OFFICIAL AWARDS of the 20th MATSALU NATURE FILM FESTIVAL
Tartu Nature House Special Prize
Superbirds - The Secret Life Of Tits
Director Yann Sochaczewski, Marlen HundertmarkAn award for a heartfelt, instructive and unadorned insight into the joys and sorrows of these birds dear to Estonians.Read more
2022
Special Mention (Nature)
Raccoons, survival Warriors
Director Emma BausJury: We thought that this film was charming from the off. The “masked bandit” is a far more interesting and complex animal than might first be thought. With her intimate portrait of a raccoon family Emma Baus impressively manages to convey the world of this survivalist to a broad audience. The film puts you firmly on the side of the featured racoons, as they navigate the trials and tribulations of life, and other species, and could well do much for the pest-like reputation of these adorable-looking mammals, egg-farmers aside! Well, in North America anyway, where they are not an invasive species!Read more
2022
Best Editing (Nature)
The Elephant & the Termite
Director Mark Deeble, Victoria StoneJury: This film is a hugely impressive one. It is beautifully shot, of course, with so many brilliant wildlife moments, like the “pinball dung beetle” and an exquisite moment when a chameleon drinks a dew drop, all expertly captured but what we found was the most standout thing about the film was how these wonderfully diverse wildlife sequences were perfectly knitted together as the bigger story of elephant and termite unfolded. The great cinematography and myriad of stories covered here wouldn’t’ve been nearly as well realized, as emotional, or funny even had the editor not had an in-depth knowledge of all the species, their stories and how they are so intimately connected to the bigger picture/place ... Essentially, the film feels natural, well-paced, immersive, the stories expertly and wonderfully cut together, creating a web of life that seems whole. Feels right.Read more
2022
Best Cinematography (Nature)
Bee Wild!
Director Jan HaftJury: There were many films that had great cinematography in the competition this year and so this was a difficult call. Bee Wild pipped the others to the post however, due to its great variety of shots, including wide, expansive shots, intimate nest cameras, all the way down to perfect, immersive macro. And other techniques. ...use of tracking, slow-mo, timelapse, aerials, thermal etc. all working harmoniously together. All telling the story of where wild honeybees once were, and that maybe they will come back. If their challenges can be overcome. Read more
2022
Special Jury Prize (Nature)
The Door was Open
Director Olivier MarinJury: This film was immediately recognised as a standout film. It was a very interesting look at how wildlife can embrace man-made landscapes as their home, but they are not safe even there. So it is like a double loss, first being pushed out of their natural habitat to make room for an artificial landscape, and then when humans desert it, the wildlife comes back and adjusts to the change, but then humans interfere again, tearing it all down, so the cycle has to start over. We loved the mix of animation, showing the ghostly past, mixed with minimal but powerful snippets of narration, but the story largely carried forward by the images, telling their own story, helped in no small amount by subtle, appropriate music and natural sounds. We all strongly felt that this film deserved to be recognised as a wonderful, well done and refreshingly unique film.Read more
2022
Best Director (Nature)
Waves Beneath The Water
Director Arthur de BruinJury: A wonderful mix of wildlife stories expertly woven into the journey of a single eel, on her age-old journey from sea to freshwater domain and back, through man-made obstacles, one after another. The director clearly had passion and vision for this film. His expert understandings in the stories told in this film are evident throughout. The cinematography would’ve been hard to capture in these underwater river habitats, but the story flow is clean and told with fantastically clear underwater sequences, including a perfectly realized moment when the young eel bumps into a concrete wall. Along with the story of the struggles faced by the eel, there are strong, albeit very subtle, environmental messages expertly woven throughout the film. From people using water as a playground against a struggle for survival beneath the waves, to an image of fishing dropped in, a dog upsetting coots during playtime. Subtle but stark references. Those along with mentions of invasives. All tied together by excellent narration, which was funny in places, and a well put together soundtrack. Unobtrusive music, woven in with appropriate natural sounds, carrying the film along at the right pace. All in all, a stunning film, from start to finish, born out of passion, and it showed!Read more
