The opening film of this year’s Future Gate festival – You Are the Universe directed by Pavlo Ostrikov, won the Jury Prize. The film enchanted not only the audience of the packed Lucerna cinema during the opening ceremony, but also the jurors themselves: Monika Vaverová, Robert Hloz and Robert Ston.
You Are the Universe succeeded beautifully in overcoming its budget limitations, delivering a powerful and emotional story that takes unexpected turns, guided by clever character development and culminating in a magical, deeply moving ending.
The jury selected the 3 best from the 6 competing student films:
1. Beetroot
Wonderfully inventive, blending hand-drawn animation, stop motion, and the spirit of classic kaiju films – all led by a giant beetroot at its forefront – this film steals your attention and keeps on giving. We had such great fun watching this little jewel of creativity, and we wish for more films like this in our lives.
2. Photographer
From its cool retro spaceship to its ode to analogue photography, The Photographer (Fotograf) stands out as a visual poem – one that transports not only its main character, but the audience itself, into entirely different worlds.
3. The Last Dream
The Last Dream (Poslední sen) is a fun and rebellious film, unfolding with the pulse of a heist movie. Its joyful, youthful energy reminded us of the raw passion of making a first film: bold, relentless, and disarmingly honest.