NATALIA KONIARZ’S “SILVER” WINS TOP PRIZE AT MUMBAI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Following a series of international successes, “Silver” by Natalia Koniarz has received another major award – this time in India. The film has won the Golden Conch, the top prize of the 19th Mumbai International Film Festival, awarded to the festival’s Best Documentary Film. The award was presented to director Natalia Koniarz and producer Maciej Kubicki of Telemark.
The Golden Conch is the highest distinction awarded at the Mumbai International Film Festival, one of the most important events dedicated to non-feature film in South Asia. The jury recognised “Silver” for its exceptional sensitivity, artistic precision and its compelling portrayal of labour, poverty and human dignity.
The jury stated:
“A documentary of striking moral and artistic clarity, ‘Silver’ examines labour, poverty, and human dignity with rare sensitivity. Through its precise observation of everyday realities, the film expands a local story into a powerful reflection on contemporary society.”
Established in 1990, the Mumbai International Film Festival is the oldest and largest non-feature film festival in South Asia. Organised by the National Film Development Corporation under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Government of India, MIFF has grown into an important international platform for documentary, short fiction and animation films. Bringing together works from a wide range of countries, languages and artistic traditions, the festival creates a space for exchange, dialogue and collaboration among filmmakers and film professionals from around the world.
“Silver” takes viewers deep into the oldest silver mine in Bolivia. In the silence and darkness of a trembling mountain, an underground world unfolds through the eyes of a boy, an elderly miner and a woman. Where everyday labour intertwines with the weight of history, a story emerges about colonial legacy, social exclusion and an unending cycle of exploitation. Natalia Koniarz’s film is also a tribute to the memory and resilience of those who descend each day into the darkness concealed beneath the surface of the world.
More information can be found here.
KFF Sales is responsible for the film’s international festival distribution.