Rasouli wins Alpinale’s Golden Unicorn for Found & Lost

Reza Rasouli’s film Found & Lost has won the Golden Unicorn for Best Narrative Short at the 41st Alpinale short-film festival in Bludenz, ORF reported. The Vienna-based director’s film was selected as the winner from more than 1,300 submissions, with 70 productions from 22 countries shortlisted for the festival.

The 17-minute film, made in 2025, follows a 70-year-old Syrian father who works as a cleaner at a club in Vienna. After finding a lost wallet, he tries to locate its owner, leading to misunderstandings and moral conflicts for the protagonist, Tamim.

The jury said Rasouli had portrayed “the clash between two worlds in a subtle and authentic way”. Found & Lost has also received awards at festivals in Austria, Italy and the United States.

US filmmaker Tim Schwagel won the Golden Unicorn for Best Horror Short for Blossom Needs A Ride Home. Swiss animator Marie Kenov received the animation award for Ostrich, which the jury described as a successful film about the pressure created by beauty ideals.

Germany’s Aria Wolf was honoured in the Best VR Short category for Lichtung, while Antje Hein won Best Children’s Short for Vor meiner Tür auf einer Matte. Jan Schenk from Hohenems won the v-shorts regional category, which is open to local and regional filmmakers, for Zwischen Linien. France’s Sophie Roze received the audience award for Une guitare à la mer.

Organisers said 1,800 people attended the festival. Films for next year’s 42nd edition can be submitted until February 22, 2027.