18/12/2023 - The European productions Peter Pan and Zimmerwald also found themselves on the winners’ list

Members of the team, jury and guests at the 2023 Novos Cinemas

The eighth edition of the Pontevedra International Film Festival – Novos Cinemas (12-17 December) stood out once again thanks to its carefully curated selection of first and second works, introducing an array of promising voices from the international scene who have not yet benefited from an extensive festival run. The Galician event also demonstrates its commitment through the films it selects for its industry sidebar: for example, both this year’s opening film, À procura da estrela by Carlos Martínez-Peñalver, and the closing title, Cando toco un animal by Ángel Filgueira, previously passed through the Novos Cinemas #LAB, a space for consultancy and guidance intended to bolster the development of feature debuts. In addition to the 13 titles screened in the two competitive sections (nine in the Official Section and four in Latexos), the programme boasted the first-ever focus dedicated to German artist-filmmaker Katrin Rothe (1917 - The Real October [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Katrin Rothe
film profile], Johnny & Me - A Journey through Time with John Heartfield [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), as well as several different training activities and meetings with professionals.

The International Jury, made up of programmer Gloria Benito, distributor and producer Silvia Cruz, and filmmaker Helena Wittmann (Human Flowers of Flesh [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Helena Wittmann
film profile]), handed the Novos Cinemas Award for Best Feature in the Official Section to the Rwandan picture The Bride by Myriam U Birara, for “its ability to transform a violent situation into a moving testimony of love and solidarity, availing itself of an apparently simple narrative that enriches the story skilfully and harmoniously”. The film, which broaches the dramatic topic of forced marriages in Rwanda, emerged as the big winner of this year’s edition, as it also received the Xurado Novo Award for Best Directing.

This time around, the International Jury also opted to give out two Special Mentions: one went to the French film Peter Pan by Natacha Samuel and Florent Klockenbring, “for having chosen not to grow up, but to be able to love everyone”, while another was bestowed upon Japan’s There Is a Stone by Tatsunari Ota.

Another particularly well-received feature at this edition was An Evening Song (for three voices) by the USA’s Graham Swon, which went home with two major gongs: the Critics’ Jury Prize and the Audience Award. In their verdict, critics Gerard Casau, Jesús Silva and Daniela Urzola praised the movie “for its singular outlook on the American gothic tradition through a film language in which words and images are combined in a perfect balance, and for continuing to open up unusual avenues in authentic US indie cinema that champions the value of the craft”.

Meanwhile, the Latexos Jury, comprising exhibitors Xan Gómez Viñas (NUMAX), Sergio Casteleiro (DUPLEX) and Ana Matilde Uslenghi (Zumzeig), decided to give their award to the Swiss title Zimmerwald by Valeria Stucki, “for its approach to the story and its link to the public space, and how it is devised from a contemporary standpoint, offering a captivating modern perspective”.

Here is the full list of winners:

Novos Cinemas Best Film
The Bride – Myriam U Birara (Rwanda)

Special Mentions from the International Jury
Peter Pan – Natacha Samuel and Florent Klockenbring (France)
There Is a Stone – Tatsunari Ota (Japan)

Best Film in Latexos
Zimmerwald – Valeria Stuck (Switzerland)

Critics’ Jury Prize
An Evening Song (for three voices) – Graham Swon (USA)

Xurado Novo Award for Best Director in the Official Section
The Bride – Myriam U Birara

Audience Award
An Evening Song (for three voices) – Graham Swon

(Translated from Spanish)