A star-studded edition of the Seville European Film Festival wrapped up over the weekend, with Ludovich and Zoran Boukherma’s French coming-of-age drama “And Their Children After Them” taking home the Giraldillo de Oro, the Festival’s top honor. Its lead, Paul Kircher, also scored a best actor win.
This year’s Official Selection jury included legendary British producer David Puttnam (“Chariots of Fire”) as president alongside Oscar-winning actor Jeremy Irons (“Reversal of Fortune,” “The Lion King”), Rome Film Festival artistic director Paola Malanga, Algerian filmmaker Mounia Meddour (“Papicha”) and Yelmo Cines programming manager Eva Rekettyei.
Now, in its second year under director Manuel Cristobal, Seville has expanded its selection to include all types of European cinema, from the most experimental arthouse indies to broad four-quadrant fare. The festival also aims to increase its influence on the awards season with the addition of the Puerto América Award – given to the best Oscar-submitted film in the program – and by inviting more AMPAS members to Seville for the event.
Gints Zilbalodis’s animated epic “Flow,” an international feature Oscar candidate (Latvia) and a strong favorite for an animated feature Oscar nom, won a trio of awards at this year’s fest, including a jury award, best editing and the brand new Puerta América prize for the best Oscar-submitted feature in competition.
Magnus von Horn’s “The Girl With the Needle,” Denmark’s Oscar submission, scored the biggest haul among this year’s competitors with four prizes, notching wins for best director, actress, cinematography and art direction. Previous honors include two European Film Awards, 11 Polish Film Festival awards and competition selections at Cannes and Camerimage.
Portuguese director and screenwriter André Gil Mata’s “The Flame of a Candle” won best feature in the New Waves section for up-and-coming filmmakers, where Galician director and screenwriter Margarita Ledo Andión got a special mention for her film “Prefiro Condenarme.” Aitor Echeverría won best Spanish director for his feature “Dismantling and Elephant.
A full list of this year’s Seville European Film Festival winners can be found below.
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Giraldillo de Oro Award for Best Film
“And Their Children After Them,” Ludovic and Zoran Boukherma
Jury Award
“Flow,” Gints Zilbalodis
Direction
Magnus von Horn, “The Girl With the Needle”
Screenplay
Sandhya Suri, “Santosh”
Actress
Trine Dyrholm, “The Girl With the Needle”
Actor
Paul Kircher, “And Their Children After Them”
Editing
Gints Zilbalodis, “Flow”
Cinematography
Michał Dymek, “The Girl With the Needle”
Art Direction
Jagna Dobesz “The Girl With the Needle”
PUERTA AMÉRICA
Puerta América Award
“Flow,” Gints Zilbalodis
LAS NUEVAS OLAS
Film
“The Flame of a Candle,” André Gil Mata
Jury Award
“Prefiro Condenarme,” Margarita Ledo Andión
RAMPA
Film
“Drowning Dry,” Laurynas Bareiša
Jury Award
“Somewhere in Love,” Valeria Bruni Tedeschi
Jury Award CampUS
“Across the Sea,” Saïd Hamich Benlarbi
ALUMBRAMIENTO
Film
“Lads,” Julien Menanteau
Jury Award
“O Vento Assobiando Nas Gruas,” Jeanne Waltz
PANORAMA ANDALUZ
Juan Antonio Bermúdez Best Film Award
“Los Restos del Pasar,” Luis “Soto” Muñoz and Alfredo Picazo
Jury Award
“Caja de Resistencia,” Concha Barquero Artés and Alejandro Alvarado Jódar
Rosario Valpuesta Best Short
“Tumbas Vecinas,” José Antonio Gutiérrez Bustos
Rosario Valpuesta Artistic Contribution Award
“El Cambio de Rueda,” (Begoña Arostegui)
OTHER PRIZES
AC/E Best Director of a Spanish Feature
Aitor Echeverría “Dismantling an Elephant”
AAMMA Women in Focus Award
“This Life of Mine,” Sophie Fillières
Queer Ocaña a la Libertad
“Un Hombre Libre,” Laura Hojman
Cinéfilos del Futuro Award
“Young Heart,” Anthony Schatteman
Europa Júnior Award
“Dunia y el Eco Del Tambor,” Marya Zarif and André Kadi
UNIVERSITY OF SEVILLE EUROPEAN FICTION FILM-SCREENWRITING AWARDS
First Prize
“Y Ahora que Duermes,” Beatriz Hohenleiter Márquez and Mario Lerma
Second Prize
“Madre Puesta,” Álvaro del Moral Otero
