09/09/2022 - VENICE 2022: This year's two other great winners are Anhell69 by Theo Montoya and Margins by Niccolò Falsetti, the only Italian title in competition

The International Film Critics' Week, the autonomous and parallel section organised by the National Syndicate of Italian Film Critics (SNCCI) during this year's Venice Film Festival, has announced today, Friday 9 September, the winners of its 37th edition.

The international jury, consisting on this occasion of Rok Biček, Nico Marzano and Barbara Wurm awarded the IWONDERFULL Grand Prize to David Wagner's Eismayer [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: David Wagner
film profile], describing the film as "a mature and surprisingly coherent first feature on many levels" and "an outstanding example of effective, direct and seamless storytelling."

The jurors added: "The film takes on the challenge of conquering one of the last institutional bastions of homophobia: the military. Describing the realm of self-discipline and mere obedience, it is a surprisingly genuine and calm reflection on the nature of our feelings, their connection to our bodies, our attitudes and our beliefs."

The same jury also awarded a special mention to Theo Montoya's Anhell69 [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Theo Montoya
film profile], stating that "through a daring and eclectic aesthetic, [...] this work coherently floats through the urban layers of prevailing tragedies." The jurors called it a "sensitive and poetic song of death" and "an overwhelming trans película of its kind." The film also won the Mario Serandrei - Hotel Saturnia Award for Best Technical Contribution and the Circolo del Cinema di Verona Award.

The only Italian film in competition, Margins [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Niccolò Falsetti
film profile] by Niccolò Falsetti, won the Audience Award THE FILM CLUB with a rating of 4.52/5.00. Turnout in the theatres exceeded pre-pandemic numbers.


Among the short films, on the other hand, the jury composed of Marco Alessi, Valerio Ferrara and Tita Tummillo De Palo awarded the Best Short Film Prize to Puiet by Lorenzo Fabbro and Bronte Stahl for the "ability with which the film maintains a constant relationship between image-movement and image-time, entrusting the appearance of the subject with a narrative role that is at times disarming." The Best Director Award went to Albertine Where Are You? by Maria Guidone, while the Best Technical Contribution Award went to Reginetta by Federico Russotto.

On this year's balance, Delegate General Beatrice Fiorentino said: "This concludes what we imagined as a 'rebirth edition,' open and inclusive, oriented towards an ideal of sharing, friendship, love, and a sense of community. We have favoured an idea of cinema that is authorial yet accessible, and the winners of SIC 2022 support this editorial line, which is also intended to be a sign of confidence and an invitation for audiences to return to the theatres."

The awards:

Feature Films

International Film Critics' Week Grand Prize
Eismayer [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: David Wagner
film profile] – David Wagner (Austria)

Verona Film Club Award
Anhell69 [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Theo Montoya
film profile] – Theo Montoya (Colombia/Romania/France/Germany)

Mario Serandrei – Hotel Saturnia Award for Best Technical Contribution
Anhell69 – Theo Montoya

Audience Award – THE FILM CLUB
Margini [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Niccolò Falsetti
film profile] -  Niccolò Falsetti (Italy)

Short Films

Best Short Film Award
Puiet – Lorenzo Fabbro e Bronte Stahl (Italy/United States/Romania)

Best Director Award
Albertine Where Are You?  – Maria Guidone (Italy)

Best Technical Contribution Award
Reginetta – Federico Russotto (Italy)

(Translated from Italian by Manuela Lazic)