From 2005 SIGNIS and INTERFILM have been present at the Visions du Réel Festival in Nyon (Switzerland) with an interreligious jury. From 2008, the jury include a representative of the Roman Catholic and the Protestant Church, and a member from the Jewish and the Muslim faith. The jury will award its prize to a film from the international competition and possibly a commendation. This prize endowed with CHF 5’000 by the Swiss Catholic and the Swiss Protestant Churches (Conference of the Churches in the French speaking part of Switzerland and the “Reformierte Medien” in Zurich).

The members of the interreligious jury 2008 are: Gisela Blau (ZürichSwitzerland), Viviane Borderie (CannesFrance), Elâ Gurmen (IstanbulTurkey) and Serge Molla (Lausanne/Switzerland), all nominated by the swiss representatives of SIGNIS and INTERFILM-

The interreligious jury awards its prize to the film

THE EXISTENCE
by Marcin Koszalka, Poland 2007

This moving film subtly deals with a subject that is taboo and delicate and questions the status of human beings: are they still subjects and if so until when, or are they becoming objects and if so at what moment? This film does not question the reason for death but how it can be useful. And if such a project stimulates out existence, does it not provide a magnificent view of life?

A commendation went to the film

ENTRE OURS ET LOUP (24H DANS LA VILLE DE N.)
by Denis Sneguirev, France/Russia 2007

on an event between Russia and Chechnya given little media coverage. For its original structure set to the pace of a countdown and for its characters who, through their courage in resisting and their commitment to freedom – namely the freedom of thought – give us reasons to hope.