Burbank, CA – January 8th, 2025: Today, Cinema Without Borders announced. Today Cinema Without Borders announced 2025 the winners of its Bridging The Borders Award at Palm Springs International Film Festival.
French movie, Souleymane’s Story by Boris Lojkine won 2025 Bridging The Borders Award sponsored by 360 Media.
The Honorary Mentions went to Happy Holidays from Palestine/Germany/France/Italy/Qatar, directed by Scandar Copti
Bridging the The Borders Award is presented by Cinema Without Borders and award sponsored and prize provided by 360 Media The winner of Bridging the Borders receives a cash prize of $2000.
Keely Badger, Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of 360 MEDIA Consultingn and a jury member has announced our winners in a video message:
The following is CWB’s Jury Statement: ” We are deeply honored to sponsor this prestigious award and to present this year’s winning film alongside the jury’s special mention selection.
First and foremost, the Palm Springs International Film Festival has always been a hallmark event,
ushering in a new year of cinema—a celebration of stories and storytellers from all corners of the world,
reflecting diverse experiences, perspectives, and artistic visions.
This year, the jury evaluated 10 remarkable feature films vying for the $2,000 prize. Each film stands as a
testament to the resilience of the human spirit, exploring themes such as universal human rights, the
plight of refugees, displacement, and the harrowing impact of war on families and communities. These
are stories from the margins—stories often overlooked by mainstream media—brought to life with
authenticity and courage.
For the Special Mention, we are honored to highlight: HAPPY HOLIDAYS, Palestine/Germany/France/Italy/Qatar
Told in four chapters, this lively, naturalistic, award-winning drama follows a family of Palestinian
citizens of Israel in Haifa. Through his nuanced storytelling, Oscar®-nominated Palestinian director
Scandar Copti explores deep divides between genders and ethnicities while exposing the traditions and
values that shape their lives.
And now, for the winner of the 2025 Bridging The Borders Award at the Palm Springs International Film
Festival: It is my distinct honor to present this prestigious award to SOULEYMANE’S STORY
France
Exhausted by the relentless Parisian gig economy, undocumented Guinean immigrant and bicycle
courier Souleymane races against time to prepare for his asylum interview in this gripping social thriller.
Directed by Boris Lojkine Loshkine) and starring Abou Sangare—winner of the 2024 Cannes Un Certain
Regard Best Actor award—the film lays bare the vulnerability and heartbreaking treatment of
undocumented migrants. It also examines the paradox faced by nations like France, which rely on
migrant workers to sustain their economies while simultaneously denying their humanity and dignity.
This is a poignant and powerful film that challenges viewers to confront the realities of our world and
builds empathy across borders.”
Cinema Without Borders’ jury members to decide the 2025winner of the Bridging The Borders Award are:
KEELY BADGER
Keely Badger is the Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of 360 MEDIA Consulting, a woman-led digital marketing agency dedicated to storytellers and social impact brands. With over 15 years of experience, she has developed high-performance multimedia campaigns for influential clients, including The Sundance Institute and Human Rights Watch. Passionate about the transformative power of documentary film, Keely uses social impact cinema to inspire meaningful action and community engagement. Her strategic approach has empowered independent filmmakers to drive social change globally. 360 MEDIA is also proud to sponsor the 2024 Bridging The Borders Award.
Susan Morgan Cooper
Susan Morgan Cooper is an accomplished Director, Producer, and Writer known for her impactful documentaries. Her notable works include “To the Moon and Back” (2016), “Mulberry Child” (2012), and “An Unlikely Weapon” (2008), receiving critical acclaim for their storytelling. She also directed “Heroes And Sheroes” (2000) and “Mirjana: One Girl’s Journey” (1997). Her narrative projects include the short film “Stringers” (1990) and the feature “Hadley’s Rebellion” (1989). With a career spanning over three decades, Cooper continues to create compelling content that resonates with audiences.
Ali Murat Erkorkmaz
Ali Murat Erkorkmaz , born in 1948 in Istanbul, Turkey, studied architecture at Istanbul Technical University. Besides his career as an architect, he worked on various subjects both on art and technology. He released a daily newspaper, several books and produced 63 animated TV series of 52 half hours till 2023. Besides animation he also produced several documentaries and 3 feature films. He produced more than 4300 TV commercial films internationally. In the past 20 years he’s been working on artificial intelligence programming and robotics.
Matt Ferro
Matt Ferro is a journeyman filmmaker who has continually pushed forward the leading edge of technology in storytelling. Producer of the Academy Award winning visual effects of THE MATRIX and other notable feature films, Matt led the development of the creative and digital pipelines for Warner Bros. HAPPY FEET, winner of the Oscar
Michael Franck
Michael Franck is an internationally awarded documentarian, who has directed and produced more than 150 documentaries shown both on Finnish television and internationally. He has lived and worked in both the Middle East, Central Asia and in the United States. During his work and life in the US he also participated in Rand Corporation’s Middle East and Central Asia Studies group. His films main focus has been and are still on independent Finlands challenged Nordic history, including entrepreneurship as a base for future living conditions. His life and project library also relate to a dozen documentaries following the long history of the Middle East (the Levant) and Central Asia (primarily Iran), where his family has been working and living for three generations.
