The Italian film "The Clown" (original title „PA-RA-DA“) is the winner of the audience award "The Heinrich" of the 23rd Braunschweig International Film Festival. „The Clown“ by director Marco Pontecorvo is based on the life of French street clown Miloud Oukili, who traveled to Bucharest in 1992 and founded a circus project for street children.
The prize money of € 10,000, sponsored by Volkswagen Financial Services AG, is equally divided between the director and a German distributor who decideds to release the film in Germany theatrically.
Winner of the French-German Youth Award KINEMA is the Danish-French production "Sois sage" (international title "Be Good"). Director Juliette Garcias shot an intense character study of a young woman, who can not detach herself from her first love. Presided by director Michael Hofmann, a jury of five young adults aged 17 to 22 selected the winner who receives a 35mm print with German subtitles.
The short film music award "The Leo" goes to the Hungarian film "Mama" by director Géza M Toth and composer/sound designer Attila Pacsay. Members of the jury were Andrea Dittgen, president of the German film critics association, film journalist Sven Ahnert and composer Christine Aufderhaar. The prize money of 2.000 Euro, donated by the foundation Braunschweiger Land, is equally divided between the director and the composer.
Quote from the jury’s statement: “The acoustic design takes over a mayor part of the story telling, so that a an organic work of direction, sound design and composition sensibly balanced evolves.“
British actor John Hurt will receive the festival’s main award, the "European Actors Award" for or his outstanding artistic achievements and and his contribution to European cinema. The prize money of 10.000 Euro is donated by Volkswagen Financial Services AG.
The award ceremony will be take place today, Sunday, November 15th, in the Large Hall of the State Theatre Braunschweig. During the six festival days 165 long and short films were screened. 22.000 visitors experienced film screenings, film concerts, workshops and a photo exhibition.
The Award winning films:
Audience award THE HEINRICH
„The Clown“
Italy 2008
Director: Marco Pontecorvo
Script: Maco Pontecorvo, Roberto Tiraboschi
Camera: Vincenzo Carpineta
Editor: Alessio Doglione
Music: Andre Guerra
Actors: Jalil Lespert, Evita Ciri, Gabi Rauta
Production: Ute Leonhardt, Marco Valerio Pugini
Distribution: Beta Film
100 min., 35mm, colour, original with German subtitles
French-German Youth Award KINEMA "Sois sage" (Be Good)
France/Danemark 2008
Director & script: Juliette Garcias
Camera: Julien HirschEditor: Catherine Vilpoux
Music: Kasper Windig, Kristian Eidnes Andersen, Schubert
Actors: Anaïs Demoustier, Bruno Todeschini, Nade Dieu
Production: Slot Machine
Distribution: Trust Nordisk
91 min., 35mm, colour, original with subtitles
The statement of the jury:
"This was not an easy choice! The competition was strong and with each of the six films it became clear that we would have to to through long disussions. However we have good arguments to award the KINEMA prize to the director of "Sois sage" (Be Good), Juliette Garcias.
All possibilities of film design – image and sound – have been made use of. Thereby the film has acquired a depressing atmosphere, that leads the viewer to doubt. We liked this effect especially. The topic of the film – incest, extreme pain and a strange tenderness – is delicate but nonetheless addressed in very sensible manner. It is a film that impresses and that one can be annoyed by at the same time.The film creates space for personal questions and interpretations and has made his mark on us. It is not only a film that conveys its topic in a sensible manner, but at the same time an artistically refined film that convinced us."
French version:
"On ne peut pas dire que le choix fût évident, la compétition fut très rude et, à mesure que nous avons vu les six films, nous savions de moins en moins comment on allait s’en sortir ! Nous avons cependant toutes nos raisons pour remettre le prix KINEMA à la réalisatrice du film « Sois Sage », Juliette Garcias. Toutes les ressources cinématographiques que le film peut offrir – images et son - ont été exploitées à leur paroxysme. Cela a conféré au film une atmosphère extrêmement oppressante, ce qui nous a particulièrement plu, car le spectateur est livré à ses incertitudes. Le thème du film - l’inceste, une extrême douleur et une étrange tendresse – est très délicat mais traité de manière très fine. C’est un film fort, dérangeant, qui laisse place à beaucoup de questionnements et d’interprétations personnelles. Il nous a beaucoup marqués. En plus d’être un film si subtil dans son propos, c’est aussi un film artistiquement très puissant et qui a donc conquis le jury KINEMA."
The jury: Anke Bludau, Josephine Blume, Thomas Carrique, Lou Cecille, Claudia Kück
Kurzfilm-Musikpreis DER LEO
„Mama“
Hungary 2009
Director: Géza M Toth
Music: Attila Pacsay,Sound design: Imre Madacsi
Camera: Mátyás Erdély
Sound: Imre Madacsi
Actress: Orsolya Török-Illyés
10:00 min., 35mm, colour, no dialogue
The complete jury statement:
On the roof of a high building a young woman hangs up the washing, on piece after the other. With each piece she pushest he line a little further – at the same time the neighbouring buildings in the background follow – until she reaches the beginning of the line. The entire scene is shot with fixed camera but moves nonetheless – just like in the tricks in the silent movies.
Starting with a loud city street atmossphere with honking horns, street cars, crying babies, talking people, telephone rings and other every day life sounds a rhythmic structure emerges. The more we dive into the young woman’s world, the more the rhythmically aggressive sounds disappear. Slowly a world opens where melodiousness comes to the foreground. Everytime the woman reaches the end of the line, a short moment of silence occurs. Until sounds such as the woman’s heavy breathing and the street sounds return. We have come full circle.
The varied concept of music, sound design and atmosphere is consistent an dwell structured. The acoustic design takes over a mayor part of the story telling, so that a an organic work of direction, sound design and composition sensibly balanced evolves.
The jury: Sven Ahnert, Chrstine Aufderhaar, Andrea Dittgen