25/02/2013 - Halima’s Path, by Croatian director Arsen Anton Ostojic and its interpretor Alma Prica take the Mons International Love Film Festival by storm

The Mons International Love Film Festival ended this weekend, with the crowning of Halima's Path [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Arsen Anton Ostojic, a co-production between Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia. The film follows the heartbreaking path of Halima, who is trying to find the remains of her son who died during the Bosnian war. Sadly, the only way to identify him is through DNA tests, but he is not her biological son. She then goes on a quest which will be her last chance: finding the biological mother of her son. Halima's Path also won the Best Actress Award for Alma Prica, and the Women Prize.

The Festival, which for several years has given a place of honour to North African films in its programme, this year decided to feature two of them in its prize list. Mahmoud Ben Mahmoud, a Tunisian director living in Belgium, back on stage after many years of absence, was awarded Best Screenplay for Le Professeur. As for Youri Nasrallah, the great Egyptian director, he went home with the Prix Spécial de la Ville de Mons for After the Battle [+see also:
trailer
film profile], presented last May in Cannes. To complete this official prize list, the Coup de Coeur was awarded to Naked Habour [+see also:
trailer
interview: Laura Birn
film profile], by Aku Louhimies (Finland), and Best Actor to Valerio Mastandrea for his performance in Gli Equilibristi [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Ivano De Matteao (Italy).

The public in Mons particularly appreciated the avant-première presentation of Joël Franka’s film, Une chanson pour ma mère (with Patrick Timsit, Sylvie Testud and the singer Dave), so much so that it awarded it its Grand Prix. The film, produced in Belgium by Alizé Production and Novak, and in France by Bonne pioche, should be released on screens on March 27^th.

Let’s finally note that the Best European Film Prize was attributed to Faith, Love and Whiskey by Kristina Nikolova (Bulgaria).

(Translated from French)