"The jury awards the Grand Prize to director Sergei DVORTSEVOY's Ayka, the story of a 25-year-old Kyrgyz woman who gives birth to a child but flees the hospital leaving her newborn behind. Trying to pay back a debt, she tries to secure various jobs unsuccessfully. The film perfectly portrays the unrelenting physical struggle of this woman and her will to survive as an immigrant and make something of herself in Moscow. The director, with his background in documentaries, captures the brutal circumstances in a visceral and authentic way. Every scene is filled with tension and heartbreaking to watch."
