In the same category of the awards announced today, an honorable mention was given to the film ‘Mad bills to pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo)’, by Joel Alfonso Vargas, a neo-realist coming-of-age tale about freedom, aspirations, and desires, as well as life choices, according to the jury.
The Grand National Prize at FEST was awarded to ‘Business as Usual’, by Pedro Vinícius, for creating a “consistent and creative portrayal of the housing crisis in a city crumbling under the sounds and effects of dehumanization”.
In this category, two honorable mentions were also awarded: to ‘Agente Imobiliário sem Casa para Viver’, by Filipe Amorim, for “creative satire with a daring performance,” and ‘A Fronteira Azul’, by Dinis Miguens Costa, for “a unique artistic vision and remarkable technical execution”.
The Silver Lynx in Fiction was awarded to ‘Family Sunday,’ by Gerardo Del Raso, which depicts a regular day in a troubled neighborhood “with a remarkable technical approach,” according to the jury, which also awarded an honorable mention to ‘Sammi, Who Can Detach His Body Parts’, by Rein Maychaelson, on social and gender themes.
In the documentary section, the Golden Lynx was won by ‘Songs of Slow Burning Earth’, by Olha Zhurba, “for the bold and creative sophistication, resilience, and humanism extracted amid a society in crisis of war,” as noted by the jury.
The Silver Lynx in this area was awarded to ‘Berthe is Dead But It’s Ok’, by Sacha Trilles, for, according to the jury, “dignifying, through art and creativity, a larger-than-life character,” and an honorable mention was given to the film ‘What If We Run Out of Stones?’, by Nora Strbová, for “reminding that cinema hasn’t been entirely invented yet and there are multiple ways to provoke, love, and look artistically at the things around us,” reads the justification.
The festival also awarded two more Silver Lynxes: in animation to ‘The Crooked Heads’, by Jakub Krzyszpin, with an honorable mention to ‘Larval’, by Alice Bloomfield; and in experimental cinema to ‘Medical Field Guide or Rules of Engagement With Native E-girls’, by Andran Abramjan and Jan Hofman, with an honorable mention for ‘The Land of Abandonment’, by Eliska Lubojatzká.
In the NEXXT category, ‘Punter’, by Eliska Lubojatzká, won, with honorable mentions going to ‘The Dam’, by Giovanni Pierangeli, and ‘Karaokiss’, by Mila Ryngaert.
The Audience Award for feature films went to ‘Manas’, by Marianna Brennand, and for short films to ‘Berthe is Dead But It’s Ok’, by Sacha Trilles.
The 21st edition of FEST – New Directors, New Cinema Festival – under the direction of Fernando Vasquez – began a week ago in Espinho, Aveiro district and the metropolitan area of Porto, presenting a total of 80 films in competition, 170 in various viewing categories, and a training program with around 40 top professionals.
