18/10/2010

Belgian director Olivier Masset-Depasse was among the top winners at the 26th Warsaw Film Festival where he nabbed Best Director for Illegal [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Olivier Masset-Depasse
film profile] (also in the European Parliament LUX Prize 2010 competition). The Grand Prize, the highest accolade in official competition, went to Canadian director Denis Villeneuve’s Incendies (“Fires”).

"The directorial style of this film based on current events engages viewers and creates a fascinating, shocking and deeply moving experience" said the jury about Illegal.

A Special Prize was awarded to director Bogdan George Apetri and screenwriter Tudor Voican for Romanian production Outskirts [+see also:
trailer
interview: Ana Ularu
film profile]. The film, which also received the FIPRESCI Prize, was praised by the jury for its truth, authenticity, strength and coherence.

Special mentions were handed to actresses Lubna Azabal (Incendies), Anna Coesens (Illegal) and Ana Ulyaru (Outskirts).The jury commented: "It’s a total coincidence that the three best films focus on strong women characters, women fleeing repression, who lose, then find their sons. We thus wanted to honour the three wonderful actresses who play these extraordinary women".

A special mention also went to Federico Veiroja’s Spanish/Uruguayan co-production A Useful Life for its "cinematic humour" .

Marek Lechki’s Polish hit Erratum and Zeina Durra’s The Imperialists Are Still Alive! shared the 1-2 Competition Award (for debut and second features).

The Free Spirit Award was presented to Swedish duo Ola Simonsson and Johannes Stjärne Nilsson’s Sound Of Noise [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], with a special mention going to Anna Fenchenko’s Russian production Missing Man.

Finally, Olga Spatova’s Czech film Eye Over Prague [+see also:
trailer
film profile] topped the Documentary category, while Romanian director Adrian Sitaru’s The Cage triumphed in the shorts section.

(Translated from French)