Will not deny that I’m quite pleased with the top awards winners as consider three of them, great contemporary directors each with a very particular and peculiar style. I’m talking about the awesome visuals in Lav Diaz films, the amazing esthetic of Tom Ford, and the outstanding visual -and violent- storytelling style of Amat Escalante. Congratulations to the three directors and yes, I’m looking forward to be able to watch their latest oeuvres.
On the not positive side of la Mostra have to share that seems there was a communication release with the award winners leaked or released ahead of time to the American press and those without fest experience (to put it mildly) started to release winners names three hours before the award ceremony; of course, as American media usually ignores what happens outside their local industry, leaks were about American winners. Just hope that this fest as well as others control their information as they will eventually loose credibility if they don’t. Sigh.
Wish to be positive and hope that next year and in the near future the festival goes back to what made it great and allowed it to be the oldest still-running film festival in the world. We don’t need another Hollywood event, we need events that showcase the best of the best of World cinema and to have only two of those events will be a huge loss as a matter of fact, I believe there should be another great competitive festival in the world and not only Berlin, Cannes and (fading) Venice.
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9/9/16
With Toronto starting a couple of days ago and San Sebastian opening soon, 2016 Biennale has come and gone with too-much Hollywood-glitter for my taste and too-many media coverage for American films, stars and celebrities that for a moment felt more like any film festival but what La Mostra used to be. Perhaps there is some truth in those articles in American media about how organizers are “reviving” the festival and looking forward to make it the “Oscar predictor”. Deep in my heart hope that is NOT truth and La Biennale Cinema will continue to be a window for great Italian Cinema plus films from all over the world … except America! (LOL)
Nevertheless here are the awards announced today.
Official Selection
Golden Lion for Best Film: Ang Babaeng Humayo (The Woman Who Left), Lav Diaz, Philippines
Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize: Nocturnal Animals, Tom Ford, USA
Special Jury Prize: The Bad Batch, Ana Lily Amirpour, USA
Silver Lion for Best Director (tie)
Amat Escalante for La Region Salvaje (The Untamed), Mexico, Denmark, France, Germany and Norway
Andrei Konchalovsky for Рай Rai (Paradise), Russia and Germany
Copa Volpi for Best Actress: Emma Stone in La La Land, Damien Chazelle, USA
Copa Volpi for Best Actor: Oscar Martínez in El Ciudadano Ilustre (The Distinguished Citizen), Mariano Cohn and Gastón Duprat, Argentina and Spain
Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best New Young Actress or Actor: Paula Beer in Frantz, François Ozon, France and Germany
Best Screenplay: Noah Oppenheim for Jackie, Pablo Larraín, USA and Chile
Lion of the Future-Luigi de Laurentiis Award for Best Debut Film: Akher Wahed Fina (The Last of Us), Ala Eddine Slim, Tunisia, Qatar, UAE and Lebanon
Orizzonti Awards
Best Film: Liberami, Federica di Giacomo, Italy and France (documentary)
Special Jury Prize: Koca Dünya (Big Big World), Reha Erdem, Turkey
Best Director: Fien Troch for Home, Belgium
Best Actress: Ruth Díaz in Tarde para la Ira (The Fury of a Patient Man), Raúl Arévalo, Spain
Best Actor: Nuno Lopes in São Jorge (Saint George), Marco Martins, Portugal and France
Best Screenplay: Ku Qian (Bitter Money), Bing Wang, Hong Kong and France
Best Short Film: La Voz Perdida, Marcelo Martinessi, Paraguay, Nepal and France
Short Film Nominee for the European Film Awards: Amalimbo, Juan Pablo Libossart, Sweden and Estonia
Venezia Classici
Best Documentary: Le Concours, Claire Simon, France
Best Restored Film: Break-up. L’umo dei 5 Palloni (Break-up. The Man With The Balloons), Marco Ferreri, Italy and France
Autonomous Sections
13th Giornate degli Autori – Venice Days
Venice Days Award: The War Show, Andreas Dalsgaard and Obaidah Zytoon, Denmark and Finland
Label Europa Cinemas: Sameblod (Sami Blood), Amanda Kernell, Sweden, Denmark and Norway
SIAE Creative Talent: Vangelo, Pippo Delbono, Italy
People’s Choice Award: Pamilya ordinaryo (Ordinary People), Eduardo Roy Jr., Philippines
31st Settimana Internazionalle della Critica – Venice International Film Critics’ Week
Mario Serandrei Award: Akher Wahed Fina (The Last of Us), Ala Eddine Slim, Tunisia, Qatar, UAE and Lebanon
Audience Award: Los Nadie, Juan Sebastian Mesa, Colombia
Collateral Awards
FIPRESCI Awards
Best Film of Venezia73: Une vie (A Woman’s Life), Stéphane Brizé, France and Belgium
Best Film in Orizzonti: Kékszakállú, Gastón Solnicki, Argentina
SIGNIS Award: Piuma, Roan Johnson, Italy
