International Jury of the 28th Videomedeja Festival in 2024 with the following members: Nina Jeza from Slovenia, Maurizio Marco Tozzi from Italy and Goran Despotovski from Serbia, have made the following decisions:
Videomedeja Grand Prize:
Monetary prize of 1000€ for the best work, for creativity, innovation and artistic value
Delia Hess, On Hold, 07:11 min, Black & White, Switzerland, 2024
The international jury of 28th Videomedeja 2024 gives the Videomedeja Grand Prize to Delia Hess for On Hold
On Hold is an exceptional short film that speaks to both the personal and universal experience of modern life. Delia Hess’s direction is both visually stunning and conceptually rich, creating a world where the line between reality and the absurd is blurred, all within the compact framework of a 7-minute film. Through its clever use of black-and-white imagery and episodic structure, the film captures a delicate balance of humor, frustration, and existential dread, all tied to the familiar act of waiting.
This film deserves recognition for its originality in storytelling, its ability to evoke strong emotions through minimalist visuals, and its powerful commentary on the absurdity of human existence in a digital, urbanized age. On Hold exemplifies the power of short films to make profound statements in a brief yet impactful manner, making it a strong contender for any award celebrating innovative and thought-provoking cinema.
Special Mention:
O/S by Max Hattler receives a Special Mention for its innovative approach, blending visual and auditory experiences into a unified form. Inspired by 20th-century avant-garde graphical sound experiments, the film transforms abstract motion into sound, making the image itself an optical soundtrack. This seamless synchronization between sight and sound exemplifies cutting-edge creativity, offering a captivating sensory experience where what you hear is precisely what you see.
Special Mention:
Marc Lee, Speculative Evolution, Prototype 1, Color, Switzerland, 2024
The international jury of 28th Videomedeja 2024 gives a Special Mention to Marc Lee for Speculative Evolution, Prototype 1.
Speculative Evolution, Prototype 1 by Marc Lee is recognized for its visionary exploration of the future of biotechnology and artificial intelligence. The film imagines an ecosystem 30 years ahead, where scientists use advanced technologies to adapt species to the harsh realities of climate change and extinction. With a thought-provoking and immersive approach, the work challenges viewers to reflect on the ethical and environmental implications of these speculative advancements.
Bogdanka Poznanović Award:
Selection committee of the 28th Videomedeja Festival in 2024 with the following members: Ivana Sremčević Matijević, Srđan Radaković and Željko Mandić, gives a Bogdanka Poznanović Award to Miloš Tasić for Oneiro – 360 VR Movie
The development of AI technology is progressing rapidly, and artists in this field often switch between different AI tools during the production process, replacing older tools with newer ones. Miloš Tasić’s work, Oneiro, is a 360-degree virtual reality film that visually emphasizes the artificiality of reality created by the ongoing development of AI technology. As a result, the narrative unfolds in a world that differs significantly from our own. The scenes are based on the premise that a conscious AI program would not perceive reality as humans do, but rather as an abstract digital environment derived from a database—similar to how our subconscious often abstracts reality in dreams. The jury recognized this approach to thinking about AI technology as valuable, leading to their decision to bestow Miloš Tasić the “Bogdanka Poznanović” Award.