The Party's Over triumphs at Lecce European Film Festival
- Marie Garel-Weiss' debut feature wins the Golden Olive Tree for Best Film and the Cineuropa Award. Scary Mother, Cobain and Disappearance also scoop up some awards
It was the vibrant film by the French director Marie Garel-Weiss, The Party's Over [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Marie Garel-Weiss
film profile], that ended up being the star of the 19th award ceremony at Lecce European Film Festival, which ended last Saturday 14 April. The film, which recounts the friendship between two young women during their difficult battle against addiction, was awarded the Golden Olive Tree "Cristina Soldano Award for Best Film" and was unanimously voted for by the jury composed of Beki Probst, Eleni Androutsopoulou, Adriana Church Di Palma, Antonella Gaeta and Dubravka Lakić “for her skill in representing the sense of dissolution of social relationships, exasperated loneliness and emotional distance [...] all entrusted to the strength and truth of the film’s two protagonists." The Party is Over also won the Cineuropa Prize, awarded by a jury composed of Guillame Calop, Françoise Lentz and Altijana Marić Đorđević – because it "shows a strong bond and a pure friendship brought to life by two wonderful actresses who keep each other going in times of adversity and emotional turbulence, ending in a positive atmosphere." The film also won the Agiscuola Award, which was voted for by high school students in Lecce.
The Golden Olive Tree jury awarded three other prizes: the Best Screenplay award went to Stienette Bosklopper for Nanouk Leopold's Cobain [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Nanouk Leopold
film profile] ("the intense portrait of a teenager lost in the absence of emotional bonds, dialogue, attention or belonging"), the Best Photography award went to Marton Miklauzic for the Turkish title Yellow Heat [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Fikret Reyhan, "for having been able to make photography the absolute protagonist of the contrast between rural and industrial landscapes, in a warm and realistic way," while the Special Jury Prize was awarded to Disappearance [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Boudewijn Koole
film profile] by Boudewijn Koole, "for its ability to insert – into a glacial landscape – the rebuilding of an interrupted relationship, or one that perhaps never existed, between a mother and daughter.” Disappearance also won the Audience Award.
The FIPRESCI jury composed of Marta Bałaga, Tim Lindemann and Ignatius Senator awarded Scary Mother [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ana Urushadze
film profile] by Ana Urushadze, "for its ability to tell the story of a woman who fights to free creativity and gain her independence." The Bosnian actor Goran Bogdan won the SNGCI Prize (National Union of Italian Film Journalists), which was awarded by trade union members and by the president Laura Delli Colli to the European actor for his performance in Agape [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Branko Schmidt
film profile] by Branko Schmidt, stating that he was "perfect in a difficult and delicate role, that he tackled while allowing us to feel the emotion of a strong civil commitment."
Finally, the Mario Verdone Award, now in its ninth edition, was awarded to Roberto De Paolis for Pure Hearts [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Roberto De Paolis
film profile], with a special recognition for Andrea De Sica in Children of the Night [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Andrea De Sica
film profile].
The 20th edition of the European Film Festival will be held in Lecce from 8 to 13 April 2019.
Complete list of winners:
Golden Olive Tree “Cristina Soldano Award for Best Film”
The Party's Over [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Marie Garel-Weiss
film profile] - Marie Garel-Weiss (France)
Best Screenplay Award
Stienette Bosklopper - Cobain [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Nanouk Leopold
film profile] (The Netherlands/Belgium/Germany)
Best Photography Award
Marton Miklauzic - Yellow Heat [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Turkey)
Special Jury Prize
Disappearance [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Boudewijn Koole
film profile] - Boudewijn Koole (The Netherlands-Norway)
FIPRESCI Award
Scary Mother [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ana Urushadze
film profile] - Ana Urushadze (Georgia-Estonia)
SNGCI Award
Goran Bogdan - Agape [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Branko Schmidt
film profile] (Croatia)
Audience Award
Disappearance - Boudewijn Koole
Mario Verdone Award 2018
Roberto De Paolis - Pure Hearts [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Roberto De Paolis
film profile]
Cineuropa Award
The Party's Over - Marie Garel-Weiss
Emidio Greco Award
Denise - Rossella Inglese (Italy) (short film)
Augustus Color del Centro Nazionale del Cortometraggio Award
Fine d’estate - Paolo Strippoli
Special Mention
Piccole italiane - Letizia Lamartire
Rai Cinema Channel Award
L’uomo proibito - Tiziano Russo
Unisalento Award
Fine d’estate - Paolo Strippoli
Agiscuola Award
The Party's Over - Marie Garel-Weiss
(Translated from Italian)
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