IRAN – COUNTRY IN FOCUS

 

RETOUCH Kaveh Mazaheri / Iran

Golden River and Audience Choice

 

The opening, full of suspense, transports the audience into a day in the oppressive life of the protagonist, whose every action is undertaken unwillingly. The realistic language of the film, together with remarkably natural and unpretentious acting, raises the film to a higher level.  Thus, it becomes much more than merely an appealing tale, it becomes an intense comment on the social status of the protagonist: an oppressed woman, ignored by the community.

 

ARA Yousef Kargar / Iran

Special Mention of the Jury

 

The opening, full of suspense, transports the audience into a day in the oppressive life of the protagonist, whose every action is undertaken unwillingly. The realistic language of the film, together with remarkably natural and unpretentious acting, raises the film to a higher level.  Thus, it becomes much more than merely an appealing tale, it becomes an intense comment on the social status of the protagonist: an oppressed woman, ignored by the community.

 

FILM SCHOOLS

 

FUCKING DRAMA Michael Podogil / Austria

Golden River and Audience Choice

 

Using the engrossing pretext of a theatre play, the film focuses on an important question about Art in general: has it lost its potential? Extreme tension is created between reality and a performance. Well-crafted, it efficaciously keeps the audience suspended between laughter and amazement.

 

CASTING Katarzyna Iskra / Poland

Special Mention of the Jury

 

The jury particularly appreciated the casting of Casting! Marta Mazurek delivers a tender performance of a young girl forced to choose between motherhood and a career. This is a powerful story about the role gender plays when we are faced with key life choices and, also,  the extent to which we are judged on the basis of what we choose.

 

ITALIAN SHORTS

 

STELLA 1 Roberto D’Ippolito, Gaia Bonsignore / Italy

Golden River

 

For the great skill with which the present is described as a huge adventure when seen through the eyes of a child, while maintaining a link with the world of adults and with real events in the past. Ironic, energizing and flawlessly acted, it also offers an impressive soundtrack and a poetic ending. The animation scenes blend harmoniously with the story.

 

PEGGIE Rosario Capozzolo / Italy

Special Mention of the Jury and Audience Choice

 

The jury would also like to mention Peggie, a film which takes up the serious subject of senile dementia with surprising simplicity and delicacy. Visually impeccable, Peggie presents different phases in the protagonist’s life by moving from one room to another through long, powerful tracking shot. The performances of the two protagonists are also worthy of note.

 

INTERNATIONAL SHORTS

 

CUBEMAN Linda Dombrovszky / Hungary

Golden River

 

The short offers an imaginative way of talking about the drama of losing a life partner and finding a placebo for loneliness through the repetitive gestures of everyday living. With a touching twist in the plot at the end, the film masterfully uses colours and settings to emphasize its message. There are both interesting characterizations of the protagonists, and of the secondary characters, which create realistic sub-plots.

 

MADRE Rodrigo Sorogoyen / Spain

Special Mention of the Jury

 

The jury would also like to mention Madre, an expertly orchestrated thriller based on every parent’s worst nightmare. The powerful dialogue, use of a long tracking shot and superb performance by Marta Nieto, work together to create a touching crescendo of tension whilst, simultaneously, offering a glimpse into the life of a single mother at her most vulnerable moment.

 

THE PECULIAR ABILITIES OF MR MAHLER Paul Philipp / Germany

Audience Choice

 

ANIMATIONS

 

NEGATIVE SPACE Max Porter, Ru Kuwahata / France

Golden River

 

This impeccably told, bittersweet story about a father-son relationship struck a personal note with the jury members and reminded us of our relationships with our own parents and the small, ritualised, everyday actions that brought us closer together. Negative Space is a beautifully crafted stop-motion film that manages to pack both a visual and an emotional punch into six minutes.

 

LATE AFTERNOON Louise Bagnall / Ireland

Special Mention of the Jury

For its very effective way of using animation as a means of wandering through the thoughts of a woman affected by dementia, depicting a delicate and touching journey, which, however, is full of colours and light. There is evocative use of sounds and music in the background.

 

UN SEGNO NELLO SPAZIO Nicholas Bertini / Italy

Audience Choice

 

DOCUMENTARIES

 

THE GOOD EDUCATION Gu Yu / France

Golden River

 

The camera moves profoundly, silently, into the life of a young sensitive girl and her surroundings. The documentary highlighted the vulnerability marginalisation and explores the social dynamics of a poor area in a Chinese province. The simple but efficacious direction allows spectators to empathise with the subject of the film.

 

SIROCCO: WINDS OF RESISTANCE Josh Campbell / Canada

Special Mention of the Jury

 

For having been able to focus the audience’s attention on an important current issue, through a tale that is seldom told. The use of diverse media involved us, as did the alternation of music.  poetry and interviews.

 

THE BOY WHO MADE A MUSEUM Sergio Utsch / United Kingdom

Audience Choice

 

EXTREME SHORTS

 

RAG DOLLS Justin Schaack, Kristin Schaack / United States

Audience Choice