"Selamlik," a co-production between Sweden and Denmark, has won the Eurimages Co-production Development Award at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. The film, directed by Jerry Carlsson and written by Khaled Alesmael, received a cash prize of 20,000 Euros, equivalent to $22,800. Frida Mårtensson is the producer. The story follows Furat, a Syrian writer living in exile in Sweden, who travels to Córdoba to reunite with Pierre, the man he once loved, after leaving him behind during the war in Syria. Furat hopes to rekindle their relationship, but Pierre arrives with a hidden truth that threatens to upend everything.
The jury described "Selamlik" as a narrative with strong resonance in today's geopolitical climate, noting the growing number of displaced individuals worldwide. Another project, "Reminiscence" from Ukraine, also received 20,000 Euros. Directed and written by Anastasia Tykha and produced by Darya Bassel, the film centers on Sasha, who returns to her hometown three years after her brother Yan disappears in the war. In Kyiv, she finds her mother preserving Yan's uniform like a shrine and avoiding discussion of his fate. Sasha reconnects with Slava, Yan's childhood friend and a veteran dealing with quiet PTSD, and through their bond, suppressed memories resurface.
"Reminiscence" also won the Connecting Cottbus Award. Meanwhile, the Midpoint and KVIFF Development Award, worth 10,000 Euros, went to "They Bloom at Dawn" from North Macedonia. The film, directed and written by Angela Dimeska and produced by Ognen Antov, explores family and community amid an environmental crisis. After her grandfather's death, Rosa returns to her family's lakeside village and decides to stay following news of her pregnancy. Her grandmother Jana leads a resistance against investors planning a luxury resort on the lakeshore, endangering the village's survival.
Jerry Carlsson's "Selamlik" wins a 20,000-Euro prize while centering a Syrian protagonist whose return to love hinges on a secret from the man he left behind. The film's lead character is written by Khaled Alesmael, a Syrian writer, yet the director and producer are Swedish and Danish. A story about exile and emotional reckoning is led by creators from countries that often define who gets to tell such stories. The jury praised its relevance to displaced lives, but the award goes to a project not led by a displaced person.
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