On the evening of 2 September, the awards of the 19th BuSho International Short Film Festival were presented in the Verdi Hall of the Italian Cultural Institute. This year, 64 short films were shortlisted out of around 1000 entries, which were screened at the Puskin Cinema and other venues in the capital and the countryside.

Following the 11-member pre-jury, the festival was again judged by 2 juries, as the international jury was joined by the Student Jury, whose members were Domonkos Gyimesi (SZFE), Zriki Semszi (METU), András Szabó Dávid András Szabó (ELTE) and Tamás Ivády (MOME), who commented on their decision:

„We loved the unique and striking visuals of the film, the way it captured small, everyday gestures. We appreciated the way the film portrays a feeling that many of us are familiar with, and the way it makes effective use of the possibilities offered by animation.”

Student Jury – Best Animaton:

From the Corner of My Eyes, Director: Domonkos Erhardt, Hungary

 “The film’s raw subject matter is accompanied by a very gritty, strong visual style of animation, which the student jury commends in particular.”

Student Jury Special Mention Animation:

Fox Tossing, Director: Zénó Mira, Hungary

“A rounded, whole story that uses its potential well. The viewer can laugh and cry simultaneously at a tragic situation, but the film doesn’t play on the triggering of either emotion. The decision was based on the unanimous opinion of the student jury.”

Student Jury – Best Fiction:

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, Director: Alvin Lee, Singapore

“We would like to highlight this work, in which, in addition to the seriousness of the story, they managed to infuse it with light humour, a nice, almost fairytale-like atmosphere and elements. And the main characters are likeable from the very first moment.”

Student Jury Special Mention Fiction:

Out of Water, Director: Gracjana Piechula, Poland

Next came the awards of the International Jury, whose members were first introduced: Zsuzsanna Bak, County Prima Prize-winning writer, director and dramaturg, Dez O’Connell, British series actor, Balázs Szövényi-Lux, former BuSho award-winning film director, screenwriter and Wolfgang Leis, 19th time BuSho Festival jury member:

„Creative technical solutions, rounded, telling a whole story with a surprising twist.”

19th BuSho BEST ANIMATION:
My dear son, Director: Wing Yan Lilian Fu, United Kingdom

„It is refreshingly sarcastic, reflecting on the consumer world with witty humour. And short!”

19th BuSho Category Award BEST EXPERIMENTAL:
Chairity, Director Jeremias Silvan, Brunner Marty, Germany

„The pictures tell the story, just beautiful enough to never be about themselves. And they were shot on film, with all the beauty of film.”

19th BuSho Category Award BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:
Same old, Director of Photography: Norm Li, Director: Lloyd Lee Choi, USA/Canada

„There are as many words as you need, as many turns as you need, so that they don’t split. It’s really a film, telling a story with small gestures and perfect timing.”

This year, at the special request of the jury, the Best Screenplay prize was also awarded:

19th BuSho Category Award BEST SCREENPLAY:

Smoke gets in your eyes, Writer, director: Alvin Lee, Singapore

Those winners, who were able to collect their prizes in person:

“It could be the must-see closing film of any festival. It’s both a testament to the absurd and the wonderful nature of film-watching, while being a perfectly executed work.”

19th BuSho Category Award BEST COMEDY:
The best short film of all time, Director: Alexander Peskador, Austria

“All eyes are on her. She plays with an uncompromising presence, a presence rarely seen in Hungarian cinema.”

19th BuSho Category Award BEST PERFORMANCE:
Kováts Adél, for her performance in the film ‘Affricate’, Director: Anna Gyimesi, Hungary

 “The film undertakes to make you laugh, and it does so to the full. It was a refreshing film, well made.”

19th BuSho Award SPECIAL MENTION:

Fortissimo, Director: Victor Cesca, France

“He makes social criticism while remaining tasteful throughout, trusting the audience and the acting. One of the best lunch scenes of the year.”
One special prize, a weekly ticket for a mini crew of 3 with a filming permit for the 2024 Sziget Festival!

