Critics pick their winners in Cannes

Hungary, India and Argentina lead the way.

by Richard Mowe

Part of the Fipresci jury in Cannes who announced their awards today (23 May) - from left Muge Turan from Turkey, Richard Mowe (from UK), awarding Indian director of Masaan Neeraj Ghaywan and journalist and critic Bitopan Borborah from India.
Part of the Fipresci jury in Cannes who announced their awards today (23 May) - from left Muge Turan from Turkey, Richard Mowe (from UK), awarding Indian director of Masaan Neeraj Ghaywan and journalist and critic Bitopan Borborah from India.

The jury of international film critics this evening announced their top titles at this year’s Cannes Film Festival in the Competition, Un Certain Regard and the Critics’ Week and Directors’ Fortnight sections.

Son Of Saul was honoured in the Competition - a first feature by Hungarian director, László Nemes, with a lead actor, Géza Röhrig, who was also making his film debut. Dealing with the Holocaust in an unusual way, the film has been acclaimed almost universally by the critics and has been touted for one of the main prizes to be announced tomorrow evening.

The Indian film Masaan was chosen in Un Certain Regard - the first time India has won a prize in Cannes for many years. Dealing with the tensions between ancient and modern India through interlinked tales of love, loss, grief, corruption and traditions in turmoil, it also marked an impressive, ambitious and engaging feature film debut for its director Neeraj Ghaywan.

The Directors’ Fortnight was won by Paulina (Critics’ Week) by Argentinian director Santiago Mitre. The focus of the film is a 28-year-old woman who gives up a brilliant career as a lawyer to dedicate herself to teaching in a depressed region in Argentina. It was also declared a grand prix winner in the Critics' Week awards (read more here).

The Fipresci jury comprised: Mario Abbade Neto, Brazil (Jornal O Globo, Almanaque Virtual), Bitopan Borborah, India (The Assam Tribune), Jean Roy, France (L'Humanité), Müge Turan, Turkey (Altyazi, Arkapencere.com), Richard Mowe, UK (BBC Radio Scotland Culture Studio, Eye for Film); Alex Masson, France (Cinemateaser, FHM, Notre temps), Steffen Moestrup, Denmark (Le monde diplomatique, Kristeligt Dagblad), Clarence Tsui, Hong Kong (The Hollywood Reporter), Ramy Razek, Egypt (El Masry El Yom) and the co-ordinator was Pamela Biénzobas, Chile (Revista de Cine Mabuse.cl).

The Ecumenical Jury which shared the same awards ceremony platform in the Salon des Ambassadeurs in the Palais des Festivals, gave its prize to the Competition entry My Mother by Nanni Moretti (about a filmmaker dealing with her dying mother) with special mentions for the workplace drama The Measure Of A Man by Stephane Brizé and Brillante Mendoza’s Taklub, from Un Certain Regard.

And the L’Oeil d’Or, a new award given to a festival documentary, went to Marcia Tambutti’s Beyond My Grandfather Allende, from the granddaughter of the deposed Chilean president. Special mention went to Ingrid Bergman, in Her Own Words, from Stig Björkman.

Related news stories:
Audiard wins Palme d'Or
Rams takes home Prize of Un Certain Regard

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