With every screening sold out days in advance, and the audience, media and general public, as well as the documentary industry professionals expressed a strong interest in the 7th AJB DOC Film Festival and its theme of "Justice?", which examined the (in)justice regionally and globally. Hence, the organizers of the Festival had a serious task - to count all the votes carefully before the final announcement of the winning documentary in the Audience Award category. After all, the best film in this category had to be the one that got the most attention and won the hearts of the audience, and the film "Where Olive Trees Weep" directed by Zaya and Maurizio Benazzo did just that.

The most votes from the audience, with 655 votes marked with the highest rating and an overall rating of 4.81, went to this heartbreaking, touching, and poignant documentary about the struggle and resilience of Palestinians under Israeli occupation, which explores themes of loss, trauma and the search for justice.

After receiving this news, the film authors Maurizio and Zaya Benazzo said they were very honoured and expressed their gratitude to the audience for believing in their movie.

"We are so deeply honored that you gave us the Audience Award and believed in us. We were in tears watching the video from the opening night - the scene of you standing up and chanting with Palestinian banners, Free Palestine. That is the dream audience for all filmmakers, who understands with their hearts and their own lived experience, what it is to have experienced genocide and injustice, and to fight for your freedom. The Audience Award is the best because it means that you liked the movie and you felt compelled to support us. So it’s an amazing honor."

Maurizio and Zaya also asked for the continued distribution of the film, saying: "Pass it to your friends through whereolivetreeswheep.com. We accept donations, but you can also enter "zero" and tell your friends to enter "zero" if they cannot afford to donate. Because, for us, it is important that people see it. And it's important for us to have a free Palestine. We will see Palestine free at the end of this genocide and occupation. Thank you for all the love and support".

The audience was deeply moved during the conversation with Ashira Darwish, the protagonist of this film, who was our guest in Sarajevo. After the screening, she talked about her experiences and thanked everyone for the award.

"I want to thank AJB DOC Festival for this award. I want to thank Sarajevo for its hospitality and solidarity. I dedicate this award to our women prisoners, to the Palestinian mothers, sisters and daughters who are currently in the Israeli torture chambers. May you all be free. Please raise your voices for the freedom and liberation of all Palestinian political prisoners who are inside the Israeli prisons at this moment, held unjustly for raising their voices and standing against the oppression of the Israeli fascist regime," said Darwish.

This year's edition of the AJB DOC Film Festival ended with the announcement of the Audience Award.