Best Short: Lezare
Ethiopia
Director; Zelalem Woldemariam
for offering a tightly crafted and poetic tale of a boy, his community and the environment.
Special mention for the short : Why Now?
Kenya
Director; Guy Wilson
for its original approach to documenting the post-election violence in Kenya.
Best Student Film: Catafalque
Austria
Director; Christopher Rainer
for its arresting narrative of domestic abuse through a nuanced use of sound, space and symbolism
Special mention for Student Film : One Goal, One Hope
Kenya
Director; Jeff Mohammed
for a sensitive portrait of an inspirational athlete.
Best documentary: Shungu: The Resilience of a People
Zimbabwe
Dir: Saki Mafundikwa
for presenting a balanced and textured portrayal of contemporary life in Zimbabwe
Best Actress: Ruth Nirere (The Day God Walked Away)
for her poignant and moving performance
Best Actor: Samson Odhiambo (Soul Boy)
for his fresh, funny and mature performance
Best Director: Philippe van Leuw (The Day God Walked Away)
for the power, stark simplicity and humanity of his vision
Best East African Film: Soul Boy
Kenya
Dir: Hawa Essuman
for its beautifully realized, inspirational tale of children leading change in their communities.
Special Jury Prize: Ndoto za Elibidi
Kenya
Dir: Kamau wa Ndungu/Nick Reding
for speaking powerfully and critically across class, gender and national divides, perfectly realizing the theme of this year's festival of "Connecting People and Creating Linkages"
Best Feature Film: The Day God Walked Away
Belgium
Dir: Philippe van Leuw
for its powerful use of image and silence to tell the story of one woman's struggle to survive.