The Organisers of the 29th International Young Audience Film Festival Ale Kino! decided to award two directors and one fi lm with the Festival special awards
– the Platinum Goats.
- To “The Story of the Golden Boot” by Sylwester Chęciński - one of the first Polish feature films for children, made 50 years ago, skilfully combining a sort of detective story with a beautiful story regarding the creation of an artistic masterpiece. This film moved, entertained, as well as – according to the well-known formula – taught about great art many generations of the youngest Polish citizens.
- To Co Hoedeman, an outstanding artist from Canada, for his career achievements and his innovative input in animated cinema, and in particular for the creation of Ludovic teddy bear, the best friend of the youngest children, and a wonderful member of the worldwide family of our favourite bears, to which we must also include the former prize-winner, our Polish Miś Uszatek. The life of the small Ludovic is full of all sorts of events. Although they take place not far away from home and under the watchful eyes of loving parents, thanks to Ludovic’s imagination they change into incredible adventures which always end well, because the bear’s surroundings are full of love and order. Such a warm and safe picture of Ludovic’s world brings the viewers (both young and older) the priceless feeling of harmony and joy of life.
- To Jiří Menzel, a Czech director, for his unique input in European and world cinema. As a
young audience festival, we particularly revere the film CLOSELY WATCHED TRAINS, being one of the world’s masterpieces of cinematography, which moves and entertains everybody, young viewers included, with the story of a young man guided by his own moral
compass against the world of adults, on the threshold of which he is standing. It is the world where he will have to make a heroic choice when the dramatic history of 20th-century Europe calls for him. Additionally, this film, full of fantastic humour, includes a scene showing the most beautiful collapse of an official authority. Anyone who has seen it in their youth will be equally or even more arrested by it in one’s later years.