Vincent Munier’s “Le Chant des Forêts” wins the Golden Gentian for Best Film at the 74th Trento Film Festival
Published 02/05/2026
Vincent Munier’s profound intergenerational dialogue with his father and son, fascinated by the breathtaking beauty of wildlife, won over the International Jury of Trento Film Festival.
The CAI Award Golden Gentian for the best film on mountaineering goes to the short animated film Kronoshock by Spanish filmmaker Ignasi López Fàbregas; the “City of Bolzano” Award Golden Gentian for the best film on exploration or adventure goes to The North by Bart Schrijver from the Netherlands; Silver Gentians are awarded to Jean-Gabriel Leynaud’s Le Sang et la Boue for best technical-artistic contribution, and White Flag by Iranian director Parviz Rostami as Best Short Film. The Jury Prize has been awarded to Silver by Natalia Koniarz, while the T4Future Award goes to Cindy Lee’s The Last Ranger.
The International Jury of the 74th Trento Film Festival has assigned the Golden Gentian for Best Film – “City of Trento” Grand Prix to Vincent Munier’s film Le Chant des Forêts (France/2025/95′). “We have declared war on nature, but we will lose the battle. Nonetheless, this film gives us hope and shows us that it is not too late to reconnect with what truly matters. Seen through the eyes of three generations, challenging a society that has made speed and performance its cardinal virtues, Le Chant des Forêts invites us to rediscover patience, slowness and silence, and to cultivate the transmission of knowledge with poetry, wisdom and sensitivity. Vincent Munier teaches us to open our eyes, but above all, our ears. He invites us to marvel at the simple things before and below us. There is no need to go to the other side of the world: it is enough to enter the first forest within reach and listen to its song. All of us can do this, thus putting an end to the war and making peace both with nature and ourselves.”: this is the motivation given by the jury. Vincent Munier took the Festival audience – who showed their appreciation for the French photographer and filmmaker’s work, with both screenings sold out – into the heart of the Vosges forest. It is a place where he learnt everything from his father Michel, a naturalist who has spent his life patiently observing wildlife in the woods. Now the time has come to pass on this knowledge to Simon, Vincent’s son. Three perspectives, three generations and a single shared fascination with the wild. Together they observe deer, rare birds, foxes and lynx… and, at times, the flapping wings of the mythical capercaillie.
“One must never cease to be amazed: this is the simplest yet most surprising lesson that this film has imparted to the Festival audience – who loved it from the first screening – the International Jury, and to us all”, commented the President of Trento Film Festival Mauro Leveghi. “Celebrating the rediscovery of the wonders of the wild, it is one of the most poetic films ever seen in Trento. Not because of the absence of humans, far from it, but rather because it succeeds in placing them in a relationship that is finally in harmony with the surrounding environment, with all their senses and thoughts. The capercaillie, the “eternal wood grouse” of Mario Rigoni Stern’s stories, having been driven from the Alps due to the destruction of its habitat by man, thus becomes a powerful symbol of a relationship to be rebuilt: taking the time to observe the moon, learning to listen to the heartbeats of those inhabiting the forest, silently appreciating the pleasure of feeling small in the face of nature’s eternity”.
The Club Alpino Italiano Award Golden Gentian for the best film on mountaineering goes to the short animated film Kronoshock by Ignasi López Fàbregas (Spain/2026/9′): “Kronoshock is thought-provoking, creative and entertaining. In less than ten minutes, it summarises the evolution of mountaineering over the decades, its goals and challenges, but above all its impact on nature. With humour and irony, it invites the audience to consider when and where we lost our way and what we can do to find our way back to the summit”.
“Kronoshock is a wonderful film. In just a few minutes, with masterly levity and irony, Ignasi López Fàbregas’s short film succeeds in retracing the different eras of mountaineering, placing them within a broader context that prompts us to question the current meaning of the mountains,” stated the General President of CAI – Club Alpino Italiano, Antonio Montani. “The decision to adopt a short format and animation proves highly effective for the narrative, and after treating the viewer to an entertaining story, it leaves plenty of food for thought.”.