2022
Estonian Fund for Nature Special Prize
Duty of Care - The Climate Trials
Director Nic BalthazarRead more
2022
Matsalu National Park Special Prize
Kingdom of Fish Ep 1 - The River
Director Björn TjärnbergRead more
2022
2022
2022
NGO Mondo Special Prize
Shepherds of the Earth
Director Iiris HärmäMondo works in 12 countries in the world to reduce global inequalities. For the third time at the festival, we present a special award to a film about climate change. This year we have chosen a film that tackles the topic of climate justice, but at the same time asks much broader ethical questions that we at Mondo need to ask in our work daily. Who knows what is best for a community? Who has the right to decide over land use when one needs to weigh between the traditional lifestyle and protection of rare species? With great sensitivity Iiris Härmä in her film covers the story of the nomadic Daasanach peoples in Kenya and the dilemmas that the researchers struggle with while cooperating with the community. There are no simple answers.Read more
2022
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2022
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2022
Best Cinematography (Man and Nature)
The Great Swamp
Director Remek MeelJury: Great film that conveys the idea that we all belong to nature. The intimate and sensitive story also determined its visual style - no tricks or effects - that facilitated the core idea to shine through. Primeval nature and human nature in all their full beauty and toughness are effectively conveyed to the viewer. Read more
2022
2022
2022
2022
Special Mention (Man and Nature)
About the Forest
Director Peter MagnussonJury: This is a film on a topic that is also very current here in Estonia, where the situation is the same as the one featured in the film "About the Forest". The faults of global industrial forestry and timber processing manifest themselves in a similar manner throughout the world. Suffering is left to the locals - forest ecosystems, animals that depend on them, humans included, not to mention seemingly less charismatic species such as mushrooms in the soil.Read more
2022
Best Editing (Man and Nature)
Life of a Mutt
Director Tanja BrzakovićJury: An emotional film that challenges the definition of nature and human-animal co-dependence. Combining candid documentary material with playful hand-drawn animation and voiceover, the film crosses between genres, resulting in a kaleidoscopic story that is neatly pieced together. The film gives stray dogs a voice that so closely resonates with our deepest existential questions. Lost between urban and rural abandoned spaces, where they are close to humans, but far enough not to annoy them, the dogs in this film act out a dignifying fight for survival and belonging. Read more
2022
Grand Prix
Houbara
Director Fathollah Amiri, Nima AsgariJury: Iranian men in uniforms, chasing poor bedouin poachers with guns. Trapped birds sold to rich people in neighbouring countries. Women being kept out of sight and mentioned only once - as the presumed head of the criminal network. Houbara is an incredibly thought-provoking film. We were on the edge of our seats rooting for environmental workers to be able to put a stop to the awful persecution of this beautiful species. Making a detective-action nature film is a difficult task. Houbara definitely achieved it. The film is quite a journey, exciting and full of jeopardy, and involves passionate people. There’s human suffering on both sides, as the poachers feel the need to trap the birds due to poverty, and the wildlife protection unit despair at the treatment of the birds, and their endangerment. Wealthier Middle-Eastern countries are taking advantage of their poorer neighbors by exploiting their natural resources pretty much like the rest of us are doing with our planet’s resources and using them to our amusement without any regard to the consequences. This is a message that needs to be amplified, and that is what we hope this award will do. Read more
2022
2022
Best Director (Man and Nature)
Houbara
Director Fathollah Amiri, Nima AsgariJury: It is not a beautiful film featuring charming wildlife stories - but it is one that inevitably needed to be made. It is not the easiest thing to make an investigative film in Iran anyway. The more important is the fact that such a film is made and that it has made it here to our audiences. The film does not provide us with conclusions, but leaves us with a heap of difficult, unanswered questions. What will happen to the houbaras that were confiscated from the smugglers? Will they manage to survive? What about the arrested poachers and their families? How could we possibly get the information about the range of devastation through to the rich people who buy these delicate birds in order to have them torn into pieces by (also imprisoned) falcons? When we buy petrol for our cars here, are we possibly also part of this miserable network of exploitation?Read more
