- July 19, 2026
- 12:30 pm
- Israel
The Ukrainian-German documentary film “Silent Flood” by director Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk became one of the winners of the 43rd Jerusalem Film Festival.
The film received the Chantal Akerman Award in the category of experimental documentary cinema.
The names of the winners were announced on July 16, 2026 during a ceremony at the Jerusalem Cinematheque. The total value of the awards presented at the festival amounted to about one million shekels.
The victory of “Silent Flood” became one of the most notable results of Ukrainian participation in the festival, which took place in Jerusalem from July 9 to 19, 2026.
“Silent Flood”: the Ukrainian war beyond the battlefield
Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk’s film tells the story of a secluded religious community living near a picturesque river canyon in western Ukraine.
The community members adhere to pacifist beliefs and strive to maintain a traditional way of life. However, their usual order is constantly disrupted by floods, and after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, by war as well.
“Silent Flood” was created as a co-production between Ukraine and Germany. The film’s duration is 90 minutes. In Jerusalem, it was shown in Ukrainian with subtitles in Hebrew and English.
The director does not build the narrative around battles, military equipment, or destroyed cities.
He observes the everyday life of people who would like to exist outside modern politics and conflicts but gradually discover that staying completely aside is no longer possible.
Natural floods and war become two forces in the film capable of destroying the usual way of life. The first comes with water, the second with anxiety, mobilization, losses, and the need to redefine one’s relationship with the surrounding world.
The competition jury noted this particular approach.
The official decision states that Silent Flood directs the gaze to what remains beyond the battlefield and discovers a deep movement of history there.
According to the jury, the film creates a cinematic language that remains poetic, political, and deeply human at the same time. In the conditions of war, attentiveness, compassion, and contemplation turn into a form of resistance in the film.
The award received in Jerusalem is named after the Belgian director Chantal Akerman, one of the most influential figures in European auteur and experimental cinema.
In 2026, the winner of this competition was determined by Israeli artist and director Nevet Yitzhak. She considered films whose creators use documentary material but go beyond the usual reportage form.
Before Jerusalem, “Silent Flood” had already received international recognition.
At the IDFA documentary film festival in Amsterdam, the film was noted for the best cinematography. The visual work was done by Ivan Morarash, Oleksandr Korotun, Vyacheslav Tsvetkov, and Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk himself. Despite the participation of four cinematographers, the film maintained a unified visual language.
Then the film received an award at the Krakow International Film Festival.
Thus, Jerusalem became another important point in the international journey of the film, which tells about Ukraine not through direct depiction of the front but through the lives of people whom the war gradually reaches.
Earlier, NAnews — Israel News reported that two Ukrainian films were presented at the 43rd Jerusalem Film Festival.
Besides “Silent Flood,” the main international competition included the film “To the Victory!” by Valentyn Vasyanovych. Its action unfolds in an imaginary post-war Ukraine, which many residents, including the main character’s family, are leaving.
Ukrainian director Serhiy Loznitsa was an honorary guest of the festival and the chairman of the jury for the feature-length Israeli cinema competition. Together with him, the winners were chosen by Alissa Simon and Jorge Stamadianos.
However, it is important to note that the decision to award “Silent Flood” was made separately: Loznitsa was not part of the jury for the Chantal Akerman competition.
The Ukrainian film was part of a large list of winners, which included films from Germany, North Macedonia, Israel, China, and other countries.
The main international winners of the festival
The main award of the international competition — The Nechama Rivlin Award for Best International Film — was won by the film “The Dreamed Adventure” by German director Valeska Grisebach.
This is a joint production of Germany, France, Bulgaria, and Austria with a duration of 167 minutes.
The main character agrees to help an old acquaintance and embarks on a dangerous journey with him. Gradually, the foreign adventure forces her to confront her own desires and inner contradictions.
The jury noted Valeska Grisebach’s directorial skill and how the film connects several major themes: European identities, state borders, and personal relationships between people.
The award for best acting went to Karlis Arnolds Avots, who starred in the film by Latvian director Viesturs Kairish “Ulya”.
