Doc/Fest ’12: “5 Broken Cameras” takes audience award

June 19, 2012 by Kelly Anderson

After wrapping the 19th edition of Sheffield Doc/Fest  with an awards ceremony on Sunday, the audience ballots have been tallied, revealing Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi’s 5 Broken Cameras (pictured) as the winner of the popular audience award.

5 Broken Cameras has racked up a number of trophies so far, including two at IDFA – the Special Jury Award and the IDFA Audience Award – and the directing award at Sundance Film Festival.

The doc looks at relations between Israelis and Palestinians, told through the raw footage of Palestinian farm worker Burnat, and received a standing ovation at the festival. Doc/Fest’s audiences chose Searching for Sugar Man for second place, missing out on the top spot by one vote.

Directed by Malik Bendjelloul and produced by Simon Chinn and John Battsek, the film focuses on the search for Rodriguez, a 197o’s rock and roll musician, by his South African fans. Both titles were funded via MeetMarket, Doc/Fest’s pitching forum.

Audiences were also able to vote on their favourite short for the first time. The audience chose The Globe Collector by Summer De Roche from Australia, a short about a man’s curious quest to collect light globes.

“5 Broken Cameras is a very well deserved win. It’s great that such a raw and important film is recognized by our audiences. I hope the film’s message of peaceful protest reaches even more audiences in festivals and cinemas around the world,” said Hussain Currimbhoy, Doc/Fest film programmer.

Tags: 5 Broken Cameras, Doc/Fest, Emad Burnat, Guy Davidi, Searching for Sugar Man, Sheffield Doc/Fest, The Globe Collector