Manas

This year's Young Jury Award goes to ›Blue Heron‹ by Hungarian-Canadian director Sophy Romvari. The jury's reasoning: "(...) We were particularly impressed by the film's honesty and emotional clarity, especially as young viewers who are thinking about how our memories shape us."

In the 1990s, young Sasha moves with her Hungarian family to Vancouver Island, Canada. During this period of change, we perceive the family dynamics through her eyes as they are increasingly dominated by the unpredictable behavior of her oldest brother, Jeremy. Years later, Sasha seeks a new way to access her memories and embarks on a journey into the past – one that transcends the boundaries of space and time.

Sophy Romvari’s feature debut is a profoundly personal meditation on grief and memory, tenderly photographed in breathtaking light. With great stylistic confidence and assurance, she weaves together two timelines that gradually and almost imperceptibly flow into one another. The film inevitably recalls recent masterpieces such as ›Aftersun‹ and ›All of Us Strangers‹.

Director: Sophy Romvari
Country: Hungary, Canada

2025 | 90 min. | English, Hungarian
Subtitles: German, English

Cast_ Eylul Guven, Iringó Réti, Ádám Tompa, Edik Beddoes, Liam Serg Screenplay_ Sophy Romvari Camera_ Maya Bankovic Producer_ Ryan Bobkin, Sara Wylie, Sophy Romvari, Gábor Osváth Rights_ MoreThan Films