Matt Sarnecki has been awarded a Jury Award: Power of the Powerless by The Czech Film and Television Association FITES for his 2022 The Killing of a Journalist. The award acknowledges Sarnecki’s contribution to civil society, and he receives it for his writing and directing.
‘The Killing of a Journalist’ is a film about how the murder of investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová has inspired protests and influenced politics in Slovakia.
The jury note that “Sarnecki from a distance has deciphered the story of Ján Kuciak and Martina Kušnírová, placing the act in previously unknown societal context of the intersection between the mafia and Slovak politics.” They further notice that “The use of unique materials from the villa of the main suspect, businessman Marian Kočner, adds significant value to the documentary.”