The documentary film «Traces» (Traces) by Alisa Kovalenko and Marysia Nikitiuk won the top prize in the «Checkpoints» programme at the 27th Bergen International Film Festival (BIFF) in Norway. This was reported on the film’s Instagram page.
«Checkpoints» is dedicated to films about human rights. The programme is run in partnership with the Rafto Foundation for Human Rights (the Rafto Foundation for Human Rights).
«Traces» tells the story of Ukrainian women who have experienced sexual violence and torture committed during Russia’s aggression. At its centre is Iryna Dovhan, a former captive who became an activist and founded the NGO SEMA Ukraine, which aims to support women and document the testimonies of survivors in Ukraine’s de-occupied territories. The film seeks to present a collective portrait of trauma, resilience and hope, and to show how survivors, through mutual support and solidarity, reclaim their agency, challenge the stigma of silence and fight for justice.
“We believe in the power of documentary cinema not only to raise awareness, but also to build solidarity and become a driving force for real change,” the film team shared.
«Traces» is a co-production between Ukraine and Poland. The producers were Olha Bergman and Nataliia Libet.
The Checkpoint Award includes a cash prize of 27,000 Norwegian kroner (around 130,000 hryvnias). According to the film team, the funds will go to SEMA Ukraine.
Previously, the film won in the «Panorama» programme at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale). In September, the Ukrainian Oscar Committee selected it as Ukraine’s submission for the 99th Academy Awards, and in October the film made the shortlist for the 39th European Film Awards in the feature-length documentary category. On 24 October, a screening of the film is scheduled at the Jeden svet festival in Bratislava.
About the Bergen International Film Festival:
- one of Norway’s leading film festivals, founded in 2000;
- BIFF showcases both documentary and fiction films;
- the festival takes place annually in October; this year it ran from 14 to 22 October.