Giffoni Film Festival 2026: all the award-winning films (and what Maradona has to do with it)
The 56th edition of the children’s film festival comes to a close
From Germany to Estonia, via Poland, Indonesia, the Netherlands and Italia: the winning entries at the 56th edition of the Giffoni Film Festival, which drew to a close on Saturday 25 July after nine days of screenings, premieres and meetings with leading figures from the worlds of cinema, culture, sport and the institutions, are stories of courage, growth, friendship, inclusion and hope. As always, the Gryphon Awards were chosen by the festival’s young jurors, who recognised the films that best interpreted this year’s theme, Impossible Things, dedicated to young people’s ability to look beyond limits and turn challenges into opportunities.
In the Generator +18 section, the Gryphon Award went to the German-Swiss film You Believe in Angels, Mr. Drowak? by Nicolas Steiner, an intense story about the encounter between a young writing tutor and a highly talented former homeless man, haunted by memories of the past. The film also won the Gaetano Del Mauro Memorial Award for Best Cinematography and the CGS – Percorsi Creativi Award.
In the Generator +15 category, the winner was Morten by Ivan Pavljutskov (Estonia-Lithuania), a tender coming-of-age story that follows the journey of an introverted boy who finds in photography a means of understanding himself and the world. The film also won the Conou Special Award and the CGS – Percorsi Creativi Award.
The Generator +13 Award was presented to The Altar Boys by Piotr Domalewski (Poland), a story about a group of teenagers who choose to take a stand against social injustice whilst questioning the boundary between good and evil.
In the Elements +10 category, the winner was Just Call Me Frida by Katja Benrath (Germany), a modern fairy tale about the value of life and friendship between a sick boy and the Little Reaper.
