Danish doc examines Chinese-inflated property boom.

Dream Empire

Danish project Dream Empire won the top prize at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Film Festival, which wrapped yesterday (12 March).

Director David Borenstein’s film about the inflated economic and real estate boom in China won the Golden Alexander award and a 5,000 Euros prize.

Produced by House of Real, the film is sold by Gunpowder and Sky Distribution (US).

The Special Jury award and 2000 Euros went to the Indian, German, Finnish co-production Machines by Rahul Jain.

The film examines a huge giant textile factory in India and the human cost of mass production in a globalised world.

Produced by the director’s Jan Pictures, Pallas Film and IV Films and sold by Autlook Film Sales (Germany), the film was also the recipient of the Fipresci award.

A Special Mention went to the Greek, Belgian. Austrian co-production Shingal, Where Are You where director Angelos Rallis told the story of Yezidi refugees fleeing the ISIS persecution.

The film is produced by ERT TV, and Jason Alpha and sold by Cargo Film and Releasing (US).

The five member-strong international jury was headed by Belgian Paul Powels from the European Documentary Network (EDN). The jury also included French Telerama contributor Laurent Rigoulet and Syrian filmmaker in exile Talal Derki.

Among the four Audience awards was the IDFA 2016 best feature length award winner Nowhere to Hide, a Norwegian, Swedish co-production by debutant Zaradasht Ahmed.

I Am Not Your Negro by Raoul Peck won the Amnesty International award.

Orestis Andreadakis is the current artistic director of the Thessaloniki doc festival, which was founded 19 years ago by Dimitris Eipides.