02/02/2021 - The jury ruled in favour of the film by Brandon Cronenberg, as well as awarding trophies to Sleep and Teddy, while the audience and critics honoured The Swarm by Just Philippot

Organised online, the 28th Gérardmer International Fantasy Film Festival has crowned as its winner the British co-production Possessor [+see also:
film review
film profile] (unveiled in last year’s Sundance) by Canadian director Brandon Cronenberg. Presided over by Bertrand Bonello (and notably composed of actresses Lolita Chammah, Vimala Pons and Nora Hamzawi, their counterpart Gaspard Ulliel and director Pascal Bonitzer), the jury awarded the film its Grand Prize, as well as the trophy for Best Original Score (for Jim Williams). Two additional prizes were won by Sleep [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Germany’s Michael Venus and Teddy [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by French directors Ludovic and Zoran Boukherma (whose second feature film also worked its charm on the Youth Jury, having previously earned itself an Official Selection label from Cannes).

Significantly, French director Just Philippot’s first feature film The Swarm [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Just Philippot
film profile]  (decorated with the 2020 Cannes Film Festival’s Critics’ Week label) walked away with not one, but two awards, winning over the audience jury as well as that of the critics.

It’s worth noting that Possessor, Teddy and The Swarm are still awaiting release in French cinemas (via The Jokers) which have been closed since 30 October on account of the health crisis.

The winners are as follows:

Grand Prize
Possessor [+see also:
film review
film profile] - Brandon Cronenberg (Canada/UK)

Jury Award
Sleep [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Michael Venus (Germany)
Teddy [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Ludovic and Zoran Boukherma (France)

Best Original Score
Jim Williams – Possessor

Critics’ Award
The Swarm [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Just Philippot
film profile] – Just Philippot (France)

Audience Award
The Swarm – Just Philippot

Youth Jury Award
Teddy - Ludovic and Zoran Boukherma

Grand Prize for Short Film
T’es morte Hélène – Michel Blanchart (France)

(Translated from French)