Burbank, CA – January 14th 2024. Today Palm Springs International Film Festival announced its 2024 winners and GREEN BORDER (Poland/France/Czech Republic/Belgium) by Agnieszka Holland won MOZAIK Bridging The Borders Award.
The Honorary Mentions went to THE OLD OAKS (United Kingdom/France/Belgium) by Ken Loach
The Borders Award is presented by Cinema Without Borders and award sponsored and prize provided by MOZAIK The winner of Bridging the Borders Award will receive a cash prize of $2000.
Here is MOZAIK Bridging The Borders Award jury statement: “This year we considered ten feature films for the MOZAIK Bridging the Borders Award that addresses some of the greatest global struggles of our time. These outstanding films look at the wide aspects of immigration, asylum-seeking, and refugee rights; crossing borders, getting legal status, assimilation in new environments, coping with socio-political attitudes.
First I’d like to start with our Honorary Mention. This year’s Bridging The Borders Award Honorary Mention goes to THE OLD OAKS by Ken Loach. The Old Oaks is a compassionate refugee drama, set in a village of Northeast England, where the mines have been closed and a single pub remains as the community gathering spot. After the arrival of an influx of Syrian refugees in the town, some of the villagers refuse to accept who they deem to be intruders. But the Landlord of the pub develops a friendship with a curious young Syrian woman with her camera. Together, they find a way for the two communities to understand each other. Congratulations to the OLD OAKS on this year’s Bridging The Borders Award Special Mention.
And now I’m honored to announce the 2024 MOZAIK Bridging the Borders Award. The award goes to GREEN BORDER by Director Agnieszka Holland (Anishka Holland). A Syrian family leaves the violence of their country behind, hoping to cross from Belarus into Poland and then onto the safe haven of Sweden. But, like so many lost souls, they end up caught in a political no man’s land, demonized by the Polish government and press and used as pawns in an inhumane, deadly border game. This harrowing, urgent drama from the veteran Polish director Agnieszka Holland (Anishka Holland) constructs an intricate account of the contemporary global humanitarian crisis, expanding out to encompass the interconnected lives of security patrol officers, activist lawyers, and civilians who put themselves on the line for strangers. With the sobering and sometimes shocking Green Border, Holland reaffirms both her unyielding commitment to political filmmaking and the ability of immersive storytelling to illuminate the darkest corners of the world. On behalf of the Cinema Without Borders Jury for the 2024 MOZAIK Bridging The Borders Award, congratulations to GREEN BORDER.
And to all of you, the audience, thank you for your love of film. And to the staff and volunteers at Palm Springs Film Festival, thank you for championing social impact cinema and these incredible stories that inspire a revolution of the heart.”
Cinema Without Borders’ jury members to decide the 2022 winner of the MOZAIK Bridging The Borders Award were:
Susan Morgan Cooper
Susan Morgan Cooper is a Director/Producer/ Writer and her credits include:
To the Moon and Back, Documentary, Director/Producer/Writer 2016 (A cinematic act of love and courage’ … Broadway World) – Hopper [In his own words] Documentary, Producer/Writer 2013 (“I was moved to tears” Mike Medavoy) – Mulberry Child, Documentary, Director/Producer/Writer 2012 (‘A powerful and touching film’… 31/2 stars. Roger Ebert) – An Unlikely Weapon [The Eddie Adams Story]..Documentary, Director/Producer/Writer 2008 ( ‘A terrific documentary’ The Hollywood Reporter) – Making Of Shadows in The Sun, Documentary, Director/Producer/Writer 2005 – Heroes And Sheroes. Television Series, Director/Producer/Writer 2000
Mirjana: One Girl’s Journey, Documentary, Director/Producer/Writer 1997 – Stringers, Narrative Short Director/Producer/Writer 1990 – Hadley’s Rebellion, Narrative Feature Associate Producer 1989
Arameh Etemadi
Arameh Etemadi is a versatile media professional with extensive experience in television production, documentary direction, journalism, and film criticism. Since 2007, she has been recognized as a film critic for Iranian Film Magazine, where she is known for her insightful articles and film reviews. In 2014, she won the award for Best Art Interviewer from the Iranian Society of Film Critics and Writers (ISFCW).
Currently, Arameh Etemadi works as a film critic for Film-e Emrooz Magazine, and her writing has also appeared in a range of other publications, including Chelcheragh, Hamshahri Javan, Shargh Newspaper, Tehran-e Emrooz, and 24 monthly magazine. She was born and raised in Tehran, where she began her professional career as a journalist and film critic for Hamshahri and NaghshAfarinan in 2004. She holds a master’s degree in Journalism and has studied Social Communication Science in Tehran and Arameh Etemadi completed post-production courses at UCLA. In addition to her work as a film critic, Arameh Etemadi is also a talented writer, director, and live TV show producer. Her documentary on the life and works of “Mohamadreza Lotfi” was released in 2015, showcasing her skills as a director.
In 2022, Arameh Etemadi directed and produced two documentaries about cryptocurrency. Furthermore, she co-founded and served as Artistic Director of the Sheed Film Festival in Dallas, TX, in 2016 and 2017.
