The Ekofilm Festival was won by the British film The Waste Architect

Český Krumlov - The International Festival of Films about Natural and Cultural Heritage Ekofilm was won by the film Architect of Waste by British director Oliver Hodge. It tells the story of an American who has been building ecological houses for over three decades using tires, beer cans, and glass bottles. Among the other 11 films recognized by the expert jury, four Czech films also stood out. This was reported to ČTK by Ekofilm spokesperson Veronika Dušková.
    The character of the winning film - Michael Reynolds - can be justly and without offense called the most significant global architect of waste. For over 30 years, he has been successfully building very cheap houses that have their own sources of energy, water, and heat. He uses tires, beer cans, and glass bottles in their construction. However, in the USA, he constantly encounters various bureaucratic hurdles. Director Hodge documented his battle with American officials for three whole years.
    The jury awarded a special prize to the French film Blessed Manure - An Extraordinary Story of Poop. They were captivated by the entertaining approach to a not very attractive and somewhat taboo subject. In the category of journalism and reporting, the German documentary Who Owns the Sea? The Struggle for Last Resources won. As the best documentary, experts evaluated the Slovak film Afghan Women Behind the Wheel, directed by Sahraa Karimi, who is originally from Afghanistan.
    Among Czech creators, the jury awarded the film European Memory Game by Marie Procházková, which introduces the youngest viewers to the member countries of the European Union. They also highlighted the extraordinary artistic expression of fourteen-year-old Tomáš Daňek, who made the animated film Martian Savior. Director Jiří Petr took home the city award from Krumlov for his journey in search of the beauties of the Czech landscape Natura Bohemica. The student jury was most captivated by the documentary film Tears of Congo by Petr Kašpar, shot during the battles in the Democratic Republic of Congo in November 2008.
    The Ekofilm Festival, which took place in České Budějovice, Český Krumlov, and Třeboň from Monday, was attended by a record 8,000 visitors. The number of films was also extraordinary at the 35th edition of the showcase - 225 films from 40 countries around the world. The main theme of this year's festival was climate change and its implications. 53 films made it to the competition, judged by a six-member international jury. Its members included director Alena Činčerová, architect Vlado Milunić, director Michael Havas, New Zealand director Ilja Ruppeldt, director Steve Lichtag, and dramaturg Jacques Génot from France.