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COTTBUS 2017 Awards

Polish films win big at Cottbus

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- The unmissable German rendezvous for Eastern and Central European films has also seen record attendance levels

Polish films win big at Cottbus
The winners and organisers of the 27th Cottbus Film Festival (© Film Festival Cottbus)

During its closing ceremony, the 27th Cottbus Film Festival for Eastern and Central European films (7-12 November 2017) celebrated the cinema of its close neighbour, Poland: Anna Jadowska’s Wild Roses [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Anna Jadowska
film profile
]
took home the Lubinas for Best Film and Outstanding Actress (Marta Nieradkiewicz), while her fellow countryman Maciej Pieprzyca scooped the Best Director and Outstanding Actor (Mirosław Haniszewski) Awards with I’m a Killer [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Maciej Pieprzyca
interview: Renata Czarnkowska-Listos a…
film profile
]
.

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The former movie toys with ellipses as it delicately depicts the distress of a woman and mother who does not feel up to fulfilling these roles in a tiny community of devout believers in small-town Poland. The jury remarked: "We chose this film because it gives the main female figure a voice, a voice that reaches the depth of our hearts. We admire the combination of visual style, amazing sound and editing, which makes watching this film an almost physical experience." Wild Roses also took home the FIPRESCI Prize and the Prize of the Oecumenical Jury. 

The jury, which comprised Danilo BećkovićYevgeny GindilisUrsula von KeitzMarcin Pieńkowski and Elīna Vaska, particularly liked I’m a Killer because "the director uses a lush and diverse range of artistic techniques, and leads us carefully through a suspenseful and elaborated plot. However, his film language always remains at the service of creating a thorough and disturbing psychological portrait of the main protagonist… It is a visually stunning film that seamlessly develops from a crime story into a deep and thoughtful analysis of the corruption of a human soul."

The young jury in the U 18 section also showered its praise on a Polish film, Breaking the Limits [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
by Łukasz Palkowski (Poland), for the struggle it portrays – that of a champion – and the honesty with which it recounts his ups and downs.

The Audience Award went to the Czech film Barefoot by Jan Svěrák. The total value of the prizes handed out at Cottbus was close to €80,000. 

The festival can also congratulate itself on having broken attendance records, as more than 21,000 viewers attended over seven days to enjoy the programme of 200 films hailing from 42 countries. In addition, almost 600 accredited professionals were present at the gathering.

Here is the full list of winners at the 2017 Cottbus Film Festival:

Feature Film Competition

Best Film
Wild Roses [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Anna Jadowska
film profile
]
 - Anna Jadowska (Poland)

Special Prize for Best Director
Maciej Pieprzyca - I’m a Killer [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Maciej Pieprzyca
interview: Renata Czarnkowska-Listos a…
film profile
]
 (Poland)

Lubina for Outstanding Actress 
Marta Nieradkiewicz - Wild Roses

Lubina for Outstanding Actor 
Mirosław Haniszewski - I’m a Killer

Short Film Competition

Best Film
Atlantis, 2003 - Michal Blaško (Slovakia/Czech Republic)

Special Prize
 
Director Ruslan Bratov - Merry-Go-Round (Russia)

U18 section

Best Youth Film
Breaking the Limits [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
- Łukasz Palkowski (Poland)

Other prizes

DIALOGUE Prize for Intercultural Communication
Farewell Halong - Đức Ngô Ngọc (Germany)
Special Mention 
Sámi Blood [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Amanda Kernell
interview: Lars Lindstrom
film profile
]
- Amanda Kernell (Sweden/Denmark/Norway)

Best Debut Film 
Good Morning - Anna Arevshatyan (Armenia)

FIPRESCI Prize
Wild Roses - Anna Jadowska

Prize of the Oecumenical Jury
Wild Roses - Anna Jadowska

Audience Award 
Barefoot - Jan Svěrák (Czech Republic)

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(Translated from French)

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