The jury statement reads:
The Best Director Award goes to an upcoming filmmaker who successfully manages to guide the viewer through a carefully constructed dystopian universe. Enhanced by a framing and a well-directed cast that serve the style without yet reminding us of the filmmaker’s presence, the director succeeds in making a clear and nondidactic social comment. The Best Director Award goes to Nastazja Gonera for her film First Last Summer from Poland.

Details: isffc.com.cy/2021-awards

FIRST LAST SUMMER, dir. Nastazja Gonera
The world as we know it is coming to an end. In a secret military center, somewhere by the Polish sea, a strange experiment is being carried out - a group of scientists and military men transform repeat offenders into animals. The experiment is supervised by Gaja, a scientist and a veterinarian, who selects convicts for transformations, takes care of animals and decides when they can be released into the wild to fulfill their role as species restorers. In her work, she is helped by her adolescent son, Janek.- he does what he's told to and doesn't ask questions, but when a new transport of convicts arrives, a young woman U, immediately attracts his attention. She did not end up here by accident, innocent people are not sent to help dying nature, but Janek is determined to help her get out of this place. This means, however, defying his own family and a cause way bigger than himself. It is a beautiful summer, though, and the feeling that connects these two - the convict and the prison helper - could certainly have a future. If only it wasn't the first summer of the end of the world... Whose lives would we be willing to sacrifice if nature gave us such a bill?

screenplay and direction: Nastazja Gonera
artistic supervision: Filip Bajon

polishshorts.pl/en

CONGRATULATIONS Nastka!!!