HBF Empowerment Award

Thanks to a private donor, the Hubert Bals Fund is granting for the first time the HBF Empowerment Award, worth €10,000, to a Darkroom project to empower filmmakers who come from politically challenging contexts or whose work addresses themes such as freedom of expression, displacement, human rights and/or underrepresented communities.

Winner 2025

Tear Gas by Uta Beria, Georgia, France, Germany

Jury statement: “The Empowerment Award celebrates filmmakers working under politically challenging conditions or tackling urgent themes of freedom of expression, displacement, and human rights. It supports a project in critical need of post-production funding, ensuring its powerful vision reaches audiences. This year’s recipient tells the story of a sixteen-year-old growing up on the border of an occupied territory, caught between family tensions, the frustrations of her community, and the intensity of first love. Over the course of a single day, a peaceful demonstration unravels into chaos, forcing her to confront forces far beyond her control. With its striking urgency, raw emotional depth, and fearless storytelling, we are proud to present the Empowerment Award 2025 to Tear Gas.”