Special Mention: Na mliječnom putu (Milky Road), Emir Kusturica, Serbia, UK and USA
FEDEORA Awards (Federation of Film Critics of Europe and the Mediterranean)
Venezia73 Best Film in Competition:
Giornati delgi Autori – Venice Days
Best Film: 再見瓦城 Zai Jian Wa Cheng (The Road to Mandalay) by Midi Z, Myanmar, Taiwan, China, France and Germany
Best Debut Filmmaker: Amanda Kernell for Sameblod (Sami Blood), Sweden, Denmark and Norway
Best Actress: Ashleigh Cummings in Hounds of Love by Ben Young, Australia
Best European Film: Ne gledaj mi u pijat (Quit Staring at My Plate), Hana Jušić, Croatia and Denmark
Arca CinemaGiovani Award
Best Film Venezia 73: Arrival, Denis Villeneuve, USA
Best Itlian Film: Orecchie (Ears), Alessandro Aronadio, Italy
FEDIC Award: Indivisibili (Indivisible), Edoardo De Angelis, Italy
Special Mention: Il più grande sogno (I Was a Dreamer), Michele Vannucci, Italy
Special Mention: Orecchie (Ears), Alessandro Aronadio, Italy
Fondazione Mimmo Rotella Award
to James Franco and Ambi Pictures for the film In Dubious Battle
to Paolo Sorrentino and Jude Law for the series The Young Pope
to Roan Johnson and Lucky Red for the film Piuma
Francesco Pasinetti Awards
Venice Days
Best Film: Indivisibili (Indivisible) by Edoardo De Angelis, Italy
Best Actor: Michele Riondino in La Ragazza del Mondo (Worldly Girl), Marco Danieli, Italy
Best Actress: Sara Serraiocco in La Ragazza del Mondo (Worldly Girl), Marco Danieli, Italy
Special Mention: Angela and Marianna Fontana in Indivisibili (Indivisible), Edoardo De Angelis, Italy
Future Film Festival Digital Award: Arrival, Denis Villeneuve, USA
Special Mention: Voyage of Time: Life’s Journey, Terrence Malick, USA and Germany
Green Drop Award (tie)
Spira Mirabilis, Massimo D’Anolfi and Martina Parenti, Italy and Switzerland
Voyage of Time: Life’s Journey, Terrence Malick, USA and Germany
Human Rights Nights Award: Ku Qian (Bitter Money), Bing Wang, Hong Kong and France
Special Mention: Robinù, Michele Santoro, Italy
Online Critics Awards
Mouse d’Oro for Best Film in Competition: Jackie, Pablo Larraín, USA and Chile
Mouse d’Argento for Best Film Out of Competition: Austerlitz, Sergei Loznitsa, Germany
Queer Lion: Hjartasteinn (Heartstone) by Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson, Iceland and Denmark
Nuovo IMAIE Talent Award
Camilla Diana in Tommaso, Kim Rossi Stuart, Italy
Daniele Parisi in Orecchie (Ears), Alessandro Aronadio, Italy
Sorriso Diverso Venezia 2016 Award
Best Italian Film (tie)
Questi Giorni, Michele Vannucci, Italy
Il più grande sogno (I Was a Dreamer), Michele Vannucci, Italy
Best Film in a Foreign-Language: Ang Babaeng Humayo (The Woman Who Left), Lav Diaz, Philippines
Soundtrack Stars Award: L’Estate Addosso (Summertime), Gabriele Muccino, Italy
Best Soundtrack Venezia73: Andrei Konchalovsky for Рай Rai (Paradise), Andrei Konchalovsky, Russia and Germany
Special Mention: Giuseppe Piccioni for Questi Giorni, Italy
Young Jury Members of the Vittorio Veneto Film Festival Award: El Ciudadano Ilustre, Mariano Cohn and Gastón Duprat, Argentina and Spain
Bisato d’Oro: Kékszakállú, Gastón Solnicki, Argentina
BNL Award: Palmiya Ordinaryo (Ordinary People), Eduardo Roy Jr., Philippines
Brian Award: La Ragazza del Mondo (Wordly Girl), Marco Danieli, Italy
C. Smithers Foundation-CICT-UNESCO Award: The Bleeder, Philippe Falardeau, USA and Canada
Cinema for Unicef: Рай Rai (Paradise), Andrei Konchalovsky, Russia and Germany
Civitas Vitae Award: Roan Johnson for Piuma, Italy
Coppa Codacons Ridateci i soldi: La La Land, Damien Chazelle, USA
Enrico Fulghignoni-CICT-UNESCO Award: Mukti Bhawan (Hotel Salvation), Shubhashish Bhutiani, India
Gianni Astrei Award: Indivisibili (Indivisible), Edoardo De Angelis, Italy
Interfilm Award: White Sun, Deepak Rauniyar, Nepal, USA, Qatar and Netherlands
Lanterna Magica Award: Dark Night, Tim Sutton, USA
Leoncino d’Oro Agiscuola Award: Na mliječnom putu (Milky Road), Emir Kusturica, Serbia, UK and USA
Lina Mangiacapre Award: Indivisibili (Indivisible), Edoardo De Angelis, Italy
Lizzani Award: La Ragazza del Mondo (Worldly Girl), Marco Danieli, Italy
Open Award: Pippo Delbono for Vangelo, Italy and Belgium
Padre Nazareno Taddei Award: Рай Rai (Paradise), Andrei Konchalovsky, Russia and Germany
Sfera 1932 Award: Spira Mirabilis, Massimo D’Anolfi and Martina Parenti, Italy and Switzerland
Final Cut Awards (Post Production Support)
Félicité (Felicity), Alain Gomis, France, Senegal and Belgium
Isiko (The Wound), John Trengove, South Africa, Germany, France and Netherlands
Istiyad Ashba (Ghost Hunting), Raed Andoni, Palestine, France and Switzerland
Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement: Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jerzy Skolimowski
Jaeger-Le Coultre Glory to the Filmmaker Award: Amir Naderi
Biennale Special Award
L’Oreal Paris per il Cinema Award: Matilde Gioli
Persol Visonary Award: Liev Schreiber
Premi Pietro Bianchi: Ugo Gregoretti
To check collateral awards at official fest site go here.
