Diagonale Cinemathography Prizes ’24

Best Cinematography Feature Film from the Association of Austrian Cinematographers AAC

Nora Einwaller
Asche

Jury statement: Nora Einwaller’s camera in Asche captivates with strong images, intense colours and a boldly directed handheld camera. Her focus is on the protagonists, she stays close to bodies, captures close movements and largely manages without long shots. Nora Einwaller creates powerful and powerful images with limited means, a lot of commitment and great passion – images of a new generation? A very physical, sexualised film with an image design that deals uncompromisingly with themes such as touching – not touching, object – subject, passive – active and takes a critical look at the male gaze. A “queerfeminist camera” could already exist …? This is the first camera work by a promising young camerawoman, and we look forward to seeing more of her work.

Best Cinematography Documentary Film from the Association of Austrian Cinematographers AAC

Julia Gutweniger
Vista Mare

Jury statement: The machinery of mass tourism captures the chaos of things and life in orderly and symmetrical lines. Scenic and atmospheric tableaux of mostly f xed, analytical camera shots capture spectacular micro-events at the holiday resort on the Italian Adriatic with a feel for the right moment. The absurdity of the repetitive, standardised actions of tourism, carried out as if on an assembly line, emerges in veritable canvas paintings. The open and yet precisely framed images invite exploration and are an unobtrusive school of seeing that casually allows the gaze to become the actual protagonist of the film.

Jury Feature Film:
Ortrun Bauer (cinematographer, editor, AT)
Elena Meilicke (film critic, DE)
Silvan Zürcher (director, CH)

Jury documentary film:
Dunja Bialas (film publicist, festival director, DE)
Tsveta Dobreva (Festival Director, FR)
Cem Kaya (Director, DE)