The 17^th edition of the Cyprus Film Days International Festival wrapped on 20 April with its awards ceremony, which was held at the Rialto Theatre in Limassol. Dedicated exclusively to contemporary world cinema, the largest event on the island, which ran from 12-20 April in both Limassol and Nicosia, presented Los Silencios [+lire aussi :
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The international jury, presided over by acclaimed German actor Udo Kier, and comprising film programmer Hayet Benkara, actress Sarah Adler, film director Christos Georgiou and production designer Lisa Tsouloupa, said that the award was bestowed upon Seigner “for giving voice to a silenced community with realism and for portraying the presence of absence in a masterful way”. Also, Marleyda Soto was awarded by the jury for her “convincing and fascinating performance” in the movie, picking up an Honorary Distinction.

The Special Jury Award was handed to the South Korean coming-of-age drama House of Hummingbird by Kim Bo-ra, “for succeeding in drawing its audience into an intimate journey of hope and despair in a delicate and poetic way”; the trophy was accompanied by a cash prize of €3,000. The Best Director Award was given to Chilean helmer Dominga Sotomayor for her film Too Late to Die Young [+lire aussi :
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bande-annonce
fiche film], as she was deemed to have “created a world of primal visual beauty carried by strong performances in order to tell the story of a lost paradise”.

In the Cypriot Films Competition, three awards were given out by the international jury. The Tribeca-winning absurd comedy Smuggling Hendrix [+lire aussi :
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interview : Marios Piperides
fiche film] by Marios Piperides snagged the Best Cypriot Film Award, which is endowed with €4,000. The film was also both the general public’s and the students’ favourite, and it consequently received the Audience Award and the Special Student Jury Award – University of Nicοsia.

The other big winner in the national section was first-time Cypriot director Soteris Christou, who was the recipient of the Best Cypriot Director Award, which comes with a DCP mastering, deliverables and subtitling prize worth €3,500 in technical services, sponsored by Authorwave, for his movie Small White Envelopes. Furthermore, Antonis Katsaris was the laureate of the Best Cypriot Actor Award for “his subtle and authentic performance” in the same film.

Finally, the festival presented German actor Udo Kier with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Kier stated that even though he has received awards made of gold and silver, the ancient-looking figurine made of stone offered by Cyprus Film Days has special significance for him.

Here is the complete list of winners at the 17^th Cyprus Film Days:

Best Film
Los Silencios [+lire aussi :
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Special Jury Award
House of Hummingbird – Kim Bo-ra (South Korea)

Best Director
Dominga Sotomayor – Too Late to Die Young [+lire aussi :
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bande-annonce
fiche film] (Chile/Brazil/Argentina/Netherlands/Qatar)

Honorary Distinction
Marleyda Soto – Los Silencios

Best Cypriot Film
Smuggling Hendrix [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
interview : Marios Piperides
fiche film] – Marios Piperides (Cyprus/Germany/Greece)

Best Cypriot Director
Soteris Christou – Small White Envelopes (Cyprus)

Best Cypriot Actor
Antonis Katsaris – Small White Envelopes

Audience Award
Smuggling Hendrix – Marios Piperides

Special Student Jury Award – University of Nicοsia
Smuggling Hendrix – Marios Piperides