19/07/2021 - The Polish filmmaker’s second feature receives the Grand Prix of the 36th edition of the festival

The 36th Mons International Film Festival, exceptionally moved to July this year, drew to a close last Friday with its award announcement, with Polish film I Never Cry [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Piotr Domalewski
film profile], the second feature from Piotr Domalewski, winning two prizes including the Grand Prix.

This comedy-drama, discovered at the San Sebastián Film Festival, traces the journey of Ola, 17, one she shares with many young Poles, marked by immigration, grief and a thirst for independence. Ola (Zofia Stafiej) finds herself having to go to Ireland in order to collect the body of her father, an economic immigrant who died on a construction site. A deeply European family story, produced by Akson Studios (Poland) and MK1 Productions (Ireland). To note that the film also received the Cineuropa Award given during the festival.

Also amongst the winners is another Polish production, The Whaler Boy [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Philipp Yuryev
film profile] by Philipp Yurev, which received the Best Directing prize, which it had already received at the Giornate degli Autori in Venice. This first feature, produced by Rock Films (Russia), Studio Produkcyjne Orka (Poland) and Man’s Films (Belgium, the last film produced by the dearly missed Marion Hänsel), tells the story of a young whale hunter on the Bering Strait who falls in love with a cam girl and dreams of fleeing to America.

Amongst the other laureates, we will note the two prizes received by the new film from Naël Marandin, Beasts [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], which earned young French actress Diane Rouvel the Best Acting prize and also won the Audience Award.

The Best Screenplay award went to Swiss film My Wonderful Wanda [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Bettina Oberli
film profile] by Bettina Oberli, while the RTBF Prize was handed to Gagarin [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Fanny Liatard and Jérémy Tr…
film profile] by Fanny Liatard and Jérémy Trouilh (currently in Belgian cinemas), and the Regard Citoyen Prize to Palestinian film Gaza mon amour [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Arab and Tarzan Nasser.

The list of 2021 winners is as follows:

Competition

Grand Prix
I Never Cry [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Piotr Domalewski
film profile] - Piotr Domalewski (Poland/Ireland)

Best Direction
The Whaler Boy [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Philipp Yuryev
film profile] - Philipp Yurev (Russia/Poland/Belgium)

Best Screenplay
 [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Bettina Oberli
film profile]My Wonderful Wanda [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Bettina Oberli
film profile] - Bettina Oberli (Switzerland)

Best Acting
Diane Rouxel - Beasts [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (France)

Other awards

Cineuropa Award
I Never Cry - Piotr Domalewski

RTBF Prize
Gagarin [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Fanny Liatard and Jérémy Tr…
film profile] - Fanny Liatard and Jérémy Trouilh (France)

Regard Citoyen Prize
Gaza mon amour [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Arab & Tarzan Nasser (Palestine/France/Germany/Portugal/Qatar)

Audience Award
Beasts - Naël Marandin

Jury Prize for Best Belgian Short
Titan - Valéry Carnoy (Belgium)

Belgian Press Award for Best Belgian Short
Famille Nucléaire - Faustine Crespy (Belgium)

Regard Citoyen Prize for Best Short
On My Way - Sonam Larcin (Belgium)

(Translated from French)