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Council of Europe Film Award (FACE) is presented by the Council of Europe at the Istanbul International Film Festival to the director of a film that raises public awareness and interest in human rights issues and creates better understanding of their importance.

The FACE award is intended to honour an artistic or documentary film that promotes human rights in accordance with the values of the Council of Europe and the principles of individual freedom, political liberty and the rule of law.

Procedure and prize
The FACE award is offered to a film selected from entries in the Human Rights in Cinema section of the festival. This includes both documentaries and features investigating social changes and individual dramas.

The FACE award includes a sculpture in bronze (created by Freddy Ruhlman, entitled "Spirale de l'élévation") and a cash prize of 10000 €, which is offered in collaboration with Eurimages, the Council of Europe fund for the co-production, distribution and exhibition of European cinematographic works.

In the name of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Terry Davis, the Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner, Thomas Hammarberg presented the first Council of Europe Film Award on 14 April 2007. Since then, the FACE award has been established as an annual collaboration between the International Istanbul Film Festival and the Council of Europe.

Award holders

 * 1) Bamako/The Court, directed by Abderrahmane Sissako (2007)