Premiers Plans crowns Eastern Plays and La Pivellina

by Fabien Lemercier

01/02/2010 - Kamen Kalev’s Bulgarian/Swedish co-production Eastern Plays [trailer, film focus] (European Parliament's Lux Prize finalist 2009, to be released on March 10 by Epicentre Films) and Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel’s Austrian/Italian feature La Pivellina [trailer] (see review - to be released by Zootrope Films on February 17), which were both unveiled in the latest Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, shared the Grand Prize at the 22nd Premiers Plans Film Festival in Angers.

The jury, presided by Belgian director Lucas Belvaux, awarded double honours to La Pivellina by handing Best Actress to its star Patrizia Gerardi. Meanwhile, Best Actor went to Spain’s Josean Bengoetxea for his performance in Roberto Caston’s Ander [trailer] (see review - to be released by Bodega Films on February 17).

The first Grand Prize for Best French Feature was presented to Nader Takmil Homayoun’s French/Iranian co-production Tehran [trailer]. Meanwhile, the Audience Award for Best European Feature went to Belgian director Bernard Bellefroid’s The Boat Race [trailer] (see review - to be released by Pyramide on February 17), and the Audience Award for Best French Feature to Valérie Donzelli’s The Queen of Hearts (to be released by Shellac on February 24).

Among the numerous festivals taking place in France, we should note the triumph of German filmmaker Anno Saul’s The Door [trailer] at Gérardmer International Fantasy Film Festival, where Duncan Jones’ UK feature Moon [trailer] nabbed the Jury Prize and Press and Critics’ Award.

(Translated from French)