10/09/2011 - Surprise at the close of the 68th Mostra with a Golden Lion for Faust and a Silver Lion for China's Shangjun Cal and his film People Mountain, People Sea

Presided by US director Darren Aronofsky, who won the Golden Lion in 2008 for The Wrestler and was selected last year with Black Swan, the jury at the 68th Venice International Film Festival (comprising French director André Téchiné, US director Todd Haynes, British musician David Byrne, Italian director Mario Martone, Italian actress Alba Rohrwacher and Finnish artist-director Eija-Liisa Ahtila) awarded its prizes this Saturday evening, thus closing an 11-day festival as diverse in film genres as the very variable quality of the films shown.

It came as a dazzling surprise when the Golden Lion was awarded to Faust by Russian director Alexandr Sokurov who, with this film, closes his tetralogy focusing on emblematic figures of power. There was also surprise when the Silver Lion went to Chinese director Shangjun Cai for People Mountain, People Sea.

On the European side, Italy’s Emanuele Crialese came in third position in the most prestigious awards with a Jury Prize for Terraferma.

From the press room, the emotional rollercoaster for the Russian win didn’t spare other European prize winners. Robbie Ryan won the Osella for Best Technical Contribution for the cinematography on Andrea Arnold's Wuthering Heights to widespread applause, while Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou picked up the Osella for Best Screenplay to booing from the international press who didn’t seem to like his offbeat drama Alps.

Multilingual congratulations could then be heard when British actor Michael Fassbender received the Volpi Cup for Best Actor for his impressive performance in Shame which, moreover, didn’t win the prizes for which it was widely tipped.

Golden Lion for Best Film
Faust - Alexander Sokurov

Silver Lion for Best Director
Shangjun Cai - People Mountain People Sea

Special Jury Prize
Terraferma [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Emanuele Crialese
interview: Emanuele Crialese
film profile] - Emanuele Crialese

Volpi Cup for Best Actor
Michael Fassbender - Shame [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]

Volpi Cup for Best Actress
Deanie Ip - A Simple Life

Marcello Mastroianni Award
Shota Sometani, Fumi Nikaidou - Himizu

Osella for Best Screenplay
Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthymis Filippou - Alps [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]

Osella for Best Technical Contribution
Robbie Ryan - Wuthering Heights [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Andrea Arnold
film profile]

Lion of the Future - Laurentiis Award for Best Debut Film
Là-bas – A Criminal Education [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Guido Lombardi
film profile] - Guido Lombardi

Horizons Award:
Kotoko - Shinya Tsukamoto

Horizons Award for Best Short Film
In Attesa Dell'Avvento - Felice D'Agostino and Arturo Lavorato

Horizons Award for Best Medium-Length Film
Glorious Accidents - Mauro Andrizzi and Marcus Lindeen

Special Mentions
The Orator - Tusi Tamasese
All The Lines Flow Out - Charles Lim Yi

Controcampo Italiano Award:
Scialla! [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Francesco Bruni

Best Documentary
Pugni Chiusi - Fiorenza Infascelli

Best Short Film
A Chjána - Jonas Carpignano

COLLATERAL AWARDS

FIPRESCI Prize
Shame - Steven McQueen (Competition)
Two Years at Sea - Ben Rivers (Horizons)

Europa Cinemas Label for Best European Film in the Giornate degli Autori/Venice Days section:
Guilty [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Vincent Garenq
film profile] - Vincent Garenq

(Translated from French)