2024 IDU Film Festival

8th IDU Film Festival
Date	January 24, 2025 (2025-01-24)
Site	Althea, Laeral
Hosted by	Laeral

The 2024 International Democratic Union Film Festival, the eighth iteration of the annual event, was held in January 2025, in Althea, Laeral, for the purpose of honoring IDU cinema. During the festival, delegations from 17 nations within the IDU and 4 non-IDU nations submitted films in six categories. This was the largest volume of submissions in the history of the festival, continuing the 2023 IDU Film Festival trend of each successive festival surpassing the prior year's in the number of submissions.

Best Film

The category 'Best Film' is the most prestigious of the awards presented at the IDU Film Festival, honoring the best overall film released in the IDU in 2024. 13 entries were submitted in this category, setting a new record for the number of entries in the category.

• DrabeMās — Eiria
• Hélène — Haesan
• Küp — Serriel
• Mo Chubhrachain — Glanainn
• Opthelia — Opthelia
• Remembrance — Laeral
• The First Lehvantian on the Moon — Lehvant
• The House Upon the Hill — Slokais Islands
• The Infallible Maxims of William Wintour — Libertas Omnium Maximus
• The Pursuit of Illusive Desires — Aredoa
• The Storms — Zargothrax
• Tlauilantli — Huenya
• Watch This Film Thrice — Novella Islands

Best Lead Actor

The category 'Best Lead Actor' recognizes the most exceptional leading performances in the year's IDU Films. 12 performers were nominated for the award, also setting a new record in the history of the IDU Film Festival.

• Alis Kravale in DrabeMās — Eiria
• Cem Eltayeb in Küp — Serriel
• Ed Turner in The Infallible Maxims of William Wintour — Libertas Omnium Maximus
• Gareth Waterson in A Just Cause — Opthelia
• Haneef Tawfeek in The Storms — Zargothrax
• Michèle Fayolle in Remembrance — Laeral
• Omid Vidal in The First Lehvantian on the Moon — Lehvant
• Renee Dalton in You Are My Sunshine — Novella Islands
• Ricardo Mendez in The Pursuit of Illusive Desires — Aredoa
• Sandra Kario in The House Upon the Hill — Slokais Islands
• Seo Chae-won in Hélène — Haesan
• Telpoch in Tlauilantli — Huenya

Best Supporting Actor

The category 'Best Supporting Actor' honors the best performance from a supporting cast member on a film. Nine actors received nominations in the category, one fewer than the 2023 Film Festival's record ten entries.

• Anthony Sawyer in Watch This Film Thrice — Novella Islands
• Aylin Gürer in Küp — Serriel
• Charles Avrard in Hélène — Haesan
• Elias Bardem in The Pursuit of Illusive Desires — Aredoa
• Elliot Holden in A Just Cause — Opthelia
• Gean Anderson in DrabeMās — Eiria
• Hugh Hunt in The Infallible Maxims of William Wintour — Libertas Omnium Maximus
• Sokhna Bousso in The Universe Beyond — Kolda
• Tlacoehua in Tlauilantli — Huenya

Best Musical Score

The category 'Best Musical Score' recognizes the most impressive film soundtracks in the year's IDU film. Ten movies were entered for the award, setting a new record for the number of entries.

• A Bowl Full of Pride — Salad Land
• Beyond the Orange Sunrise — Auria
• Hélène — Haesan
• Mo Chubhrachain — Glanainn
• Opthelia — Opthelia
• Remembrance — Laeral
• The House Upon the Hill — Slokais Islands
• The Infallible Maxims of William Wintour — Libertas Omnium Maximus
• The Pursuit of Illusive Desires — Aredoa
• You Are My Sunshine — Novella Islands

Best Costume Design

The category 'Best Costume Design' rewards the most memorable costumes (whether they be historical or modern) in the year's IDU film. Five nations submitted films nominated for this award, equaling the tally from the 2023 Festival, which introduced this category.

• DrabeMās — Eiria
• Echoes of Cannonfire — Libertas Omnium Maximus
• Opthelia — Opthelia
• The Universe Beyond — Kolda
• Watch This Film Thrice — Novella Islands

Best Documentary Film

The category 'Best Documentary Film' honors the best non-fiction films in the IDU. Five films were nominated in this category, two fewer than the record of seven from the 2023 Festival.

• A Bowl Full of Pride — Salad Land
• Beyond the Orange Sunrise — Auria
• Echoes of Cannonfire — Libertas Omnium Maximus
• In the Line of Fire — Andhrapur
• The Proud Lions — Mallacaland
• To the Moon — Opthelia

Best Foreign Film

The category 'Best Foreign Films' acknowledges exceptional films from outside the IDU that were released in 2024. Four nations from three regions submitted entries for the award, setting a new record. This also marked the first time in the festival's history that a nation entered the Best Foreign Film category more than once, with 2023 winner Iceagea's entry A Different Perspective.

• A Different Perspective — Iceagea (Europe)
• Alliass — Einswenn (Forest)
• Boat of Mieren — Pichvi (Europeia)
• The Great Restoration — Great Thandoria (Europeia)