“The film is entitled The Father [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Kristina Grozeva, Petar Va…
scheda film], but it is in fact dedicated to the mother.” With these words, Bulgarian directorial duo Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov clarified what lies behind their latest film, the winner of the Crystal Globe for Best Film at the 54^th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. A sort of road movie dealing with loss, religion and family relations (and quince jam), The Father won over the jury comprising Critics’ Week artistic director Charles Tesson, actress Angeliki Papoulia, directors Sergei Loznitsa and Annemarie Jacir, and screenwriter Štěpán Hulík. This feat marks the biggest achievement in the duo’s career since they world-premiered their first feature, The Lesson [+leggi anche:
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scheda film], at San Sebastián, where they won the New Directors Award.

The other big winner at this edition of the Czech festival was the sophomore film by German filmmaker Jan Ole Gerster, Lara [+leggi anche:
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scheda film]. The film received both the Special Jury Prize and the Award for Best Actress for Corinna Harfouch, who did indeed give the most memorable performance in any of the films in the selection with her portrayal of a bitter woman whose unfulfilled dreams cast a shadow upon her difficult relationship with her son.

In addition, Belgian filmmaker Tim Mielants collected the Award for Best Director for his first feature film, after having directed several TV series, the nudist-camp thriller Patrick [+leggi anche:
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scheda film]. Slovakia’s Milan Ondrík received the Best Actor Award for his turn in Let There Be Light [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Marko Škop
intervista: Milan Ondrík
scheda film], in which his fellow countryman Marko Škop tells a story about the rise of the extreme right in rural Slovakia. And finally, a double Special Mention was given to the Spanish title The August Virgin [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Jonás Trueba - whose charms had already convinced the FIPRESCI jury members to give it their prize a few hours earlier - as well as to Chilean actress Antonia Giesen for her role in Felipe Ríos’ Argentinian-Chilean title The Man of the Future.

As for the parallel sections, Russian-themed films came out on top as the main winners of both the East of the West and Documentary Competitions. The Bull [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Ksenia Okhapkina
scheda film] (albeit without any Russian funding, as the film is an Estonian-Latvian co-production). As usual, Special Jury Prizes were given out in both sections, this time to the Ukrainian title My Thoughts Are Silent [+leggi anche:
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Once again this year, the festival lured some renowned international guests, such as Julianne Moore and Patricia Clarkson, both recipients of the Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema. Seasoned Czech cinematographer Vladimír Smutný also received an honorary prize, the Festival President’s Award for Contribution to Czech Cinematography.

The festival, attended by more than 12,500 accredited visitors, said farewell to its 54^th edition and announced the dates for the 55^th iteration, which will take place from 3-11 July 2020.

Here is the full list of winners at the 54^th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival:

Competition

Grand Prix – Crystal Globe
The Father [+leggi anche:
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Special Jury Prize
Lara [+leggi anche:
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Best Director Award
Tim Mielants – Patrick [+leggi anche:
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Best Actress Award
Corinna Harfouch – Lara

Best Actor Award
Milan Ondrík – Let There Be Light [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Marko Škop
intervista: Milan Ondrík
scheda film] (Slovakia/Czech Republic)

Special Jury Mention
The August Virgin [+leggi anche:
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Antonia Glessen - The Man of the Future (Chile/Argentina)

East of the West Competition

Grand Prix
The Bull [+leggi anche:
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Special Jury Prize
My Thoughts Are Silent [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] – Antonio Lukich (Ukraine)

Documentary Competition

Grand Prix
Immortal [+leggi anche:
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Special Jury Prize
Confucian Dream – Mijie Li (China)

Other awards

Právo Audience Award
Jiří Suchý – Tackling Life with Ease [+leggi anche:
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Crystal Globe For Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema
Julianne Moore
Patricia Clarkson

Festival President's Award for Contribution to Czech Cinematography
Vladimír Smutný

Non-Statutory awards

FIPRESCI Award
The August Virgin – Jonás Trueba

Ecumenical Jury Award
Lara – Jan-Ole Gerster
Commendation
Let There Be Light – Marko Škop

FEDEORA Award
Passed by Censor [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Serhat Karaaslan
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Special Mention
Aga's House [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Lendita Zeqiraj
scheda film] – Lendita Zeqiraj (Kosovo/Croatia/France/Albania)

Europa Cinemas Label Award
Scandinavian Silence [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Martti Helde
scheda film] – Martti Helde (Estonia/France/Belgium)