On 28 August 2023 the World Cinema Exchange Award been given to Sira. A poignant film, made by director Apolline Traoré (1976, Burkina Faso). The film tells the story of the young Fulani nomad Sira who is travelling through the desert with her family to marry her childhood sweetheart. Her father has agreed to the marriage, even though she is a Muslim and her groom to be a Christian. On their way through the desert, Sira and her family are attacked by Islamist terrorists. Sira is raped and left for dead. Refusing to give up, she manages to find shelter in a cave not far from the terrorist camp and starts planning her revenge.

Director Apolline Traoré

The film shows powerful resilience and tenacity, and has deservedly received international recognition, including at the Berlinale 2023 and the Fespaco Pan African Film Festival. And now this recognition is crowned with the World Cinema Exchange Award. The award is a co-production of the Cinema Rialto, World Cinema Amsterdam and the Dutch Film Talk foundation (Stichting Het Filmgesprek) a member organisation of Signis and InterFilm.

From the jury report:

“This story combines stunning cinematography and a deeply touching story. It’s a heroic story, a story of courage and hope when all hope seems to have faded away. We were impressed by the multi-layered characters and relationships that explore both inner as well as communal conflicts. It’s inspiring and challenging the viewer at the same time.”

From left to right: jury members Lamia Fathy and Yaël van der Schelde and award winner Apolline Traoré.

Members of the jury:

Lamia Fathy, German/Egyptian film critic and film programmer. Lamia is alumnus of the Ain Shams University in Cairo. She is based in Berlin and was a jury member during festivals in Berlin and Oberhausen.

Harm Koekoek, Dutch cinematographer and filmmaker, who recently graduated from the Dutch Academy for Visual Arts in Amsterdam.

Yaël van der Schelde, Dutch freelance documentary filmmaker and researcher. Her debute documentary The Field of our Dreams was broadcast in 2022 on Dutch national television.