The “City of Bolzano” Award Golden Gentian for the best film on exploration or adventure goes to The North by Bart Schrijver (Netherlands /2025/131′). The International Jury wrote, giving its motivation “The greatest exploration takes place within. The greatest adventure is finding the right perspective to view one’s own life from a distance. This happens when we turn our eyes, minds and pathways back towards the wilderness”.
“Confronting a harsh and cruel reality, the film gives a voice to those who would otherwise be dismissed as mere statistics or collateral damage of progress. Thanks to a director who skilfully recedes into the background, we see individuals with lives, dreams, hopes and a shattered future, leading us to form a genuine bond with the characters. In this way, the film helps to restore some of the dignity taken from them”. With this motivation, the Silver Gentian for best technical–artistic contribution has been awarded to Jean-Gabriel Leynaud’s Le Sang et la Boue (Democratic Republic of Congo, Germany, France/2024/ 96′).
The Silver Gentian for Best Short Film goes instead to White flag by Parviz Rostami (Iran/2025/15′): “Pure poetry, raw emotion and pure cinematography, this film tells a universal story that transcends time”.
The Jury Prize has been awarded to Silver by Natalia Koniarz (Poland, Norway, Finland/2025/79’), giving the following motivation: “Rather than attempting to explain the world inside the mines, Silver is a film that allows us to experience the atmosphere and silence reigning within them, along with the exploitation characterising them. Exploitation of men and women, but at the same time, exploitation of the mountains, which are gradually disappearing, gutted by mining taking place with a violence that desecrates the sacredness of the mountains – a situation masterfully conveyed by the film”.
The T4Future Award, given to the best work in the T4Future film section, goes to Cindy Lee’s The Last Ranger (USA, South Africa/2024/28′). The jury, made up of secondary school pupils from Trentino, has given the following motivation: “Following careful assessment of the competing films, we have chosen as winner The Last Ranger for the way it conveys a subtle, often overlooked message, prompting the audience to reflect on humanity’s enormous impact on nature. Special mention goes to Giulio Squillacciotti’s Mut, a film that stands out for its stunning photography and moves the viewer through the sheer simplicity of the mountains”.
“This year’s Festival was conceived as a passing of the torch, with a programme that has given increasing space to the ideas, language and stories of the younger generation. It is therefore a significant and fortunate coincidence that the Golden Gentian for Best Film has gone to a film, Le Chant des Forêts, constructed around a profound and compelling intergenerational dialogue,” said the Festival’s director, Luana Bisesti. “Just as we cannot help but be delighted by the awarding of the CAI Prize for Best Mountaineering Film to a short film that uses animation to tell a story spanning decades and speaks to everyone, with a universal message and a call for change addressed to all generations”.
“The awards presented by the jury at the 74th edition of the Trento Film Festival have highlighted the aesthetic quality of the films and their ability to portray the mountains and mountain culture from a fresh perspective. The City of Trento Grand Prix goes to Le Chant des Forêts, in recognition of its poetic approach to life in a forest in the heart of Europe, and the respectful, contemplative and intimate relationship with the other ‘non-humans’ living in the woods, while the CAI Prize goes this year to Kronoshock, an exceptional animated short film,” commented Mauro Gervasini, in charge of the film programme. “The awarding of the City of Bolzano Golden Gentian for the best film on exploration or adventure to The North, the only full-length fiction film in the competition this year, is particularly significant. Having always believed that the future of film lies with the ‘short film format’, I warmly welcome the awarding of the Silver Gentian for Best Short Film to the Iranian film White Flag. The award for best technical and artistic contribution goes instead to Le Sang et la Boue, a film with a powerful visual impact, focusing on geopolitical themes. Lastly, faced with difficult decisions this year, given unanimous recognition of the quality of the films, the jury has decided to present an additional Special Prize, awarded to Silver”.