Recent films include Franck’s documentary portrait “My Godfather and Kekkonen”, featuring the controversial cold war era pro western parliamentarian Georg C. Ehrnrooth, the documentarist’s own godfather, whom Michael as a young politician in the 1970’s decided to disagree with and “Åland – Finlands Bridge to the West” covering the 1000 year history of the Baltic Sea. Both prime published on Finlands public media Yleisradios tv channels TV 1 and Yle Fem.
Currently his teams main documentary project is Finlands Road Into Nato, set to be tv – published also internationally, like many of his films since the 1980 -ies.
Michaels both older sons; awarded documentarist Arthur Franck and producer Edvin Franck, also work with their fathers documentary projects.
Marcy Garriott
Marcy Garriott is an independent documentary filmmaker based in Austin, Texas. Originally an electrical engineer and telecommunications executive, she transitioned to filmmaking and social activism. Marcy’s Director/Producer credits include the award- winning SPLIT DECISION and INSIDE THE CIRCLE. She produced THE LEAST OF THESE and the CNN documentary AN UNREAL DREAM: THE MICHAEL MORTON STORY. Recently, Marcy served as an Executive Producer for PEACE OFFICER and BUILDING THE AMERICAN DREAM. She’s a former board member and President of the Austin Film Society and an Advisory Board member of Cine Las Americas.
Vladek Juszkiewicz
Vladek Juszkiewicz was born in Glogow, Poland, and graduated from Szczecin Technical University with a degree in Engineering. He managed The Szczecin Technical University Choir and traveled to 18 countries, including the U.S. After managing Polish singer Maryla Rodowicz in Warsaw, he moved to the U.S. and worked on 11 films with Paul Leder. In 1999, he founded the Polish Film Festival Los Angeles and served as director till 2019, now acting as the Festival’s Programmer. Honored with the Cavalier & Officer Cross and Gloria Artis for promoting Polish culture.
Granaz Moussavi
Granaz Moussavi was born in Tehran and began her career as a literary critic and book review writer at 17. Her poetry, first published at 16, is translated into nine languages and has been featured in international festivals and symposiums. Her second book, “Barefoot Till Morning,” won the best poetry book of the year in Iran (2001) and has four editions. Granaz holds advanced degrees in drama, screen studies, and film editing. Her films, “My Tehran For Sale” and “When Pomegranates Howl,” have earned international acclaim and awards.
Bijan (Hassan) Tehrani
Bijan Tehrani, film director, writer, and critic with a 45-year career spanning multiple international publications. Founder of Cinema Without Borders online publication and Cinema Without Borders Foundation (a Non-profit organization), promoting global cinema. Longtime columnist for Iranian media and Film Emrooz. Recipient of awards for short films, children’s books, and contributions to international cinema. Member of Iranian Film Writers Critics Society and FIPRESCI. 82nd Golden Globe Awards voter.
Abbas Yari
Abbas Yari is an Iranian journalist and film critic born in Arak in 1951. He graduated from the School of Television and Cinema in 1975. Yari began his journalism career at Sobh e Emrouz, Tehran Mosavvar, and Kayhan, before co-founding Film magazine, which he directed until 2021. He launched Film Emrooz in 2021 after Massoud Mehrabi’s passing. Yari helped establish the Iranian cinema museum in Tehran and the foundation of art critics and writers about Iranian cinema. He is also notable for organizing cultural events in Arak.
Other nominees for 2025 Bridging The Borders were: DAHOMEY, (Senegal), GHOST TRAIL (France/Germany/Belgium), ODD FISH (Iceland/Finland/Czech Republic), READING LOLITA IN TEHRAN
(Italy/Israel), TATAMI (Georgia/Israel/Iran), TINĀ (MOTHER) (New Zealand/New Zealand), TO A LAND UNKNOWN (United Kingdom/Palestine/France/Greece/Netherlands/Germany/Qatar/Saudi Arabia) and TOUCH
(Iceland)
Honorary Mention
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
Palestine/Germany/France/Italy/Qatar
Told in four chapters, this lively, naturalistic, award-winning drama follows a family of Palestinian citizens of Israel in Haifa. Through his characters, Oscar®-nominated director Scandar Copti (Ajami) explores deep divides between genders and ethnicities while exposing the traditions and values that shape their lives. Best Film, Thessaloniki.
Winner of Bridging The Borders Award:
SOULEYMANE’S STORY
France
Exhausted by the grueling Parisian gig economy, undocumented Guinean immigrant and bicycle courier Souleymane (2024 Cannes Un Certain Regard Best Actor winner Abou Sangaré) races against time to prepare for his asylum interview in this gripping social thriller.