The animated feature The Swallows of Kabul [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Zabou Breitman, Eléa Gobbe…
scheda film] by France’s Zabou Breitman and Eléa Gobbé-Mévellec, which was unveiled in Un Certain Regard at Cannes, has come out on top at the 12^th Angoulême Francophone Film Festival, taking home the Diamond Valois for Best Film handed out by the jury chaired by British actress Jacqueline Bisset. Also singled out in the Best Film Score category (thanks to the work of Alexis Rault), this production by Les Armateurs together with Arte France Cinéma, Luxembourg’s Melusine Productions, Switzerland’s Close Up Films and RTS, and Monaco-based outfit KNM, is being sold internationally by Celluloid Dreams and will be released in French theatres on 4 September by Memento Films Distribution.

The winners’ list of the Charente-based festival also shone a lot of the limelight on Papicha [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Mounia Meddour
scheda film] by Algeria’s Mounia Meddour, which snagged three prizes: the Valois for Best Actress for Lyna Khoudri (who split the trophy with another thesp), the Best Screenplay Award for the director herself and the Audience Valois. Another title first revealed in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard, this feature produced by France (The Ink Connection and High Sea Production), together with Algeria’s Tayda Films, Belgium’s Scope Pictures and Qatar, is being sold overseas by Jour2Fête, which will handle the movie’s French release itself from 9 October.

Also worth noting are the Valois for Best Actor, which went to Anthony Bajon (who won a Bear at Berlin last year for The Prayer [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Cédric Kahn
scheda film]) for his turn in In the Name of the Land [+leggi anche:
trailer
scheda film] by Édouard Bergeon (set to go on general release in France on 25 September, via Diaphana Distribution), the ex-aequo Valois for Best Actress bestowed upon Nina Meurisse for her performance in Camille [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Boris Lojkine
scheda film] by Boris Lojkine (which recently pocketed the Audience Award on the Piazza Grande at Locarno – released in France on 16 October, courtesy of Pyramide Distribution) and the Valois for Best Director handed to Hafsia Herzi for You Deserve a Lover [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Hafsia Herzi
scheda film] (unveiled in the Cannes Critics’ Week, and set to be released in French theatres by Rezo Films on 11 September).

Here is the full list of award winners:

Diamond Valois
The Swallows of Kabul [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Zabou Breitman, Eléa Gobbe…
scheda film] - Zabou Breitman and Eléa Gobbé-Mévellec (France/Luxembourg/Switzerland)

Valois for Best Director
Hafsia Herzi – You Deserve a Lover [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Hafsia Herzi
scheda film] (France)

Valois for Best Actress (split)
Lyna Khoudri - Papicha [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Mounia Meddour
scheda film] (France/Algeria/Belgium)
Nina Meurisse - Camille [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
intervista: Boris Lojkine
scheda film] (France)

Valois for Best Actor
Anthony Bajon - In the Name of the Land [+leggi anche:
trailer
scheda film] (France)

Valois for Best Screenplay
Mounia Meddour - Papicha

Valois for Best Film Score
Alexis Rault – The Swallows of Kabul

Audience Valois
Papicha - Mounia Meddour

French-speaking Students’ Valois
Adam [+leggi anche:
recensione
trailer
scheda film] - Maryam Touzani (Morocco/France/Belgium/Qatar)

René Laloux Valois for Best Animated Short Film
Selfies - Claudius Gentinetta (Switzerland)