14/11/2011

Angelina Nikonova’s Twilight Portrait won top honors at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival on 12 November, with the director picking up the Golden Alexander Award, along with her actress and co-producer Olga Dykhovichnaya. The Russian-produced film follows a woman who tries to preserve her human dignity after being raped by three policemen.

“It’s a great honour for one’s hard work to be appreciated”, said Nikonova, adding that the €20,000 prize that comes with the award is “a little over what the whole production cost, and that makes us extremely happy”.

The Silver Alexander along with €10,000 in prize money was handed to Václav Kadrnka’s Eighty Letters from the Czech Republic, while the Bronze Alexander and its €5,000 supplement was awarded to Alejadro Lanez’s docudrama Porfirio [+see also:
trailer
film profile], a co-production between Colombia, Argentina, Urugay and Spain, based on the true story of Porfirio Ramirez who portrays himself in the film.

The cast of the Israeli drama The Flood, directed by Guy Nattiv, won the Artistic Achievement award of the international jury headed by New York’s MOMA senior curator Laurence Kardish and comprising Kinotavr fest director Sitora Alieva, Les Arcs fest director Frederic Boyer, Greek director Constantine Giannaris and USA producer Hisami Kuroiwa.

Greek contender J.A.C.E. [+see also:
film review
film profile], with productions funds also coming in from Portugal, Turkey, the Netherlands, and FYROM, was handed the Best Actress award for Stephania Goulioti’s performance. Florian David Fitz was announced Best Actor for German drama The Fire, while Mark Jackson won the Best Director award for Without and John McIlduff’s writing for Behold the Lamb won Best Screenplay.

Local cult sensation Super Demetrios picked up an Audience Award and a €3,000 prize, as did Dejan Zecevic’s The Enemy [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Dejan Zečević
film profile], Guy Nattiv’s The Flood and Paddy Considine’s Tyrannosaur [+see also:
trailer
film profile], while Yorgos Gigkapeppas’ debut drama The City of Children won both the FIPRESCI and the Greek Film Critics Association’s awards for a Greek film. The critics’ prizes for International Competition entries went to Eighty Letters (FIPRESCI) and Twilight Portrait (GFCA), at the closing ceremony of a festival that this year boasts a boost in public appreciation, reaching up to a 90% ratio of screening attendance.