RiFF Awards 2018
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