28/11/2022 - Brazilian director Ana Vaz's feature debut has won the Grand Prize at the 37th Belfort Entrevues Film Festival, while Dirty, Difficult, Dangerous by Wissam Charaf won the Audience Award

Dedicated to young, innovative and independent directors, the Belfort Entrevues Film Festival concluded its 37th edition (which took place from 20 to 27 November) with a list of winners dominated by It Is Night in America [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] from Brazilian director Ana Vaz, to whom the jury (composed of filmmakers Éléonore Weber and Damien Manivel, editor Valérie Loiseleux, actress Louise Chevillotte and actor Maxence Tual) handed out the Janine Bazin Grand Prize. The film also won the One+One prize (given by the jury to a film with a remarkable, free and innovative musical universe). The director’s feature debut was first discovered in Locarno, in the Cineasti del presente competition.

The main jury gave a special mention to We Had The Day Bonsoir from Algerian director Narimane Mari, a French production already awarded at FIDMarseille.

Winner of the award for Best Director in the Encounters competition of the latest Berlinale, Unrest [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Cyril Schäublin
film profile] from Swiss filmmaker Cyril Schäublin has won in Belfort the Distribution Support Award, while the Audience Award went to the French-Italian-Lebanese production Dirty, Difficult, Dangerous [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Wissam Charaf
film profile] by Wissam Charaf (winner of the Europa Cinemas Label in Giornate degli Autori in Venise, released in France on 26 April 2023).

Finally, the post-production support of the 14th edition of the [Films en cours] program went to the documentary Ne me guéris jamais from French filmmaker David Yon. Produced by Survivance, the film is set in Marseille, whose face has been radically changed in the last few years by major renovation work. In the Arenc district, towers are being built in front of Ouahib's windows, blocking his view. He should leave, but to go where? He wanders around the city of Marseille, camera in hand, to keep a trace of what is about to disappear. Pierre has become blind. He can no longer see the city he has been living in for a long time, but he perceives its changes through sounds. In his apartment, he writes texts about his relationship with the world and his vision of Marseille. Rosalie arrived not long ago in search of the south she used to visit as a child. She is looking for her way in the city and is studying opera singing…

This 37th edition of the Belfort Entrevues Film Festival dedicated two special sections to filmmakers Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche and Emmanuelle Cuau.

The full list of award winners:

Janine Bazin Grand Prize
It Is Night in America [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] – Ana Vaz (Italy/France/Brazil)

Special Mention
We Had The Day Bonsoir - Narimane Mari (France)

Ciné + Distribution Support Award
Unrest [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Cyril Schäublin
film profile] - Cyril Schäublin (Switzerland)

André S. Labarthe Grand Prize for Best Short Film
Koban Louzoù - Brieuc Schieb (France)

One+One Prize
It Is Night in America – Ana Vaz

Audience Award - Feature Film
Dirty, Difficult, Dangerous [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Wissam Charaf
film profile]– Wissam Charaf (France/Italy/Lebanon)

Audience Award - Short Film
Tutto apposto gioia mia - Chloé Lecci López (France)

[Films en cours] Post-production Support Prize
Ne me guéris jamais – David Yon (France)

Gérald Frot-Coutaz Prize
I Comete [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Pascal Tagnati
film profile] – Pascal Tagnati (France)

New Talents
Ève – Lisa Morel (France)
Homard Sheriff – Gautier Paille and Louis Husson (France)

(Translated from French)