15/06/2015 - The German film by Christian Frosch and the Danish title In Your Arms by Samanou Acheche Sahlstrøm have pocketed the two top prizes at the Brussels Film Festival

Christian Frosch receiving the Golden Iris Award, flanked by the jury (© BRFF)

The 13^th edition of the Brussels Film Festival came to a close on Friday 12 June with its awards ceremony, followed by the screening of the British film X+Y [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], with its director, Morgan Matthews, in attendance. The official jury comprised French director Christian Carion, Belgian filmmaker Olivier Masset-Depasse, Italian actress Antonella Salvucci, Belgian actress Erika Sainte and Flemish actor Wim Willaert.

The jury opted to hand its top prize, the Golden Iris Award, to Rough Road Ahead [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (Germany), by the director of Austrian heritage Christian Frosch. The movie follows the chaotic journey of two teenagers in love at the start of the May 1968 revolution. Locked up in a convent and a correctional centre by the repressive German society of the time, with the more or less active involvement of their parents, one will find his way thanks to music, while the other will smash headlong into the wall of societal oppression. 

Meanwhile, the White Iris Award was bestowed upon In Your Arms [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Samanou Acheche Sahlstrøm
film profile], the feature debut by Danish director Samanou Acheche Sahlstrøm, one of Lars Von Trier’s protégés, with whom he cut his teeth at Zentropa Entertainments. The Jury Prize went to Body [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Malgorzata Szumowska
interview: Malgorzata Szumowska
film profile] by Polish director Malgorzata Szumowska. Lastly, the Best Cinematography Award was handed to the film Dora or the Sexual Neuroses of our Parents [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Stina Werenfels
film profile] by Stina Werenfels, a co-production between Switzerland and Germany.

Interestingly, Dora or the Sexual Neuroses of our Parents was also the winner of the Cineuropa Prize. Other awards were given out by various juries, among which we could highlight the Best Screenplay Award, handed out by the ASA to the Dutch movie Son of Mine [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Remy van Heugten, and the UPS Young Film Fans’ Award bestowed upon Bridgend [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Danish filmmaker Jeppe Rønde. Lastly, the winner of the Audience Award was The Measure of a Man [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Stéphane Brizé
film profile] by Stéphane Brizé, who was in attendance at the opening of the gathering.

(Translated from French)