11/04/2022 - The feature film by Lithuanian filmmaker Emilis Velyvis won over spectators while the main jury and critics crowned Assault by Kazakh director Adilkhan Yerzhanov

Lithuanian cinema, which circulates relatively rarely in France, has seen one of its representatives seduce the spectators of the Crime Film Festival in Reims, the new home of the festival since last year. Indeed, the audience prize of the second Champagne edition was awarded to The Generation of Evil [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Emilis Velyvis.

Unveiled at the Black Nights festival in Tallinn, the 6th feature by the filmmaker (revealed in 2006 with Zero) stars Vytautas Kaniušonis and Ingeborga Dapkūnaitė. Written by the director and Jonas Banys, the script focuses on Gintas, a police commissioner in a quiet provincial town who is soon to retire. Loved by all, respected by his friends and appreciated by his colleagues, he is also part of the local elite that has ruled the town for many years. But when one day, a killer comes out of nowhere and begins to wreak havoc on this tight-knit group, Gintas must not only investigate, but also protect his life... The film was produced by Daiva Varnaitė-Jovaišienė and Asta Liukaitytė for Kino Kultas, and is sold internationally by French company Reel Suspects.

The main jury (chaired by actor Niels Arestrup) and the critics favoured Assault by Kazakh director Adilkhan Yerzhanov, which made its world premiere in the Big Screen competition at the International Rotterdam Film Festival. The new film by the filmmaker (known for The Owners, The Gentle Indifference of the World [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Adilkhan Yerzhanov
film profile], A Dark-Dark Man [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] and Yellow Cat [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], among others) plunges into the heart of a high school and a hostage situation involving armed, masked strangers. However, these kidnappers make no demands. Learning that the army will only arrive in two days because of a snowstorm, Tazshi, the maths teacher, decides to assemble an assault team with other parents. The children's lives depend on him, his ex-wife, the village policeman, an Afghanistan veteran, an alcoholic, a PE teacher and the school headmaster...

There were also awards for The Execution by the Russian Lado Kvataniya and Are You Lonesome Tonight? by the Chinese Wen Shipei, and in the parallel competitive section New Blood (whose jury was chaired by the actress Marie Drucker) the victory of Cadejo blanco by the American Justin Lerner.

The prize list:

Grand Prize
Assault - Adilkhan Yerzhanov (Kazakhstan/Russia)

Jury Prize
Are You Lonesome Tonight ? - Wen Shipei (China)
The Execution - Lado Kvataniya (Russia)

Police Special Prize
The Execution - Lado Kvataniya

Critics’ Prize
Assault - Adilkhan Yerzhanov

Audience Award
The Generation of Evil [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Emilis Velyvis (Lithuania)

New Blood Award
Cadejo blanco - Justin Lerner (Guatemala)

Great East Region - The New Blood Youth Jury Award
Des feux dans la plaine - Zhang Ji (China)

(Translated from French)