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16-03-2008

The Mermaid takes top prize in Sofia

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    The Mermaid
    by Russian director Anna Melikian won the Best Film Award at the 12th edition of the international Sofia Film Festival, according to the Bulgarian news agency BTA. The award, presented at a ceremony Saturday night in Sofia, was accompanied by a prize of €5,000

    The Jameson Award for best domestic short film, sponsored by the whisky maker Jameson, went to Family Therapy by Peter Vulchanov.

    The jury's special award went to The Bird Can't Fly, a co-production of South Africa, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Seamstresses by Bulgaria's Lyudmil Todorov won the FIPRESCI award and 4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days by Romania's Cristian Mungiu won an award for best Balkan film.

    Stefan Arsenijevic took the Cadillac directing award for Love and Other Crimes, a co-production of Serbia, Germany, Austria and Slovenia. The Audience Award went to The World is Big and Salvation Lurks around the Corner by Bulgaria's Stefan Komandarev, a co-production of Germany, Slovenia and Hungary.

    Bulgarian film director Vladislav Ikonomov, actor-director Nikita Mikhalkov, musician Milcho Leviev, actor Miki Manojlovic and writer Jean-Claude Carriere were awarded for contribution to world cinema.