The film by Markku Lehmuskallio and Johannes Lehmuskallio was handed out the Jury prize Région de Nyon for Most Innovative Feature Film, worth CHF10,000 (around €10,000) and announced on Sunday at Nyons, Switzerland. 

In their latest film Anerca, Breath of Life, the Finnish directing duo follows ordinary life in the Arctic hemisphere. The Visions du Réel jury described is as “a film about father and son, a history of conquests and land exploitation that we have not heard of. A film in which ethnography seeks out a new, fascinating language, giving us the complexity of reality." The film was produced by Giron Filmi. 

Meanwhile the Youth Jury Mémoire Vive and its CHF 2,500 cash prize went to Laura Rantanen’s short film On Hold, praised for the originality of its cinematographic apparatus, because it deals with various current and important subjects, and for its touching aspect which succeeds in transmitting multiple emotions.” In the film, elder people act as narrators for helpline calls to teenage boys. 

At the parallel Industry Awards, the Finnish project The Mission by Tania Moilanen (Danish Bear Productions) picked up the DOK Leipzig Talent Development Award and the Norwegian project Nightcrawlers by Petter Aaberg and Sverre Kvamme (Indie Film) the RTS Award-one film pre-buy.

The 51st Visions du Réel documentary film festival (April 17-May 2) was held virtually due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The festival reported more than 30,000 visitors to its online streaming platform.