04-12-2013

17th Black Nights Film Festival awards announced

    With ”The Great Beauty” by Paolo Sorrentino the jury experienced the passionate spirit of an elegantly Roman decadence expressed at a very high artistic level.

    The main prize 10 000 Euros is donated by the City of Tallinn. The camerawork of Luca Bigazzi in “The Grand Beauty” earned him the award of the Best Cinematographer for “giving us images that are not only on the highest technical standards, but in first hand pleasing us by being musically dynamic.”

    The Best Director award went to Japanese director Koji Fukada for “Au revoir l’été” for its sensitively observed scenes to create a story with intelligent deep insight of Japanese everyday life, earning him a 5000 Euro prize donated byAvaKosmos.

    Maksim Sukhanov won the Best Actor award for “The Role”. Best actress award was given to Juliette Binoche for her role in “Camille Claudel 1915” (France). The jury commented both winners as “outstanding performers who convince us by being more than just brilliant actors. For whom it is not enough to slip into different characters but to turn into a completely different life just to find out that there is no way back.”

    The Jury has decided to split the Special Jury Prize between two very different movies that encompass a wide range of cinematic language. The first film “Stray Dogs” by Tsai Ming-Liang (Taiwan) is awarded for creating a complex and unique atmosphere, using original cinematic language. The second is awarded to “Paradjanov” by Serge Avedikian and Olena Fetisova - a film that is not only a portrayal of the genius artist but as well the story about the power of art overcoming all the human obstacles.

    Tridens Competition of Feature Debuts from the Baltic Sea and Nordic Countries jury has awarded the Best Film doted with 5000 Euros to “Of Horses and Men” by Benedikt Erlingsson of Iceland for “Depicting simplicity of life using attractive cinematic tools.”  Special prize for the most original story goes to “Intimate Parts” by Natasha Merkulova, Alexey Chupov (Russia), for “Treating socially daring subjects with respect towards right of individuality.” Bergsteinn Björgulfsson wins the Best Cinematographer award for his work in “Of Horses and Men”.

    The Heave(i)n award for the best Estonian film goes to the Estonian-Georgian co-production “Tangerines” by Zaza Urushadze as a “A heartfelt story, which takes us on an emotional journey juxtaposing duty and humanity.”

    The international film critics FIPRESCI AWARD for the best film goes to “Of Horses and Men” by Benedikt Erlingsson (Iceland). LA JAULA DE ORO by Diego Quemada-Díez (Mexico) was awarded the best film in the North American film competition. The International Film Clubs award goes to “Tangerines” and “Circles” deserved a special mention.

    The audience award of 2000 Euros goes to “The Broken Circle Breakdown” by Felix Van Groeningen. It is donated by the City of Tallinn. The Black Nights Film Festival Lifetime achievement award was given to Istvan Szabo.

    The awards were announced at the closing ceremony of the Black Nights Film Festival in Nokia Concert Hall on 30th November 2013.