A new and original name was added to the list of ECFA Award nominations 2019. JE N’AIME PLUS LA MER (aka I USED TO LIKE THE SEA), a Belgian documentary by Idriss Gabel, won the ECFA Award at the Ciné-Jeune de l’Aisne festival.
They come from Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Eritrea. Accompanied by their parents, they have escaped from war and persecution. Forced out onto the roads, these children have had to face many perils as they tried to reach Europe. Others have never succeeded. But once in Europe, how do you start again? How do you make a place for yourself in a Red Cross welcome centre, an environment that is entirely different from your own town or village. All these children share one thought: they no longer like forests, mountains, and the sea. In a programme packed with new live action and animated features, it was Idriss Gabel’s documentary about children settling down after a turbulent journey, that charmed the ECFA Jury the most.
The ECFA Jury were Marcos Campos (Spain), Anna Asplund (Finland), Véronique Dahout & Christophe Istace (Belgium) (from left to right in picture).