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EDINBURGH 2017 Awards

God’s Own Country wins Edinburgh

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- Glory has won Best International Feature Film, while Emily Beecham and Anne Reid shared performance honours

God’s Own Country wins Edinburgh
God’s Own Country by Francis Lee

Francis Lee’s debut feature, God’s Own Country [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Francis Lee
film profile
]
, continued its dream awards run, winning the prestigious Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature Film at the Edinburgh International Film Festival (21 June-2 July). The jury citation stated: “Assured direction with raw and endearing performances result in a film that has an authenticity that is both tender and brutal, a juxtaposition of landscape and emotion, which explores the question of what it means to be a man.” Lee said, “I am thrilled with this honour for God’s Own Country, especially when you consider the British films that have won before. After premiering at Sundance and Berlin, it has been wonderful to see how the movie has created a real resonance with people, and that is why the Michael Powell Award feels so brilliant.”

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The Award for Best Performance in a British Feature Film went jointly to actresses Emily Beecham for her role in Daphne [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
 and Anne Reid for her roles in Kaleidoscope [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
and Romans [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
. The jury said: “In the category of Best Performance in a British Feature Film, the Michael Powell Jury recognises two actors, Emily Beecham and Anne Reid, portraying fascinating, complex and flawed characters who didn't strive for your affection but commanded your attention – real in the best sense of the word.”

The Award for Best International Feature Film went to Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov’s Glory [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Petar Valchanov
interview: Petar Valchanov, Kristina G…
film profile
]
 (Bulgaria/Greece). The jury said: “Deftly acted, beautifully photographed and directed; we loved this film. The subtlety of the performances and the story-telling was defined with such a lightness of touch, which led to the immoral and moral choices having a heavy impact on this jury.” Valchanov said, “This award is a recognition not only for us, but also for Bulgarian cinema, which is currently on the rise again. Thank you for being there!”

The Award for Best Documentary Feature Film went to Chico Pereira’s Donkeyote [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
(Germany/Spain/UK). A Special Mention was given to Thomas Riedelsheimer’s Leaning into the Wind [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
 (UK).

The Award for Best Short Film went to The Full Story, directed by Daisy Jacobs, with Kevin Pickering’s Close to the Bone and Gordon Napier’s 1745 receiving a Special Mention from the jurors.

The McLaren Award for Best British Animation went to Paloma Baeza’s Poles Apart. Finally, the winner of this year’s EIFF Works in Progress and recipient of the £2,500 award was Piano to Zanskar (UK) by Michal Sulima.

Here is the complete list of award winners: 

Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature Film
God’s Own Country [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Francis Lee
film profile
]
– Francis Lee 

Best Performance in a British Feature Film
Emily Beecham – Daphne [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]

Anne Reid – Kaleidoscope [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
, Romans [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
 

Best International Feature Film
Glory [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Petar Valchanov
interview: Petar Valchanov, Kristina G…
film profile
]
– Kristina Grozeva, Petar Valchanov (Bulgaria/Greece) 

Best Documentary Feature Film
Donkeyote [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
– Chico Pereira (Germany/Spain/UK)
Special Mention
Leaning into the Wind [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
 – Thomas Riedelsheimer (UK) 

Best Short Film
The Full Story – Daisy Jacobs (UK)
Special Mentions
Close to the Bone – Kevin Pickering (UK)
1745 – Gordon Napier (UK) 

Best British Animation
Poles Apart – Paloma Baeza

EIFF Works in Progress
Piano to Zanskar – Michal Sulima (UK)

Audience Award
Just Charlie [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
 - Rebekah Fortune

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