01/07/2016 - Bulgarian director Radoslav Spassov’s The Singing Shoes and other European co-productions are among the films awarded at the festival

The 38^th Moscow International Film Festival came to an end with the closing ceremony held in the downtown Rossiya movie house on 30 June. This year, the eight-day festival screened nearly 180 films, while 13 features, eight documentaries and 14 shorts competed for the Saint George Award in their respective categories.

Taking home the main prize, the Golden George for Best Film, was Iranian director Reza Mirkarimi’s The Daughter. The film’s lead actor, Farhad Aslani, was awarded the Silver George for Best Actor. Fifteen-year-old Therese Malvar snatched Best Actress with her performance in the Filipino film Haze by Ralston Jover.

European films and co-productions also won a few accolades at the festival. The Special Jury Prize went to the Bulgarian production The Singing Shoes by Radoslav Spassov, and Danish filmmaker Puk Grasten won Best Director with her Danish-US co-production 37 [+see also:
trailer
film profile]. The Best Documentary, South Korean director Jero Yun’s Mrs. B, A North Korean Woman [+see also:
trailer
film profile], is a co-production with France. Meanwhile, the Serbo-Croatian co-production Train Driver’s Diary [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Milos Radović
film profile] by Miloš Radovic won the highest rating in the Audience Choice Award.

The festival also awarded Best Short Film to the US-Canada co-produced Selfied, directed by Nicole Brending, and honoured Sergey Solovyov, Carlos Saura and Stephen Frears, directors from Russia, Spain and the UK, respectively, with Special Prizes for their contribution to world cinema. Additionally, Russian actress Marina Neyolova received the Special Prize for her outstanding achievement in acting and her devotion to K Stanislavsky’s principles.

Here is the complete list of winners at the Moscow International Film Festival:

Golden George for Best Film
The Daughter – Reza Mirkarimi

Silver George Special Jury Prize
The Singing Shoes – Radoslav Spassov

Silver George for Best Director
Puk Grasten – 37 [+see also:
trailer
film profile]

Silver George for Best Actor
Farhad Aslani – The Daughter

Silver George for Best Actress
Therese Malvar – Haze

Silver George for Best Documentary
Mrs. B, A North Korean Woman [+see also:
trailer
film profile] – Jero Yun

Best Short Film
Selfied – Nicole Brending

Special Prizes for Outstanding Contribution to World Cinema
Sergey Solovyov, Carlos Saura and Stephen Frears

Special Prize for Outstanding Achievement in the Career of Acting and Devotion to the Principles of K Stanislavsky’s School
Marina Neyolova