At the 40th Mar del Plata International Film Festival, the SIGNIS jury announced the recognitions that highlight works each year, offering a humanistic and profound view of the human condition. After evaluating the twelve films in the international competition, the jury granted a main award and a special mention to two productions that explore, from different geographies and styles, the complexities of youth, vulnerability, and the decisions that shape a life.
The SIGNIS Prize for Best Film of the Festival was given to Flood, a co-production between Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Belgium, directed by Martín Gonda. The film skillfully portrays a rural community marked by an environmental crisis that forces its inhabitants to migrate to an urban center. In the midst of this forced displacement, the young protagonist, Mara, faces her father’s sudden disability. Although their relationship is fraught with tension, she takes on his care without abandoning her vocation or her desire for independence. The jury highlighted that the film succeeds in depicting a powerful synthesis of fraternity and personal freedom, embodied in a protagonist who defies the expectations of her surroundings and navigates between familial loyalty and the affirmation of her own path.
The SIGNIS Special Mention went to La Gioia, by Italian director Nicolangelo Gelormini. The jury highlighted the film’s ability to craft a compelling narrative around a teenager growing up in a family environment that infringes upon his rights. In this context, the unexpected bond with a teacher marked by deep loneliness opens a space for mutual recognition that, nevertheless, is not enough to redeem them. Far from offering simple solutions, the film presents a sharp reflection on unprotected childhoods and the collective responsibility toward those who grow up without emotional support. According to the jury, this story directly challenges society by highlighting the urgency of a real and sustained commitment to the most neglected children.
The jury was composed of Carlos Ferraro (president), María Victoria Aulet, and Adrián Baccaro. Their decisions place the spotlight on narratives that explore vulnerability, resilience, and the sense of responsibility amid social transformation, reminding us of cinema’s role as a space for memory, questioning, and sensitivity toward those living on the margins.
