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“No Burquas Behind Bars” by Nima Sarvestani wins 13th WATCH DOCS

“No Burquas Behind Bars”, a documentary shot in Afghanistan by the Iranian Nima Sarvestani, has won the first award of the 13th International Film Festival WATCH DOCS. Human Rights in Film.

Published: December 18, 2013

In the written justification of the award the festival’s judges, Fernand Melgar, Veton Nurkollari, Maria Ramos, Shadi Sadr and Tadeusz Sobolewski, have described Sarvestani’s work as “a sincere and moving portrayal of a group of women who rebel against the inhuman rules of society. This observation documentary reveals the inner world and personal dramas of the women experiencing a paradoxical sense of finding safety in prison”.

The 13th WATCH DOCS judges panel has also awarded two special distinctions: one went to “God loves Uganda” directed by Roger Ross Williams for an intelligent and bold portrayal of a fundamentalist campaign threatening a young African democracy; the other was bestowed to “State Builders” by Anne Poiret and Florence Martin-Kessler who accompanied the birth of a young country, showing not only well-known difficulties and dilemmas but also the hope and resolve of the people of South Sudan.

The festival’s audience bestowed their award to the British documentary directed by Callum Macrae, “No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka”.

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Poland – Warsaw

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