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"The Watchman" awarded at FIPADOC 2025!

Lou du Pontavice and Victoire Bonin's documentary was awarded at the 7th edition of FIPADOC!

FIPADOC kicked off the year for major international documentary festivals. Over 7 days in various venues across Biarritz, the festival celebrated documentaries in all their forms through screenings, masterclasses, debates, and conferences.

Competing in the National Documentary category was The Watchman by Lou du Pontavice and Victoire Bonin, produced by CVB and internationally distributed by CAT&Docs. The documentary was awarded the Sacem Original Music Prize this weekend.

Guangdong and his wife Baoyan have dedicated their lives to supporting their only son's education at Beijing's prestigious music academy. But now that Zhaohang is fulfilling his parents' dream by pursuing his career abroad, they must confront and find meaning in his absence.

Among other French-speaking Belgian selections, The Forbidden Call: Women Priests, directed by Marie Mandy, was also featured in the National Documentary Competition. The film is produced by Clin d'Oeil Films and distributed internationally by Java Films.

A group of women feel called to become Catholic priests. Despite their faith and dedication, they face an insurmountable obstacle: the Church's refusal to recognize their vocation. These women embark on an investigation at the heart of the Vatican to uncover the reasons behind this persistent and unjust ban.

Joachim Thôme's Orlando was selected in the Musical Documentary Competition. The film is produced by Les Productions du Verger and distributed internationally by WIP.

Through an original staging of speech and music, Orlando takes us on a journey tracing one of the greatest composers of the Renaissance, Roland de Lassus. This Belgian musician fascinates both for his masterful work and his troubled fate. Though he was a true European star in his time, he spent his life battling humiliations due to his status as a servant. Moving and immersive, this documentary offers a meditation on the relationship between art and power, accompanied by performances from the Ensemble La Tempête.

Après la pluie by Quentin Noirfalisse and Jérémy Parotte was selected for the French-speaking Creation Panorama Competition. The documentary is produced by Dancing Dog Productions and Les Films de la Passerelle and distributed internationally by WIP.

It is the story of a flood. It is the story of a crisis. The scar left by the 2021 floods in the Vesdre and Ourthe valleys in Belgium is still very much present. When it rains, the drops bring back memories of the dead and the debris. How can one rebuild while fearing the next flood?

Juliette Léonard’s short film (INSAS), Rides du Lion et Pattes d’Oie, premiered at the French festival in the Young Creation Competition.

Growing old as a woman is a tragedy. Without realizing it, that’s what I was always taught and what I always believed. So how do I rid myself of this ridiculous idea, so deeply rooted in my mind and my society?

Finally, [P2O5] The Toxic Footprint of Phosphate by Laurence Grun and Pierre Vanneste, produced by Nuit Noire production, was selected in the Short Film Competition.

Belgium, Spain, France, Senegal, Tunisia… Everywhere, the same stories have been told for nearly two hundred years: the mining and chemical phosphate industry causes often irreversible contamination of nature and human life.

Also noteworthy are the awards won by co-productions Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat by Johan Grimonprez (Onomatopée Films, Grand Prix for Musical Documentary) and The Flats by Alessandra Celesia (Thank You & Good Night, CINE+ Prize).

The festival took place in Biarritz from January 24 to February 1, 2025.

films

The Watchman

Lou du Pontavice and Victoire Bonin

Feature film / Documentary