Awards

After a little boy has lost his home, he and his family embark on tense journey through a spectacular natural landscape. On the way they encounter many dangers, but the boy's biggest task is still ahead of him: he must finally prove that he can also bring good luck.

1st runner-up

This charming Australian film made in Laos was shot under difficult conditions. The photography displays flair for both colour and composition.

Jury Comments: "The Rocket is a spectacular achievement that is powerful and delightful in equal measures. Artfully structured and gorgeously shot, it chronicles the struggles of a displaced family while steering well clear of either sentimentality or despair. Complex in its tone and characterizations, the film takes an unflinching - and edifying - look at the suffering caused both by a legacy of war and the new status quo of economic globalization. And yet, while never losing sight of those grim realities, it also offers us a transcendent tale of hope and perseverance in a world that few Westerners ever have the chance to see."

Jury Comments: "One of the great pleasures this year was the discovery of this young, non-professional actor, who plays his role with an irresistible blend of pluck, stoic determination and vulnerability. Sitthiphon Disamoe carried a big, ambitious production on his small shoulders, with charm and grace to spare."

"A film of enormous scope which immerses us into a world rarely seen before. This is a story of wars - wars of the past and wars of the future as a family tries to survive a new invader. But also the battles of ancestry and how a little boy overcomes what society deems as his fate. This film doesn't shy away from the brutalities of real life in Laos but also permits us to celebrate the power of hope and strength. The film succeeds both due to the quality of the script and the beautiful and, at times, unsettling imagery. A brave and resonant experience."

"We have seen many talented performances at Buster this year, many of the child actors have done very well, but one especially caught our attention as exceedingly talented. He manages to convey feelings to us, which we recognise in ourselves, despite the fact that he lives in a world that is so very different from ours. We were deeply moved by his struggle to turn his luck - and fortunately he succeeds in the end."