(Korea) Raining Dust

Jury Comment Raining Dust bears witness to the vanishing coal miners and their spaces, disappearing from Korean society with the closure of the mines. The filmmakers bring forth the miners’ arduous lives and history of resistance from the darkness of the tunnels, raising them into the light. Through their warm gaze and courage, they transform the history of the coalface into public memory, compelling us to confront questions of social and historical justice.

(Asia) Singing Wings

Jury Comment Singing Wings, a fascinating and endearing portrait of a Kurdish village and its relationship with the storks that nest there. Centered on Khadijeh — the unforgettable force of nature who anchors the story — filmmaker Hemen Khaledi adopts a strikingly creative and metaphorical approach. Through this fable-like gem, the film explores pressing issues of migration and depopulation with originality, warmth, and deep human resonance.

(Special Mention) Relay Race

Jury Comment The jury would also like to present a Special Mention to Relay Race, a deeply felt film that palpably captures the lasting trauma of the Sewol ferry tragedy of April 16, 2014 on Korean society by focusing on its painful reverberations over more than a decade on Kim Dongsoo, his wife, and their family.