“The Orphanage” the winner
“The Orphanage” winner of the Golden Puffin 2019
–Reykjavik International FilmFestival, RIFF, presented its awards tonight–
Awards were handed out tonight at RIFF’s Award Ceremony at the Nordic House in Reykjavík Iceland, where the sixteenth Reykjavík International Film Festival was formally closed.
The winner of the New Vision section, “The Discovery of the year“ and therefore the winner of the main prize on RIFF this year is The Orphanage by Shahrbanoo Sadat and with Katja Adomeitas a producer who attended the ceremony and received the prize at the closing ceremony in the Nordic House in Reykjavík on Saturday evening.
In New Visions nine up and coming directors presented their first or second feature films and competed for our main prize, the Golden Puffin. These films challenged cinematic conventions and pave the way for romorrow´s cinema.
Never before has the jury had three special mentions of other films in the competition but this year the jury did so.
THE GOLDEN PUFFIN
NEW VISIONS AWARDS
Nick Davis started on behalf of the jury and talked about the quality of work and the necessity of the number of awards. The other two in the jury were Jakub Duszynski and Steinunn Ólína Þorsteinsdóttir.
3 SPECIAL MENTIONS
CORPUS CHRISTI by Jan Komasawas announced by Steinunn Ólína Þorsteinsdóttir
The jury marveled at the complex characterization of the protagonist, and at the way the film depicts actual incidents from real life while applying the kinds of complex metaphors and philosophical questions that drive great art, building to a forceful conclusion.
THE LAST AUTUMN by Yrsa Roca Fannberg
Announced by Jakub Duszynski
This film offers a fantastically immersive but non-voyeuristic impression of a very specific time and place, and of tough predicaments facing so many people in Iceland and elsewhere. The use of 16mm celluloid and of a rich, innovative soundtrack exemplifies the vitality and flexibility of nonfiction filmmaking.
MATERNAL by Maura Delpero
Announced by Nick Davis
Received mention on stage
This drama raises the profound question of who has or shares the responsibility for raising a child. The film thrives on its skilled direction of the whole ensemble, including its youngest actors, and the story´s refusal to pass easy judgments, instead emphasizing the imperfect but warm humanity of all its characters.
THE WINNER:
THE ORPHANAGE by Shahrbanoo Sadat
Announced by actress Steinunn Ólína Þorsteinsdóttir
Katja Adomeit, the producer, received the award on behalf of Shahrbanoo Sadat
The jury awards its top prize to this fresh, surprising, and genre-confounding film, which uses different cinematic styles and languages to explore extremes of emotion, from joy to sorrow. The understated but precise direction sees what is unique about every person in its large cast, while painting a collective portrait even greater than the sum of its fascinating parts. On a small budget, the filmmakers manage to offer a colorful, eye-opening recreation of Afghanistan in the 1980s, though for better and for worse, the storytelling resonates powerfully all across our contemporary world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgsjbrAurGg
A DIFFERENT TOMORROW AWARDS
A Different Tomorrow is an ambitious section in RIFF´s festival were films that question the future are screened. Can we sustain our way of living indefinitely or must we change our lifestyles? Can our planet handle the prolonged maltreatment? Do we behave ethically towards one another? The films in A Different Tomorrow shed light on environmental and humanitarian topics because sometimes the right film can change the world.
All three jurors were present, Gabor Greiner, Hanna Björk Valsdóttir and Hrafnhildur Gunnarsdóttir, and announced the awards.
1 SPECIAL MENTION
GODS OF MOLENBEEK by Reetta Huhtanen
The special mention goes to a debut feature documentary that films children with great respect and in which we are carried away shot by shot by the charm of the childrens minds. It shows the beauty of friendship in an increasingly divided world. The film is Gods of Molenbeek
A DIFFERENT TOMORROW AWARD
MIDNIGHT TRAVELER by Hassan Fazili
TheDifferent Tomorrowawardgoes to a film that gives us an insight into an experience one can not imagine unless it is upon one self. With ones life on the line we see a regular family courageously dealing with an impossible and dangerous situation that gives human face to the refugee crisis in the world. The film is Midnight Traveler, by Hassan Fazili
SHORTS AWARDS
Adam Baldwin and Zeina Aby Assy from the jury were present and announced the awards. The third member of the jury was Heather Millard.
RIFF is the meeting point of Icelandic and international cinema. The Shorts award has been given to the best short film of the year since the beginning of RIFF.
SPECIAL MENTION ICELANDIC SHORTS
CARROTS by Bergur Árnason |The filmmaker deftly parlays the simple conceit into a story that is continually surprising, imaginative and entertaining. This was a close contender, and it pleasantly surprised us all.
BEST ICELANDIC SHORT
PAPERBOY by Ninna Pálmadóttir
Paperboy is a tender and beautiful reflection on a child’s realization and reaction to abuse and pain. The filmmaker was able to subtly communicate a softness that was both ordinary and yet a stark contrast to the reality of the female character.
THE GOLDEN EGG
Ása Helga Hjörleifsdóttir and Hlin Johannesdottir from the jury were present to announce the winners. The third member of the jury was Árni Ólafur Ásgeirsson.
The Golden Egg competition is a selection of films from up and coming directors participating in the 2019 RIFF Talent Lab. Reykjavík Talent Lab is for talents who want to meet up with other like minded individuals and passionate film makers. The films submitted for the Golden Egg award competition could not be longer than 30 minutes and should not be made before 1stJanuary 2018. It is an award given to young and inspiring talent. Participants in The Talent Lab this year were 40 young film makers, accepted from over 200 applicants.
THE GOLDEN EGG
MUERO POR VOLVER by Javier Marco.
SPECIAL MENTION
LES HOMARDS IMMORTELS (Night Song) by Kate Voet
BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT |
INVISIBLE HERO by Cristèle Alves Meira
Invisible Hero is a beautiful film that succeeds at blending the duality of a double life, seeing and unseeing, and fiction and documentary. The character is absolutely charming, and we were with him, routing for him on his quest. The filmmaker does a remarkable job at combining reality and imagination.