2022
2022
Special Jury Prize (Man and Nature)
Neighbourhood of Infinity
Director Mark AitkenJury: The best corona-time film. Featuring bird and human behavior. A meditative film that directs the attention of the viewer to minute details of our daily lives that can save one from isolation-induced insanity. Watching wildlife is like watching ourselves. Read more
2022
OFFICIAL AWARDS of the 19th MATSALU NATURE FILM FESTIVAL
Tartu Nature House Special Prize
Nature´s Nurseries
Director Jan HaftAn educational, clear and beautiful film about the continuity in the animal kingdom, the different ways of parental care and the balance that emerges from the points of contact between different species. Great stories of playing, learning and training of different species are very expressive. The film probably helps young viewers to appreciate the care of their parents and supports the knowledge that continuous learning to cope with life is not only important for humans, but is also very common in the animal kingdom.Read more
2021
Best Cinematography (Nature)
My Dragon River
Director Dagmar Hilfert-Rüppell, Georg Rüppell"My Dragon River" stands out for the simplicity and for the fact that even with the more basic equipment it is possible to capture beautiful images – underwater shots with GoPro etc. Yet, the footage itself was well captured and refined the story. Also we enjoyed the beautiful close-up sequences of dragonflies in flight.Read more
2021
2021
Special Jury Prize (Nature)
My Dragon River
Director Dagmar Hilfert-Rüppell, Georg RüppellIt is a beautiful documentary and has captured the life of dragonflies very well through beautiful slow motion sequences. It gives a very good educational aspect and everyone can learn more about dragonflies. Nevertheless, there are many funny moments that will make the audience laugh.Read more
2021
2021
Best Director (Nature)
Wild Horses - A Tale from the Puszta
Director Zoltan TörökThe story of endangered species of wild horses is the best told and wholesome, it focuses on one foal's life and her family. From the movie you can find funny as well tragic moments, which both engage the audience. Likewise the film shares moments from other wildlife, who live together on this landscape, giving an additional educational value.Read more
2021
2021
2021
2021
Best Editing (Nature)
Leopard Legacy
Director Will Steenkamp, Lianne Steenkamp"Leopard Legacy’s" edit was on point - sound design and music well balanced. Throughout the film there were many gems hidden inside the edit. For example the close-up sequence of the leopard's paw when walking and the next shot was the crane's leg. Also the seamless transition between two shots of the river raised the value of the edit.Read more
2021
2021
Special Mention (Nature)
Leopard Legacy
Director Will Steenkamp, Lianne SteenkampIn addition to superb storytelling and editing we point out masterful cinematography, especially moving shots of wildlife filmed with a zoom lens on a gimbal.Read more
2021
2021
Tallinn Zoo Special Prize
Pumas - Legends of the Ice Mountains EP 1: Birth
Director Dereck Joubert, Beverly JoubertWe would like to express our sincerest thanks to Dereck and Beverly Joubert for their stunning nature film "Pumas - Legends of the Ice Mountains". The film gave us a chance to journey into the secretive wilderness of Patagonia and follow the life of a puma family. A deeply moving, fascinating and enlightening experience in the mountains where not many will venture to.Read more
2021
Tallinn Zoo Special Prize
Pumas - Legends of the Ice Mountains EP 2: Rebirth
Director Dereck Joubert, Beverly JoubertWe would like to express our sincerest thanks to Dereck and Beverly Joubert for their stunning nature film "Pumas - Legends of the Ice Mountains". The film gave us a chance to journey into the secretive wilderness of Patagonia and follow the life of a puma family. A deeply moving, fascinating and enlightening experience in the mountains where not many will venture to.Read more
2021
NGO Mondo Special Prize
TripleF***
Director Simona TheoharovaThe film has a truly global reach - climate activists and environmental problems are filmed on six continents and the film itself is made in collaboration of more than 30 film makers each in their locations to avoid flying of a single crew. If we could only keep that spirit of cooperation when we fight climate change! From Mondo's perspective, we also value that the film has given voice to both indigineus people as well as representatives of different generations. This is only the first episode of a five part series, we are excited to see how the story develops!Read more
2021
Best Cinematography (Man and Nature)
Overland
