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CINÉMA DU RÉEL 2020 Awards

Cinéma du réel crowns The Year of the Discovery its champion

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- The documentary by Spanish director Luis López Carrasco claims the Grand Prize, with Makongo, Chronicle of the Stolen Land and There Will Be No More Night also scooping trophies

Cinéma du réel crowns The Year of the Discovery its champion
The Year of the Discovery by Luis López Carrasco

Composed of Florian CascheraStéphane MercurioHania MrouéTerutaro Osanaï and Cristina Piccino, the feature film competition jury of the 42nd Cinéma du Réel Festival (which was held online in view of the current health crisis) crowned The Year of the Discovery [+see also:
film review
trailer
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]
, by Spain’s Luis López Carrasco, its winner. The film takes as its basis events dating back to 1992 - riots and protests unfolding in Cartagena, in the south-east of Spain, a country which, at the time, was trying to pass itself off as civilised, modern and dynamic (ten years after Felipe González’s labour party victory) – narrated by way of discussions filmed in a cafe in the present day. The jury explained their decision as follows: "A great epic of the spoken word in a post-Franco and post-industrial-crisis Spain, where the same bar is filmed, evening and morning, as a Noah's Ark AND tower of Babel, the film is akin to a stained-glass window, shaking up temporalities, a dissonant, albeit magnificently cadenced choir, a patient, generous and formally admirable work." Unveiled in competition in Rotterdam, the documentary was produced by Spanish firm LaCima Producciones (who are also helming international sales) alongside Swiss group Alina Film.

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The SCAM International Award was won by Makongo [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
, Elvis Sabin Ngaibino’s first feature film produced by Italy’s Daniele Incalcaterra (via his Argentine outfit) in collaboration with the Bangui Alliance Française and Ateliers Varan. The jury’s reasoning: "The filmmaker manages to move us with a forceful, simple film. His protagonists' deep humanity coupled with powerful and rigorous cinematographic work impressed us. Made in the Central African forest, the film tackles universal themes with finesse and complexity."

The Institut Français - Louis Marcorelles Award, handed to the best film in the French Selection, went to Chronicle of the Stolen Land [+see also:
film review
film profile
]
by Marie Dault (produced by Tell Me Films and Pays des Miroirs). The jury’s reasoning: "The splendid energy of the film and its protagonists plunges us into a Caracas neighbourhood with a story that has a rare force. The figure of a woman fighting adversity with generosity and dignity is truly magnificent. The film touches on complex and universal issues and opens the door to hope with its masterful narration."

A Special Mention, meanwhile, went to There Will Be No More Night [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
by Éléonore Weber. Produced by Perspective Films, the jury described it as "a disturbing documentary in which Blackness is both subject and material, night is a reversible space and war, above all, a length of time. An impressive plastic work, the film installs a dizziness and sows doubts about itself, like the reflection of stars on water."

The full list of winners is as follows:

Prizes awarded by the feature film jury

Cinéma du réel Grand Prix
The Year of the Discovery [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
- Luis López Carrasco (Spain/Switzerland)

SCAM International Award
Makongo [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
- Elvis Sabin Ngaibino (Central African Republic/Argentina/Italy)

Institut Français - Louis Marcorelles Award
Chronicle of the Stolen Land [+see also:
film review
film profile
]
- Marie Dault (France)

Special Mention
There Will Be No More Night [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
- Éléonore Weber (France)

Best Score
The Two Sights [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
- Joshua Bonnetta (UK/Canada)

Special Mention
Bring Down The Walls [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
- Phil Collins (Germany/US)

Prizes awarded by the short film and first film jury

Loridan Ivens / CNAP Award
Yesterday There Were Strange Things in the Sky – Bruno Risas (Brazil)

Special Mention
Expedition Content – Ernst Karel and Veronika Kusumaryati (US)

Short Film Award
Back To 2069 – Elise Florenty and Marcel Türkowsky (Germany/France/Belgium)
Don’t Rush - Elise Florenty and Marcel Türkowsky (Germany/France/Belgium)

Special Mention
Reserve – Gerard Ortín Castellví (Spain)

Tënk Short Film Award
This Means More
– Nicolas Gourault (France)

Other prizes

Young Jury – Cinéma du Réel Award
There Will Be No More Night - Éléonore Weber

Librairies Award
The Year of the Discovery - Luis López Carrasco
Makongo - Elvis Sabin Ngaibino

Bois d’Arcy Prison Detainees Award
This Means More – Nicolas Gourault

Intangible Heritage Award
The Golden Age [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
– Jean-Baptiste Alazard (France)

Audience Award – Première fenêtre
Maria K. – Juan Francisco González (France) (mid-length film)

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(Translated from French)

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