It’s been a few months now since the 43rd Cambridge Film Festival, but we know the impact of great films doesn’t stop when the credits roll. Many of the films we screened have since gone on to win big at the BAFTAs and Oscars, and with awards season now behind us, we thought it was the perfect time to reflect on our own CFF 2024 Award Winners.
From jury-selected discoveries to audience favourites, these films captured hearts and minds, and we couldn’t be prouder to have showcased them.
Golden Punt Jury Award for Best Discovery Feature – NEBELKIND—THE END OF SILENCE, directed by Tereza Kotyk. This deeply moving film explores intergenerational trauma and the hidden histories of European women. The first ever CFF jury praised it for "exposing the traumatic stories that weave themselves within families and between generations."
Director Tereza Kotyk expressed her gratitude, calling the award a deeply personal moment: "This news brought tears to my eyes. It’s my first award, and for this film especially, with all the political layers it is transporting, it means a lot."
Audience Award Winners:
Best Fiction Feature – NEBELKIND—THE END OF SILENCE (making it a double winner!). The film resonated deeply with festival-goers, and Kotyk was overwhelmed by the response: "It is incredible to see now that this film has moved both the jury AND the audience. This is superb!"
Best Documentary Feature – THE CIGARETTE SURFBOARD, directed by Ben Judkins, an exhilarating deep dive into ocean conservation through the eyes of surfers. Judkins was thrilled, saying: "I am SO THRILLED AND HONOURED to have won the Audience Award for
Best Feature Documentary."
Best Short Film – MAGIC CANDIES, a Japanese animated short by Daisuke Nishio, charmed audiences with its themes of friendship, family, and magic, earning an impressive audience score of 4.66 out of 5.
Youth Lab Jury Award – SILENT TREES, directed by Agnieszka Zwiefka, a powerful documentary following a Kurdish refugee family as they navigate life in a Polish refugee camp. Selected by the Festival’s Youth Lab Jury (made up of film enthusiasts aged 16–24), the film was praised for its intimate portrayal of displacement and resilience.
A huge congratulations to all our winners – and to you, our audience, for championing these films. If you missed them at CFF, keep an eye out, as many are now reaching wider audiences.
