The Berlin Film Festival has announced the winners of this year’s Panorama Audience Awards. These awards are given to the best films as voted by the audience, making it one of the most democratic award categories at the festival. This year, the top honor for best fiction film went to Memories of a Burning Body directed by Antonella Sudasassi Furniss from Costa Rica, while the best documentary was awarded to No Other Land by directors Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, and Rachel Szor.
Best Fiction Film: Memories of a Burning Body
Memories of a Burning Body explores the lives of three elderly women who challenge taboos and restrictions in a repressive, sexist society, examining their sexuality and bodies. The movie is a co-production by Substance Films and Playlab Films and is distributed worldwide by Bendita Film Sales.
Best Documentary: No Other Land
No Other Land takes viewers through the attempts of the Israeli government to forcibly remove Palestinians from Masafer Yatta, a rural village in the occupied West Bank. The film provides a devastating picture of the prolonged legal struggles, gross injustice, and constant humiliation endured by Palestinian inhabitants. It is a Palestinian-Norwegian co-production between Yabayay Media and Antipode Films.
A staggering 24,000 viewers of the Berlinale voted for their favorite films out of the 31 screened in this year’s Panorama and Panorama Dokumente categories.
Panorama Audience Award 2024 Winners
Best Fiction Film
The winner is Memories of a Burning Body, directed by Antonella Sudasassi Furniss.
Runners-up
The second place was awarded to Crossing directed by Levan Akin, and third place went to All Shall Be Well directed by Ray Yeung.
Best Documentary Film
The best documentary award went to No Other Land by directors Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, and Rachel Szor.
Runners-up
My Stolen Planet directed by Farahnaz Sharifi secured the second place, while Teaches of Peaches directed by Philipp Fussenegger and Judy Landkammer settled for the third place.
Wrapping Up
The Panorama Audience Awards at the Berlin Film Festival offer a unique opportunity for everyday viewers to have their voices heard and contribute to the recognition of exceptional filmmaking. Congratulations to all the winners and runners-up. For more information about the latest films, reviews, and film festival news, visit HitPlay.
