Applause, praise and accolades for Hong Sang-soo in Gijón
- The 56th edition of the Asturian festival has bestowed its highest honour (and two more besides) on Hotel by the River, directed by the South Korean maestro
The awards ceremony of the 56th Gijón International Film Festival took place on Saturday, where the Woman in Cinema award was also presented to Esther García from the production company El Deseo. El Deseo has just released the documentary The Silence of Others [+see also:
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interview: Almudena Carracedo, Esther …
film profile] in Spain to widespread acclaim. As for the festival itself, the Principado de Asturias Prize for Best Feature Film in the official section went to Hotel by the River, directed by South Korean maestro Hong Sang-soo — a worthy winner, according to the jury, “for demonstrating once again the extraordinary and prolific creativity of one of the great contemporary filmmakers, who continues to prove that the most substantial of subjects can be tackled with neither artifice nor solemnity. This film is (another) example of Hong in a state of grace.” Hotel by the River, was also honoured for its screenplay, written by the director himself (a prize-winner at Gijón three years ago — read more here), and its lead, Ki Joobong who was presented with the prize for best actor.
The award for best director was shared between two European co-productions: Radu Jude, for “I Do Not Care if We Go Down in History as Barbarians [+see also:
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film profile] (Chile/Brazil/Argentina/the Netherlands/Qatar). As for the actors, the AISGE Award for Best Actress was won by Olivia Colman for her star turn inThe Favourite [+see also:
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film profile], directed by Greece’s Yorgos Lanthimos (Coleman was also presented with an award for the same role at this year’s Venice International Film Festival).
Best Cinematography went to Too Late to Die Young in its second award of the evening. Directed by Inti Briones, it was generally regarded as the best film shown in the competitive sections. Meanwhile, the Gil Parrondo Award for Best Art Director was presented to Iuliana Vilsan for his work on “I Do Not Care if We Go Down in History as Barbarians”.
Spanish cinema was well represented among the winners thanks to Cantares de una revolución [+see also:
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film profile], directed by Ramón Lluís Bande, who received the Special Jury Prize “for addressing a historically significant issue with a solid and distinctive visual style, allowing his work to stand out — with power, emotion and coherence — in the delicate intersection between musical and political filmmaking.”
The full winners’ list:
Principado de Asturias Prize for Best Feature Film
Hotel by the River – Hong Sang-soo (South Korea)
Best Directing (ex aequo)
Radu Jude – “I Do Not Care if We Go Down in History as Barbarians [+see also:
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film profile]” (Romania/Czech Republic/France/Bulgaria/Germany)
Dominga Sotomayor – Too Late to Die Young [+see also:
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film profile] (Chile/Brazil/Argentina/the Netherlands/Qatar)
AISGE Award for Best Actress
Olivia Colman – The Favourite [+see also:
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film profile] (USA/Ireland/United Kingdom)
AISGE Award for Best Actor
Ki Joobong – Hotel by the River
Best Script
Hong Sang-soo – Hotel by the River
Best Cinematography
Inti Briones – Too Late to Die Young
Gil Parrondo Award for Best Art Director
Iuliana Vilsan – “I Do Not Care if We Go Down in History as Barbarians”
Special Jury Award
Cantares de una revolución [+see also:
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Other Awards
Young Jury Award for the Best Feature Film in the Official Section
Mug [+see also:
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interview: Małgorzata Szumowska
film profile] – Małgorzata Szumowska (Poland)
FIPRESCI Award for the Best Feature Film in the Rellumes International Section
Winter Flies [+see also:
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interview: Olmo Omerzu
film profile] – Olmo Omerzu (Czech Republic/Slovenia/Poland/Slovakia)
Award for Best Director in the Rellumes International Section
Marie Losier – Cassandro The Exotico! [+see also:
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Enfants Terribles Award for Best Feature Film
This Crazy Heart [+see also:
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film profile] – Marc Rothemund (Germany)
TCM Grand Audience Award for Best Film
At the Philosophers’ School [+see also:
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interview: Fernand Melgar
film profile] – Fernand Melgar (Switzerland)
Best Spanish Feature Film Premiered within the Competitive Sections
Hamada [+see also:
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interview: Eloy Domínguez Serén
film profile] – Eloy Domínguez Serén (Sweden/Germany/Norway)
RCSERVICE Award for the Director of the Best Spanish Feature Film
Eloy Domínguez Serén – Hamada
ALMA Award for Best Script of a Spanish Feature Film
Miriam Lies [+see also:
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interview: Oriol Estrada, Dulce Rodríg…
film profile] – Natalia Cabral and Oriol Estrada (Dominican Republic/Spain)
DCP Deluxe Award
La felicidad de los perros [+see also:
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film profile] – David Hernández (Spain)
CIMA Award for Best Feature Film Directed by a Woman
Game Girls [+see also:
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(Translated from Spanish)
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