Awards and Juries of the Ennesima Official Selection

An award-winning documentary filmmaker, producer, and university lecturer, Tomás Sheridan focuses his work on human relationships and social change within a globalized society. His films—ranging from Ugandan villages to migrant communities in Patagonia—seek a shared humanity through defining stories. Screened at over 60 international festivals (including Sheffield DocFest and Palm Springs), his work has been broadcast by the BBC, Canal+, and Arte. In 2012, he founded Polifilm Media, a collective dedicated to using film and education to tackle social and environmental challenges, one story at a time.

An Italian-British experimental director and screenwriter, Natalie explores film language through a plurality of perspectives, ranging from acting to film curation. In 2015, she co-founded the cultural association NuVo: nuove voci, through which she coordinates the Tout Court international short film festival in Bologna, confirming her commitment to supporting emerging talent. Her pan-European vision has led her to collaborate with the European Short Pitch and to be selected by the BFI in 2022 for the Connect & Collab initiative. In 2023, she made her directorial debut with the short film HUNGER, a work that distills her aesthetic research between auteur storytelling and experimentation.

Here at the Ennesimo Film Festival, making room for the younger generation is more than just an intention; it is a conscious choice—a true act of trust and a concrete mission that we pursue with determination. This vision gave birth to the Third Juror project, which this year celebrates its fourth anniversary with the goal of amplifying the voices of the new generations and championing their critical perspective.

The project involves a group of students aged 13 to 18, invited to become full members of the jury responsible for awarding the festival's highest honor: the Ennesimo Jury Prize. Following an in-depth training program—which this year features the expertise of critics from Arte Settima—these young jurors are entrusted with a significant responsibility: to observe, analyze, and provide an accurate, reasoned evaluation of the films in competition. This journey of cinematic analysis and critical thinking serves as a fundamental experience, allowing them to master the "tools of the trade" with greater awareness. It is a process that strengthens their skills, hones their critical eye, and fosters a deep sense of responsibility. Now, the members of the Third Jury are ready to make their voices heard and play a decisive role in awarding the most prestigious prize of the festival.

Passion, curiosity, and engagement. Over the years, these have become the hallmark qualities of the Ennesimo audience. Beyond their numbers and their constant presence, what truly unites our spectators is an authentic call to action—a challenge: the responsibility of shaping the destiny of the films in competition, transforming the observer’s gaze into a conscious vote.

During the three screening nights (April 30th, May 1st, and May 2nd), every audience member will receive a ballot to cast their preferences. Through this active participation, those who experience the Festival firsthand take on a vital role, becoming the true protagonists in crowning the winner of the Ennesimo People’s Choice Award, which this year celebrates its eleventh edition.

Every meeting can spark a collaboration, and every collaboration can evolve into a constant presence: relationships that grow, refine themselves, and find new reasons to exist year after year. Our partnership with the Artemisia Cultural Circle is exactly this. Once again, the Festival renews this bond through the Artemisia Award, dedicated to short films capable of portraying authentic, strong, and incisive female figures.

These are stories of women who take action, make choices, and put themselves on the line; women who defy conventions, swim against the tide, and leave a mark with every step. These narratives are never merely decorative but always essential, selected through the attentive and independent gaze of the women of the Artemisia Circle.

Behind every story that comes to life on screen, there is a beating heart that makes it unforgettable: the actors' performance. Actors, in particular, hold the power to turn a script into pure emotion. The Ennesimo Best Performance Award is dedicated to those who embody and breathe life into their characters, bringing their unique vision and talent to the short films in the EFF Official Selection. This award is designed to celebrate the universal beauty of talent, moving beyond gender labels in a field like cinema, where expressive power knows no limits.

This year, the award will be presented by Claudio Di Biagio: an Italian author, director, and pioneer of web series. His presence in Fiorano Modenese brings to the Festival the perspective of someone who has successfully intercepted the new languages of the contemporary world, offering a precious compass to navigate the evolution of audiovisual storytelling.