7th Carpathian Mountain International Film Festival concludes in Uzhhorod, announces winners
The international jury consisted of Anna Yatskova, Vítězslav Chovanec, and Novruz Hikmet. The awards went to:
The jury also presented special mentions to three films: Illusion of a Quiet Night (director Olha Chernyk), Melting (director Nikolaus Geyrhalter), and Jonna (directors Juliette Korbel and Jan Ciszewski).
A standout highlight of the festival was the audience vote, where CMIFF 2026 attendees selected their favorite films to crown the Audience Choice winners:
"This year, the documentary lineup showed the immense value of the Audience Choice award. For films with strong audience potential, it carries as much weight—and sometimes more—than the jury's verdict: it reflects the direct reaction of viewers voting for stories that truly touched them. For example, Duma of Oleh Kutsyn is a film about the fallen commander of the 'Karpathian Sich' battalion. These heroes fight so that festivals like ours can take place in the first place. The audience's vote here serves as a gesture of gratitude and remembrance, while for Yevhen Tunik and Valentyn Shpakov's Bear, receiving the audience award at our world premiere offers the best possible start," said festival co-founder and programmer Dmytro Hreshko.
The film program of the Visegrad Four countries formed a core component of the festival. Supported by the International Visegrad Fund, CMIFF 2026 screened special blocks of Slovak, Polish, and Czech cinema. The filmmakers attended in person to participate in Q&A sessions and discuss their work directly with the audience.
In addition to film screenings, CMIFF 2026 served as a platform for professional exchange through its educational and industry programs. Lecturer Valentyna Huchkova led a workshop on green filmmaking and environmental standards in film production, focusing on sustainability practices and practical steps toward eco-friendly filmmaking. Foreign experts Veronika Janatková, Eva Križková, and Martyn Banasiak also joined an international expert panel. Moderated by Ukrainian film critic and cultural manager Ihor Kromf, the experts discussed development trends in documentary and mountain cinema, as well as methods to strengthen international cooperation.
"The seventh CMIFF proved once again that Uzhhorod serves as a natural and crucial cultural bridge between Ukraine and Central Europe. For us, the priority was not just to show strong international and mountain cinema, but to create a living space for genuine professional dialogue. Full screening halls, candid industry discussions, and the presence of our partners and guests from the Visegrad Four countries demonstrate that culture remains the common ground holding us together even in the most difficult times. The Carpathians unite us, and cinema gives us the strength to speak about what matters," stated Viacheslav Turianytsia, festival director.
Photo source: organizers' archive
The project is co-financed by the governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia through a Visegrad Grant from the International Visegrad Fund. The Fund's mission is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.
The festival takes place with the support of the Ukrainian State Film Agency, Goethe-Institut in Ukraine, and the Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine. Screening partners include the Austrian Cooperation Office in Lviv and Ukraine Office Austria.
Festival partners include the Institute of Documentary Film (Czechia), One World (Slovakia), Gogol Film (Poland), and the Slovak Documentary Film Association (Slovakia).
Additional partners include the Department of English Philology at Uzhhorod National University, SOBI, Punto G, Čopak Wine Winery, Atlant Hotel, Emigrant Art Hotel, Eat Me & Riverside, Wines of the World, the NGO "Transcarpathian Military Support Movement – Uzhhorod," and LIS Art Space.
Organizers: NGO "Transcarpathian Film Commission," Transcarpathian Regional Council, Transcarpathian Regional Military Administration, and the Transcarpathian Academic Regional Puppet Theater "Bavka."
Media partners: Rubryka, Suspilne Uzhhorod, Karpat-Telegraf, ProShoKino, Kinowar, Zaholovok, UA News, and Varosh.
Practical information
Follow news and updates on the Instagram and Facebook pages, as well as on the festival website.
Festival posters are available at the following link.
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