In this documentary journey over a five-year period, Pepa Lubojacki documents the lives of four family members, first and foremost brother David who is an alcoholic and homeless. Using a highly personal, diary-like collage Lubojacki attempts to lay bare the roots of intergenerational misfortune repeatedly manifested in severe addiction. Text sculptures, long-term observations, synth-infused beats and AI-animated childhood photos merge here into a striking and playful, unsparing yet loving revelation.

The Caligari Jury wrote: "If Pigeons Turned to Gold is a film that questions itself and its narratives, full of moments of irritation. The theme is addiction, both her own and that of others, and its surmountability and structural conditionality. The focus is on substance addiction, but underlying this is the addiction to control over the narrative of the film and its voices, as well as over her brother's addictive behavior. This tension is explicitly addressed." Read the whole statement >> HERE.

The film was produced by Wanda Kaprálová and Klára Mamojková of CLAW films (CZ), co-produced by Guča films (SK), Česká televize, and FAMU, and also received support from the Czech Audiovisual Fund.

Caligary Film Award is a three-person jury awards the Caligari Film Prize to a film from the Berlinale Forum / Forum Expanded. The prize was established by the German Federal Association of Communal Film Work and is endowed with 4,000 euros, with half going to the film’s director and the other half supporting its distribution. The prize is sponsored by communal cinemas and partners.

Cover photo by Dario Lehner