Winner of DOK.fest Award of SOS-

Kinderdörfer weltweit 2023:

KRISTOS, THE LAST CHILD

Italy/France/Greece 2022, 90 min., Direction: Giulia Amati

Director Giulia Amati receives the 2023 DOK.fest Award of the SOS-Kinderdörfer weltweit for KRISTOS, THE LAST CHILD. Sincere congratulations!

10 year-old Kristos is the youngest of 30 inhabitants on the Greek island of Arki. As the only primary school child, he is at a crossroads: Should he carry on his studies at a boarding school or become a shepherd like his brothers? His teacher campaigns for him to continue his education. The film takes on Kristos’ perspective and plunges into his inner world. A moving insight that is visually radiant.

Credits:
Director and Writer: Giulia Amati. Camera: Carlos Muñoz Gómez-Quintero. Sound: Manolis Makridakis. Editing: Evgenia Papageorgiou. Music: Angelo Capozzi. Production: Blink Blink Prod. Producers: Giulia Amati. Length: 90 min. Distribution: Deckert Distribution.

From the jury's statement

"The film KRISTOS, THE LAST CHILD follows the educational and personal development of the young Kristos (...) The classroom becomes the setting for a chamber play involving the student and his teacher, who sees great potential in Kristos. (...) With extremely poetic, unhurried images, the director Giulia Amati captures the burden of the boy who seems to carry the happiness of the entire island on his shoulders. This special, lonely childhood – which is perhaps not a real childhood without any of the peer interaction that every child needs as a mirror on the path to becoming an adult – is recounted as if it were from another time. It is only at the boarding school that Kristos will learn to live on his own – far from the security and support of his teacher, who has advocated so strongly for him to continue his education. Kristos now has to practise engaging with his peers, which is something that has been lacking from his life to date."

An award for unique perspectives

The DOK.fest Award of SOS-Kinderdörfer weltweit honours films across all sections that make the perspective of children and young people visible and tangible in a remarkable way. It is donated by B.O.A Videofilmkunst and endowed with 3,000 euros. The award will be presented for the tenth time at DOK.fest München 2023.

The film at the festival

The award winner KRISTOS, THE LAST CHILD and the other nominated films will be screened at the 38th DOK.fest München from 3 to 21 May 2023:

3 to 14 May 2023 at the Munich venues
8 to 21 May 2023 @home

The DOK.fest Award of SOS-Kinderdörfer weltweit will be presented at a festive award ceremony with film screening on Sunday, 14 May at 6.00pm at Amerikahaus.

To the award ceremony