The jury noted how the actor creates an image using movements, gaze, body plasticity, and facial expressions. His performance was described as serious, restrained, and visually expressive.
The best international debut was recognized as the film “17” by director Kosara Mitic, created in collaboration with North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia.
The main character, 17-year-old Sara, hides her own secret during a school trip. The situation spirals out of control after she witnesses sexual violence against her friend Lina. The girls try to break the cycle of violence, and a special bond develops between them.
The jury called the film a harsh and uncompromising statement about violence, which had long been preferred to remain silent about.
A special mention in the debut competition was awarded to the film “Panda” by director Zhang Xinyang, representing Singapore, Hong Kong, and China.
The jury described it as a poetic and philosophical journey along the Yangtze River, reflecting on madness, acceptance of life, and the human ability not only to fear water but also to enter it.
The winner of the “In the Spirit of Freedom” competition, dedicated to solidarity, humanity, freedom, and justice, was the film “Skateboarding Is Not for Girls” by director Dina Duma.
The film tells the story of two sisters from the Roma community — Adela and Zara. After their father’s disappearance, the family finds itself in an even more difficult situation, and a relative offers to take the older girl to the Bulgarian bride market and marry her off for a reward.
The jury noted that the author addresses heavy themes but maintains room for humor, compassion, vitality, and the complexity of human characters in the film.
Winners of Israeli competitions
The main winner of the feature-length Israeli cinema competition was the film “Where To?” by director Assaf Machnes.
The film received three awards:
for best Israeli feature-length film;
for best screenplay;
for best acting by Ihab Salami.
The action takes place in Berlin.
55-year-old Palestinian taxi driver Hassan transports club and party-goers at night. He has become estranged from his eldest daughter and has been unable to free himself from memories of the past for many years.
One day, his passenger is a 25-year-old Israeli named Amir. A few months later, their paths cross again. Gradually, the night rides through Berlin turn into a story about pain, memory, exile, loneliness, and an attempt to understand another person.
The jury, chaired by Serhiy Loznitsa, noted the film’s ability to show the human above political beliefs and cultural conflicts.
The best Israeli feature-length documentary film was recognized as “I Am Neo” by director Yael Abecassis.
Neo was three and a half years old when a severe car accident led to brainstem damage. After five days between life and death, the child awoke, unable to breathe, speak, walk, or eat independently.
The parents began filming the events on camera. From hundreds of hours of family recordings, a film emerged about the child and his loved ones trying to practically rebuild their lives.
The jury called the film a patient, humane, and touching struggle for life.
The award for best Israeli debut went to the documentary film “Find Me, Okay?” by director Yula Gidron.
Its heroine is Eden Yerushalmi, kidnapped by Hamas terrorists from the Nova festival on October 7, 2023.
The film shows the struggle of Eden’s mother, sisters, and friend for her return, the collapse of hope after news of the hostage’s death, and the family’s attempt to continue living after the tragedy.
The award for best cinematography went to Meidan Arama for the film I Can’t Say No to Myself, for best editing to Gal Rosenbluth for the film Amal, and the prize for original music went to Asaf Talmudi, who worked on the film The Wedding Entertainer.
Among Israeli short films, the winner was Another Body by Orit Fuchs Rotem. Second place went to the film Fireworks, the best animated work was recognized as Saba, and the acting award went to Dar Zuzovsky for her role in the film Peppa the Great.
In the Israeli experimental cinema and video art competition, the main award went to the film A Pleasant Sail on Land by Gadi Yampel. The film Krav Maga by Tal Elkayam received a separate award for experimental cinema, and a special mention was given to the work Dragon by Natalia Riss.
The 43rd Jerusalem Film Festival showcased a very wide range of contemporary cinema: from stories about war, violence, and abductions to films about European identity, family trauma, coming of age, and the search for connection between people.
For NAnews — Israel News, the victory of the Ukrainian “Silent Flood” remains an especially important result.
However, it would be wrong to consider it separately from other laureates. Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk’s film was part of a festival program where the main themes were human dignity, memory, freedom, resistance to violence, and the attempt to maintain the ability to see another person even during war.