18th BuSho Award SPECIAL PRIZE OF SZIGET:
Vasárnapi emberrablás / Sunday kidnap, Director: Péter Karácsony, Hungary

Before the announcement of the main prizes, Balázs Szövényi-Lux arrived on stage, who summarized the events of the past intensive week on behalf of the international jury, thanked the organizers and thus the moment of the announcement of the main prizes arrived.

“With strong performances and well-written characters, this film speaks of intergenerational trauma and the wounds of a mother-daughter relationship, while also capturing the deep, unbreakable bond of the relationship. With clear images and subtle humour, it balances hope and hopelessness.”

Special Prize of 19th BuSho for the BEST HUNGARIAN FILM with 500.000 HUF award:

Pragma, Director: Bianka Szelestey

 „This film is a playful portrait of our relationship with culture, the absurdity of consumerism while at the same time a truly charming, deeply empathetic portrait of retirement. It makes sensitive use of the absurd humour of the situations, while at the same time showing love for its characters. It leaves the viewer with a self-effacing smile.”

19th BuSho Prize BRONZE BUSHO:

Women Visiting a City, Director: Enrique Buleo, Spain

„Tight, precise, sharp work. With creative visual language and poignant irony, it speaks to the competitive, almost sickly, triumphalist side of our culture. With excellent dramaturgy and editing, it entertains while shaking the viewer.”

19th BuSho Prize SILVER BUSHO:

Fairplay, Director: Zoel Aeschbacher, Switzerland/France

„It is a quiet, refined film that tells the story of a seemingly ordinary event without any unnecessary frills. It highlights the better half of humanity: as we ourselves are heavily burdened, yet we are able to turn towards the other. A wonderful example of neighbourly love with a great central performance. A film in the noblest sense, where everything is in its place.”

19th BuSho Prize GOLD BUSHO with 500.000 HUF award for the best international film:

Ousmane, Director: Jorge Camarotti, Canada

 Before the screening of the award winners, they thanked this year’s sponsors for making the event possible for the 19th time, the National Film Institute, the National Cultural Fund, the Creative Europe Office, the Austrian Cultural Forum, the Italian Cultural Institute, the Portuguese Camoes Institute, the Spanish Embassy, the 2.8 Rental, the Sárospatak Ceramics Manufactory, Sziget Kft, P’art cinema in Szentendre, and our media sponsors are Filmvilág and Fotovideo magazine.

See you in 2024 at the 20th BuSho International Short Film Festival!

STUDENT JURY AWARDS:

Best Animation: From The Corner of My Eyes, Erhardt Domonkos, Hungary

Special Mention Animation: Fox Tossing, Director: Zénó Mira, Hungary

Best Fiction: Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, Director: Alvin Lee, Singapore

Special Mention Fiction: Out of Water, Director: Gracjana Piechula, Poland

International Jury awards:

Best Animation: My Dear Son, Director: Wing Yan Lilian Fu, United Kingdom

Best Experimental: Chairity, Director Jeremias Silvan, Brunner Marty, Germany

Best Cinematography: Norm Li in the short Same old, Director: Lloyd Lee Choi, USA/Canada

Best Screenplay: Smoke gets in your eyes, Writer, director: Alvin Lee, Singapore

Best Comedy: The Best Short Film of All Time, Director: Alexander Peskador, Austria

Best Perfeormance: Kováts Adél, az Affrikáta című filmben, rendezte Gyimesi Anna

Special Mention Fortissimo, Director: Victor Cesca, France
Special Prize of SZIGET: Sunday Kidnap, Karácsony Péter, Hungary

BUSHO MAIN PRIZES:

Best Hungarian Film: Pragma, Director: Bianka Szelestey, Hungary

BRONZE BUSHO: Women Visiting a City, Director: Enrique Buleo, Spain

SILVER BUSHO: Fairplay, Director: Zoel Aeschbacher, Switzerland/France

GOLD BUSHO, and the best international film: Ousmane, Director: Jorge Camarotti, Canada