Magical Realist Tale ‘6TM’ and ‘Searching for SmarterChild,’ About One of the Earliest Chatbots, Win Top Industry Awards at Ji.hlava Festival

The Ji.hlava Documentary Film Festival, a key event for documentary and hybrid cinema, handed out its top industry awards on Friday. The New Visions Award for the most promising European project went to ‘6TM,’ directed by Karim Akalay and produced by Walid Bekhti. The film is a Belgian family comedy in three chapters that blends magic realism with a story of community resilience. Meanwhile, ‘Searching for SmarterChild,’ which explores one of the earliest chatbots, also took home a major prize. These wins spotlight how the festival supports bold, genre-defying storytelling that connects personal narratives to broader cultural and technological shifts. For filmmakers and audiences alike, the recognition signals a growing appetite for works that mix humor, memory, and innovation. As these projects move toward completion, their early acclaim could help secure financing and distribution, bringing fresh voices to the global documentary scene.