Director Elisabeth Haviland James, Revere La NoueThis film walks simultaneously on the borders of many different spheres of being: historical and modern, sky and earth, animals and people, our deep inner needs and instincts versus invasion from the outside. The camera work supports the story with sensitivity and great empathy, depicting the relationship between man and bird in a very complex way, as well as the environment and the mental and physical world in which the action takes place.Read more
2021
Matsalu National Park Special Prize
A young Crane´s long Journey
Director Jouni HiltunenThe film has very good nature educational content, it gives good overview of life of cranes. It fits well with Matsalu birds paradise and has direct views from Matsalu National Park.Read more
2021
Grand Prix
Earth: Muted
Director Mikael Kristersson, Åsa Ekman, Oscar HedinA great film tells more than any jury summary can tell in a few sentences. The Grand Prix of Matsalu FF 2021 goes to a very special film that grabs its viewer from the first shot, where we see treetops heavy with cherry blossoms. They are not surrounded by bees though, but instead being pollinated by an old Chinese couple with sticks. People doing the work of bees, is a stunning metaphor to the absurdity of being human - possessing the ability to dominate other species, in a system where domination itself inevitably means perdition. A beautiful and delicate reminder that one can not have their cake and eat it too, but that as a humankind, we’ll all stand eye to eye with our choices sooner rather than later.Read more
2021
2021
Best Director (Man and Nature)
Earth: Muted
Director Mikael Kristersson, Åsa Ekman, Oscar HedinA deeply multilayered film that conveys a universal message. In a delicate manner, without opposition, but through connection, the authors depict a painfully familiar conflict - the difficulty to choose between your dear ones’ immediate needs and the bigger picture, the well-being of the planet and mankind itself. Through three characters the filmmakers unroll a profoundly felt story that should provide food for thought for every viewer.Read more
2021
2021
Special Jury Prize (Man and Nature)
Animals
Director Jonas SpriestersbachThe film has a good sense of humor and irony. The story is well-developed, many-layered and metaphoric. Characters are amusing and at the same time, though at a different angle, you feel the deep melancholy of their life.Read more
2021
2021
Best Editing (Man and Nature)
Animals
Director Jonas SpriestersbachA story told with elegance, style and precision that keeps the viewer in its grip from the first shot to the last. The result is a truly unexpected film carried by a deep sense of irony. Humorous and tragic at once, it turns the mirror on humans’ alienation from other species and quite possibly themselves.Read more
2021
2021
Special Mention (Man and Nature)
The Shamans´ Nightmare
Director Natalie HallaThe jury would like to turn your attention to the very strong and thorough anthropological work of this film. The director takes us to unique indigenous peoples in different parts of the world, and introduces their lifestyle and their fight for survival as well. Through her lens, she preserves what is close to being lost. The film brings out very clearly the close connection which people have with their environment and the delicate balance between them: if the natural living environment of a group of people perishes, the people connected to it are also doomed.Read more
2021
OFFICIAL AWARDS of the 18th MATSALU NATURE FILM FESTIVAL
I Prize
Nomads
Director Emiliano RuprahJury: The richness and variety of Mexican nature and the wealth of its species, the importance of migration and behavior of animals has been shot beautifully and with great sensitivity. The film asks the viewer to think about the interrelatedness of world ecosystems and the necessity of their protection.Read more
2020
2020
Best Director (Nature)
Nomads
Director Emiliano RuprahJury: It’s an exciting visual story about the nomads in Mexico that invite the viewers to travel with them. The survival of different species is at stake everywhere in the world. The film’s educational message has been done with a masterful selection and a big heart. The film is also special because the mainly Mexican crew cares deeply for the land they inhabit.Read more
2020
2020
Best Editing (Nature)
Okavango: River of Dreams
Director Dereck & Beverly JoubertJury: The scenes are masterfully edited and form a story-telling whole.Read more
2020
2020
Grand Prix
Okavango: River of Dreams
Director Dereck & Beverly JoubertJury: A film that employs a mesmerising pictorial language and executed with technical skill, containing memorable episodes and moments that stay with the viewer for a long time.Read more
2020
2020
Congratulations to the winners!
Thank you to everyone with a film at the festival!
