif Jakup for his compelling, authentic work in DJ Ahmet. “The award goes to a promising young actor whose mastery, charm and honesty convince us of love’s transformative power in a cynical world,” Halasz said, joined on-stage by Zlatica Vargová, trustee of the SPP Foundation.
A Special Mention went to Slovak actress Rebeka Poláková for her role in the Austrian-Slovak film Perla (2025). Juror Philippe noted: “For a fascinating portrayal of a character torn between conflicting desires in the complex Cold-War setting.”
The FIPRESCI Prize was decided by Slovak film theorist Mária Ferenčuhová, British professor-critic Jonathan Murray and Swiss critic Malik Berkati. They selected Perla (2024), the story of an émigré painter returning from Vienna to communist Czechoslovakia to repay an old debt. “Our winner is an ambitious, incisive film that resists easy hindsight and snap judgments. It illuminates Europe’s politically charged past and present through themes of exile, trauma and systemic violence against women that persists today. Its dramaturgy and camerawork unite to capture the human condition’s complexity and mutability, while its visual style and narrative structure forge painterly compositions, subtle metaphors and reflections of the protagonist’s layered identity and past,” the FIPRESCI jury stated.
Festivalgoers still have one final day of screenings ahead, after which we’ll gather again in Košice next year for the 32nd edition of IFF Art Film.
The 31st IFF ART FILM is made possible thanks to the support of:
Organizer: ART FILM FEST s.r.o.
Co-organizers: Mesto Košice · K13 – Košické kultúrne centrá · Visit Košice · ART FILM FEST, n.o. · LGM, s.r.o. · FORLIVE
Financial support: Audiovizuálny fond · Nadácia SPP
Co-financed by: Košický samosprávny kraj through the Terra Incognita programme
Main Partners: národná lotériová spoločnosť TIPOS · Slovenská elektrizačná prenosová sústava, a.s. · CODES Brand House
Main Media Partners: TV JOJ · Pravda · Eurotelevízia
Automotive Partner: Moris Slovakia
Advertising Partners: Best Press · U. S. Steel Košice · ANTIK telecom · Kino Úsmev · LOKO TRANS Media · CORE Labs · Technická univerzita v Košiciach
Technology Partners: NOV · ZEBRA · Deutsche Telekom Systems Solutions Slovakia · T4H · LEDGO · DELTA OnLine · ARICOMA · TelekomCLOUD
Official Suppliers: DKC Veritas · Kaviareň Slávia · PLOOM · Krušovice BOHÉM · pramenitá voda Lucka · DOMOS SLOVAKIA · Reštaurácia Contessa · Aupark Shopping Center Košice · Pierre Baguette · Julius Meinl · Red Fox Golf Club
Official wines: Kubbo Select · Ostrožovič
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