The 36th Trieste Film Festival concluded this weekend with awards honouring exceptional works in Central and Eastern European cinema. Among the winners, Toxic, directed by Saulė Bliuvaitė, took home the Trieste Award for Best Feature Film.

The jury also gave a Special Mention to Fekete Pont/Lesson Learned by Bálint Szimler. The Hungarian film uses a school setting to examine societal dynamics, receiving acclaim for its authentic portrayal of classroom interactions as a microcosm of contemporary Hungary.

In the documentary category, Tata by Romanian directors #Lina Vdovîi# and #Radu Ciorniciuc# claimed the Alpe Adria Cinema Award. A harrowing account of family trauma and generational resilience. Tata also won the Audience Award for Best Documentary, cementing its resonance with viewers.

The Short Film Award went to Night of Passage by Reza Rasouli. The film, set at the Austrian border, tells the story of three Iranian refugees. Two Special Mentions were also awarded: Left-Handed Pen by Adas Burkšaitis for its exploration of parenthood and ethics, and Rrugës/On the Way by Samir Karahoda for its depiction of a father-son relationship in Kosovo.

Audience awards recognised Three Kilometres to the End of the World by Emanuel Pârvu as Best Feature Film and The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent by Nebojša Slijepčević as Best Short Film.