BYD, the world’s leading manufacturer of new energy vehicles and sustainable mobility solutions, and Mediawan, the leading independent and multi-award-winning European studio, are proud to announce that the film Honeymoon, directed by Ukrainian filmmaker Zhanna Ozirna, has won the first edition of the Build Your Dream Award. The prize was awarded on Thursday 14 May, during a ceremony held at the Terrasse by Albane in Cannes.

Created by Mediawan and BYD, the ‘Build Your Dream Award’ honours each year a debut feature film released theatrically in France between two editions of the Cannes Film Festival, with the aim of supporting new voices in contemporary cinema. 

The prize was awarded by an international jury chaired by Chinese director Chen composed of Mélanie Laurent, Hafsia Herzi, Yann Demange and Thierry Chèze.

The jury chose to honor Honeymoon, distributed by Destiny Films, for the power of its direction, its singular perspective, and its ability to bring forth, in a time of war, an intimate story shaped by fear, love, and hope.

Jury president Chen Kaige said: "The jury unanimously agreed to award Zhanna Ozirna for Honeymoon. We were deeply impressed by the film’s remarkable cinematic strength. Through its precise direction and emotional intensity, Honeymoon transforms a confined space into a profoundly affecting experience. Every first movie itself is an act of courage and for me, this was unquestionably the right decision."

Zhanna Ozirna, director of Honeymoon and winner of the 2026 ‘Build Your Dream Award’ commented: “I’m incredibly thankful and moved to receive the ‘Build Your Dream Award’. I started making this film with a desire to speak about my generation — young, creative and intellectually free people whose lives were suddenly transformed by war. In a time when making independent cinema in Ukraine has become especially difficult, this support feels deeply meaningful. I believe cinema has the power to preserve memory and human experience, and this award gives me strength to continue exploring human nature through the language of cinema.”

The winner will receive a €40,000 grant to support the continuation of her creative journey.

Born from a shared commitment by Mediawan and BYD to support emerging talent, the ‘Build Your Dream Award’ celebrates the inventiveness, originality, and diversity of a new generation of filmmakers from around the world.

Honeymoon synopsis

February 2022. Olya and Taras spend their first night in their new apartment. At dawn, a series of explosions wakes them: the Russian invasion has begun. Trapped inside their home and surrounded by enemy soldiers, they experience conflicting emotions — fear, but also love and hope — as they learn to survive.

Some technical details about the film :

Directed by: Zhanna Ozirna

Written by: Zhanna Ozirna

Starring: Ira Nirsha, Roman Lutskyi

Produced by: Toy Cinema

Production Year: 2024

Reminder of the 2026 shortlist

Familiar Touch, Sarah Friedland (United States)

Christy And His Brother, Brendan Canty (Ireland)

Fire On the Plain, Ji Zhang (China)

Didi, Sean Wang (United States / Taiwan)

Disco Afrika: A Malagasy Story, Luck Razanajaona (Madagascar)

Honeymoon, Zhanna Ozirna (Ukraine)

In The Summers, Alessandra Lacorazza (United States / Colombia)

Little Trouble Girls, Urska Djukić (Croatia)

Muganga, The One Who Treats, Marie- Hélène Roux (France)

On Falling, Laura Carreira (Portugal)

We Believe You, Charlotte Devillers & Arnaud Dufeys (Belgium)

That Summer In Paris, Valentine Cadic (France)

A Sad And Beautiful World, Cyril Aris (Lebanon)

Together, Michael Shanks (Australia)

Truly Naked, Muriel D'Ansembourg (Netherlands)

Press kit link: https://md.bydauto.eu/d/6f169aebadd7465197d1/

About BYD Auto

Founded in 2003, BYD Auto is the automotive subsidiary of BYD, a multinational high-tech company devoted to leveraging technological innovations for a better life. Aiming to accelerate the green transition of the global transportation sector, BYD Auto focuses on developing pure electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. The company has mastered the core technologies of the entire industrial chain of new energy vehicles, such as batteries, electric motors, electronic controllers, and automotive-grade semiconductors. It has witnessed in recent years significant technological advancements, including the Blade Battery, the DM-i and DM-p hybrid technology, the e-Platform 3.0, the CTB and iTAC technologies, the DiSus Intelligent Body Control System, and the XUANJI Architecture. The company is the world’s first carmaker to stop the production of fossil-fuelled vehicles on EV shift and has remained top of new energy passenger vehicle sales in China for 13 years in a row.

About BYD Europe

BYD Europe is headquartered in the Netherlands and is the first overseas branch of BYD Group, with a commitment to evolving the international brand BYD Auto to deliver safe and efficient sustainable solutions in new energy vehicles through world-leading technological innovations.

About Mediawan

Founded in France at the end of 2015 by Pierre-Antoine Capton, Xavier Niel and Matthieu Pigasse, Mediawan, a leading European studio has, ten years after its creation, established itself as a global leader in independent production across all genres.

As an integrated player operating across the entire value chain, from production to distribution, as well as broadcasting and diversification, Mediawan is a unique creative platform designed to support the world’s leading talents. Today, the group brings together more than 80 of the most talented production companies across 13 countries, producing more than 450 works every year, with international successes such as F1 The Movie, Adolescence, Slow Horses, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir and Call My Agent! (Dix pour cent). Driven by strong artistic standards and a premium ambition, they create distinctive stories capable of reaching wide audiences and resonating with the major issues of our time.

For more information, please visit https://www.byd.com/eu.
Contact:
Europe: Penny Peng, PressEU@byd.com tel: +31-102070888