"The jury awards Sarra Tsorakidis's stark, assured, and unshakable debut feature, a character study examining a Romanian artist's days working in a new hotel under construction, coming off of a difficult breakup while exploring new connections. The gorgeous yet lonely setting fits seamlessly with the story, which was brought to life by the brilliant star Ilinca Harnut and an excellent supporting cast. Drenched in the beauty of nature and evoking questions around intimacy and solitude, the film lingers with you long after you've watched. Tsorakidis's exacting compositions reflect the work of its subject, gradually granting us profound access into her interior life-her journey is familiar and quiet, but realized on screen with consistently thorny, nuanced emotional depth. An auspicious introduction to a bold new filmmaker, Ink Wash represents a model winner of the New Directors Award. We can't wait to see more from Tsorakidis."
