Produkty 24 and Geographies of Solitude win the CICAE Arthouse Cinema Awards at the 72nd Berlinale

On Thursday 17 February 2022, the juries of the International Confederation of Arthouse Cinemas (CICAE) at the 72nd Berlinale announced the winning films of the Arthouse Cinema Award: Produkty 24 (Convenience Store) by Michael Borodin of the Panorama section; and Geographies of Solitude by Jacquelyn Mills in the Forum section.
“The CICAE Arthouse Cinema Awards are a symbol of appreciation to the filmmakers who dedicate their talent, love and sensitivity to create such impressive works of art. They also emphasise the important bond between arthouse cinemas and the Berlinale festival, which has always been a close partner to the world of film off the mainstream. Our ultimate ambition is to present the award-winning films on the big screen, where they can unfolded their radiance to the broadest audience possible. Congratulations to the winners”, says Dr. Christian Bräuer, president of the CICAE.

The CICAE Juries at Berlinale – (from left to right): Éva Demeter, Tisza Mozi, Szolnok (HU), Sabine Girsberger, Schweizer Studiofilm Verband (CH), Dr. Christian Bräuer, president of the CICAE, Carla Molino, Il Kino Berlin (DE), Jochen Frankl, Burg Theater, Burg (DE), Joanna Piotrowiak, Kino Muza, Poznan (PL), Albert Triviño Massó, Zumzeig, Barcelona (ES) and Boglárka Nagy, managing director of the CICAE. Photo © Stefan Zeitz
PRODUKTY 24 / CONVENIENCE STORE de Michael Borodin
Arthouse Cinema Award at Berlinale Panorama 2022
The film Produkty 24 by Michael Borodin received the Arthouse Cinema Award at the 72nd Berlinale.
Film information
Produkty 24 (Convenience Store)
, 2022, 106 minutes
Written and Directed by: Michael Borodin
Cinematographer: Ekaterina Smolina
Editing: Aleksandra Putsyato
Cast:
Production: Metrafilms
International Sales: Heretic Outreach
More information on the Berlinale website
Synopsis

Jury’s decision:
In this year’s selection we saw a lot of films about a lot of problems – but actually, all of us were touched by PRODUKTY 24 which highlights the situation of people caught in human trafficking and modern slavery.
The artistic, captivating approach, taking the audience skin-deep into the depressing and inhumane atmosphere of the convenience store and then bringing us to the actual source of the problem in Central Asia – whose apparent freedom is deceiptful – is especially noteworthy.
It’s a problem that bothers all of Europe in one way or the other: a hidden topic which hasn’t been highlighted much so far but deserves attention. Therefore, this movie should be exhibited in as many cinemas as possible – and it’s from a debut director to boot!
Congratulations, Michael Borodin, to the CICAE Arthouse Cinema Award for your remarkable film PRODUKTY 24!
The jury was formed by:
Éva Demeter, Tisza Mozi, Szolnok (HU)
Jochen U. Frankl, Burg Theater, Burg (DE)
Sabine Girsberger, Schweizer Studiofilm Verband, Zurich (CH)
GEOGRAPHIES OF SOLITUDE de Jacquelyn Mills
Arthouse Cinema Award at Berlinale Forum 2022
The film Geographies of Solitude by Jacquelyn Mills received the Arthouse Cinema Award at the 72nd Berlinale.
Film information
Geographies of Solitude
Canada, 2022, 103 minutes
Directed by: Jacquelyn Mills
Cinematographer: Jacquelyn Mills, Additional Camera: Scott Moore
Editing: Jacquelyn Mills, Additional Editor: Pablo Alvarez-Mesa
With: Zoe Lucas
Produced by: Rosalie Chicoine Perreault and Jacquelyn Mills
More information on the Berlinale website
Synopsis

Jury’s decision
We the jury of the CICAE Prize at Berlinale Forum composed by Carla Molino from Il Kino Berlin, Joanna Piotrowiak from Kino Muza Poznan and Albert Trivino from Zumzeig Barcelona, want to highlight the great diversity of all the films of the Forum section this year. We think all of them constituted a great portrait of present important issues around the world.
Amongst all of them, we have selected a documentary that addresses contemporary topics such as isolation and ecology by making a poetic portrait of small piece of land that works as a metaphor of our present world and our relationship with the future of society and nature. Its expressionistic style makes this film a truly intense experience that takes us on a journey of poetic nature through the landscape and its biodiversity by establishing an intimate relationship between the protagonist, the director and the audience.
We truly think that this film must be seen around the world and we hope this award will help this happen.
The film we have selected for the CICAE Prize at Berlinale Forum is Geographies of Solitude by director Jacquelyn Mills.