Marcy Garriott
Marcy Garriott is an independent documentary filmmaker based in Austin, Texas. An electrical engineer and still photographer coming out of college, she was a telecommunications executive for 15 years before turning to filmmaking and social activism. Her Director/Producer credits include the award-winning documentary films SPLIT DECISION and INSIDE THE CIRCLE. Marcy also produced THE LEAST OF THESE (about immigrant child detention) and the CNN documentary AN UNREAL DREAM: THE MICHAEL MORTON STORY. Most recently she served as an Executive Producer on the documentary films PEACE OFFICER and BUILDING THE AMERICAN DREAM. Marcy is a former board member and President of the Austin Film Society, and a current Advisory Board member of Cine Las America
Vladek Juszkiewicz
Born in Glasgow, Poland. He graduated from the Szczecin Technical University with a degree in Engineering. While attending the University he became a member of The Szczecin Technical University Choir, serving as a President and manager of the group. His travels with the choir to 18 counties including United States where he visited the White House.
When he moved to Warsaw, he became the manager of the Polish international star singer Maryla Rodowicz.
After immigrating to the United States, he worked on 11 films with the late Paul Leder.
In 1999 he founded the Polish Film Festival Los Angeles and served as a director till 2019. Now is serving as the Festival’s Programmer.
Served on the juries of the Los Angeles Hungarian Film Festival, the Los Angeles South East European Film Festival, New York Polish Film Festival and Palm Springs International Film Festival.
Awarded by Polish Government with the Cavalier & Officer Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland and Gloria Artis for promoting Polish culture abroad.
Philippe Mora
Philippe Mora is an acclaimed French Australian writer, director, producer, and artist. He has made over forty films internationally in many genres including documentaries, dramas, experimental, science fiction and historical films. These include BROTHER CAN YOU SPARE A DIME, SWASTIKA, RETURN OF CAPTAIN INVINCIBLE, COMMUNION, BEAST WITHIN, GERMAN SONS, and DEATH OF A SOLDIER. Born in Paris in 1949, he grew up in Melbourne, where he was a pioneer of the modern Australian film industry with MAD DOG MORGAN. He started the magazine Cinema Papers.
His parents, Georges and Mirka Mora, were key figures in the Modernist art world of Australia. His godfather was mime Marcel Marceau. He had a retrospective of his art work showing in London at England & Co.
Gallery in 2008. New Horizons Film Festival, Wroclaw, Poland, held a 7 films retrospective in 2010. Oldenburg Film Festival held a retrospective in 2014. He is a member of the Directors Guild of America and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. His art and films are represented in museums and archives internationally, and the National Archives of the United States has established the Philippe Mora Collection. The National Film Archives of Australia has an extensive collection of his work. He is currently completing features DAY AND SUNLIGHT and STRANGE MATTERS.
Hammad Zaidi
Hammad Zaidi founded The Lonely Seal Company Group , Lonely Seal Releasing
and The Lonely Seal International Film, Screenplay, and Music Festival. Lonely
Seal Streaming is launching in 2024.
Zaidi also founded Hourglass24 . In addition, Hammad is an early investor/co-
owner of Designware.io . Most recently, he accepted a position to serve on the
Board of Directors of Cinema Without Borders .
Zaidi is an award-winning creator. He is a member of The Producers Guild of
America, and he served as a member of the Video Game Caucus for the Writers
Guild of America.
Hammad has produced and written filmed content; executive produced 29 video
games, 200 plus episodes of Limping On Cloud 9 , a podcast, and 300+ articles on
Going Bionic , his film distribution and career strategy column.
Zaidi has been a jury member, filmmaker advisor, curator, panelist, advisory
board member, and world cinema screener at several major film festivals, such as
Sundance, SXSW, Slamdance, and many more.
Hammad has served as an adjunct professor, guest lecturer, and panelist at
several universities, including but not limited to his alma mater UCLA, USC,
Vanderbilt, Chapman, Avila, The Watkins Film School (acquired by Belmont
University), San Diego State, The University of Kansas, The University of
Missouri, and numerous others.
Hammad Zaidi received his Master of Fine Arts from the UCLA School of Theatre,
Film, and Television in 1994.
Winner of MOZAIK Bridging The Borders Award: GREEN BORDER (Poland/France/Czech Republic/Belgium) by Agnieszka Holland
his tough and timely cri de coeur shines a spotlight on the horrors facing refugees from the Middle East and Africa in the treacherous, swampy forests that comprise the exclusion zone between Poland and Belarus.
Producers: Marcin Wierzchosłąwski, Fred Bernstein, Agnieszka Holland
Screenwriter: Maciej Pisuk, Gabriela Łazarkiewicz-Sieczko, Agnieszka Holland
Cinematographers: Tomek Naumiuk
Editor: Pavel Hrdlička
Music:Frédéric Vercheval
Cast:Jalal Altawil, Maja Ostaszewska, Behi Djanati Atai. Mohamad Al Rashi, Dalia Naous, Tomasz Włosok
The Honorary Mentions: (United Kingdom/France/Belgium) THE OLD OAKS by Ken Loach
In a small town in England’s north, the titular pub is the last meeting place where the old guard can convene and air their grievances. When a group of Syrian refugees settles locally, publican TJ makes a stand for community and compassion.
Producers:Rebecca O’Brien
Screenwriter:Paul Laverty
Cinematographers:Robbie Ryan
Editor:Jonathan Morris
Music:George Fenton
Cast:Dave Turner, Ebla Mari, Claire Rodgerson, Trevor Fox