The 2019 International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), which concluded this past weekend, featured the highest ratio of women filmmakers in the fest’s 31-year history. Fittingly, this year’s edition presented its top prize to a women-directed film. Cineuropa confirms Heidi Hassan and Patricia Pérez Fernández took home the Best Feature-length Documentary award for “In a Whisper.”

The directing duo received €20,000 (about $22,000 USD) as part of the honor. “In a Whisper” tells the story of Hassan and Fernández’s friendship — their childhood and education in Cuba, their shared passion for film, their migration to Switzerland and Spain, respectively, and their eventual reunion.

Filmmakers Maasja Ooms and Lucy Parker are also among the 2019 IDFA award winners. The former nabbed the Best Cinematography prize and €2,500 (about $2,770 USD) for “Punks,” a doc about at-risk teens participating in a music therapy program that she also directed. Parker was recognized with the Best First Appearance award and €10,000 (about $11,000 USD) for “Solidarity,” her debut feature. The film explores the stealth methods that have been used against UK activists and trade unionists.

The IDFA’s 2019 awards ceremony was held November 27 at the Eye Film Museum in Amsterdam. Head over to Cineuropa for the full list of winners.