The 5th edition of KRAFFT – the Kranj Actors Film Festival and the only festival in the region dedicated exclusively to acting – concluded with the presentation of the Golden Apple Awards, the festival’s highest honours. The winners were selected by the international jury composed of Slovenian actors Katarina Čas and Primož Pirnat, and Italian casting director Maurilio Mangano. The closing ceremony celebrated actors who shape cinematic worlds with their presence, sensitivity, and commitment.
The Golden Apple Grand Prix for Outstanding Artistic Achievement was awarded to the entire cast of Dying (Sterben), directed by Matthias Glasner. The film delves into the disintegration of a family, and the performances – led by Corinna Harfouch, Hans-Uwe Bauer, Lars Eidinger, Lilith Stangenberg, and Robert Gwisdek – are, as the jury stated, “strikingly restrained and nuanced, unfolding emotional tension and distance between characters with calm precision.” The award honours the whole ensemble, “who perform through silence, with pauses that often speak louder than words.”
The Golden Apple for Outstanding Acting Achievement went to Leonie Benesch for her portrayal of a night-shift nurse in Late Shift (Heldin), directed by Petra Biondina Volpe. Her interpretation, described by the jury as a “captivating embodiment of quiet strength, empathy and inner strain,” stood out for its authenticity and emotional depth. “She disappears into the role so completely that the line between actor and character ceases to exist.”
Adam Bessa received a Golden Apple for his role in Ghost Trail (Les Fantomes), where he plays a Syrian man haunted by his past and searching for the man who once tortured him. Through silence, tension, and repressed emotion, Bessa delivers a performance that is, in the jury’s words, “magnetic in presence and rich with unspoken intensity – you feel his pain before you fully understand it.”
The third Golden Apple for Outstanding Acting Achievement went to Hao Qin for his portrayal of Jiang Cheng in An Unfinished Film by Ye Lou. Playing an actor invited to complete a long-abandoned film just as the pandemic begins, Qin blurs the line between fiction and reality. His understated performance, the jury noted, “is so grounded and honest that it’s impossible to tell whether we’re watching a narrative or a documentary. His presence evokes loneliness, uncertainty, and longing with raw authenticity.”
The Future of Slovenian Film Is in Good Hands
In addition to the four main awards, the jury also presented a Special Mention to Jara Sofija Ostan for her role as Lucija in Little Trouble Girls (Kaj ti je deklica) by Urška Djukić. As the jury wrote, “Jara portrays a girl on the brink of womanhood, navigating a foggy landscape of identity, desire and belonging. Her performance is emotionally intelligent and restrained, with feelings that flow through her like a current – sometimes triggered by the world around her, sometimes by her own inner change. It’s a performance of emotional intelligence and restraint, marking the arrival of a promising young talent.”
Earlier in the week, KRAFFT also presented two student awards recognising emerging talent. The student jury – composed of actors Saša Tabaković and Primož Bezjak, and last year’s winner Diana Kolenc – selected Kaja Petrovič for Best Performance in a Student Film for her role in Črepinje so za srečo dir. Miha Dragan. Petrovič crafted a multi-layered and precisely shaped character, drawing the audience in with quiet emotional tension.
Matic Štamcar received the award for Best Directing in a Student Film for Trnek (Hook(ed)). The jury praised his ability to guide the actors with such nuance that “we feel as if we are watching real people in small moments of intimacy, miscommunication and emotional risk.” Štamcar previously won the same award at KRAFFT in 2023 for his work on Drugi so molčali (Others Remained Silent ).
Festival director Maja Sever reflected on the edition’s significance:
“The 5th KRAFFT was anything but easy to produce. We faced challenges that mirrored back our own limitations – from spatial constraints to everyday logistics. But perhaps that’s why I am especially proud that we stayed focused, built a meaningful and coherent programme, strengthened our international ties, and – above all – created a space where actors truly connect with the audience. The jubilee didn’t wear us out. It made us stronger.”
While the Golden Apple ceremony symbolically closes the festival, KRAFFT’s pulse continues. After a short summer break, the festival’s industry programme will resume in Ljubljana in late August and September.
