28/09/2015 - SAN SEBASTIÁN 2015: Sparrows by Rúnar Rúnarsson has snagged the Golden Shell; Joachim Lafosse Best Director for The White Knights; Lucile Hadzihalilovic the Special Jury Prize for Evolution

The team behind Sparrows, collecting their Golden Shell

As usual, the 63^rd edition of the San Sebastián International Film Festival drew to a close on Saturday (26 September) with the awarding of the Shells, the Basque event’s trophies. Unexpectedly for some, but by no means unjustly, Sparrows [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Atli Óskar Fjalarsson
interview: Rúnar Rúnarsson
film profile], the abrupt transition from adolescence to adulthood portrayed by Icelandic director Rúnar Rúnarsson with producers from his own country, Croatia and Denmark, went home with the gathering’s most sought-after prize, the Golden Shell for Best Film in the official competition section. “It is incredible what can be achieved when such a talented team comes together,” the filmmaker told the press, “but this film wouldn’t have been possible without funding from various countries.” The Silver Shell for Best Director, deservedly, ended up in the hands of Joachim Lafosse, who proved that he has a knack for energetic narrative in The White Knights [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Joachim Lafosse
film profile], a Franco-Belgian production based on the Zoé’s Ark scandal. The Special Jury Prize and the Best Cinematography Award (for Manu Dacosse) were bestowed upon the daring Evolution [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Lucile Hadzihalilovic, a Franco-Belgian-Spanish co-production shot on the island of Lanzarote; it ended up being one of the titles that received the most applause and, at the same time, boos from the members of the accredited press. “Not everyone liked it – that was inevitable,” remarked the director, “but at least the majority of the jury members turned out in support of it.”

The flow of trophies for titles with European involvement was incessant at the closing ceremony: the jury chaired by Danish actress Paprika Steen decided that Best Screenplay should go to 21 Nights With Pattie [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], written by the directors of this morbid comedy, brothers Arnaud and Jean-Marie Larrieu. “It was difficult to finance this film in France,” they stated after receiving their prize. “It’s incredible to win an award with an idea that’s as bizarre as this.” The Silver Shell for Best Actress was snagged by Cuba’s Yordanka Ariosa, who played an anguished female lead in The King of Havana [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], a co-production between Spain and the Dominican Republic directed by Agustí Villaronga; and as expected, the Best Actor Awards went to Javier Cámara and Ricardo Darín, who play reunited friends in the Spanish movie Truman [+see also:
film review
trailer
making of
interview: Cesc Gay
film profile], a bittersweet title by Cesc Gay (read the interview).

Some of the other awards handed out on Saturday were the Irizar Basque Film Award, which went to Amama (When a Tree Falls) [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Asier Altuna
film profile], a touching homage by Asier Altuna to a way of life that will soon disappear (read the interview with the director), with a Special Mention for actress Irene Escolar for her work on Un otoño sin Berlín [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Lara Izagirre; The Apostate [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (Spain-Uruguay-France), directed by Federico Veiroj, received a Special Jury Mention and the FIPRESCI Award; and The New Kid [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Rudi Rosenberg
film profile] (France) by Rudi Rosenberg emerged victorious in the New Directors section, “for its portrayal of friendship”, with a Special Mention going to Drifters [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Sweden) by Peter Grönlund, and Sex Life of Plants (Chile) by Sebastián Brahm.

Lastly, Paulina [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (Argentina-Brazil-France) by Santiago Mitre scored a hat trick, winning the Horizontes Latinos Award, the Youth Award and the Another Look Award (TVE): “I will never forget this festival,” confessed the director, overcome with emotion; and Our Little Sister by Hirokazu Koreeda (Japan) and Mountains May Depart [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (China, Japan and France) by Jia Zhang-Ke were voted as the Favourite Film and the Best European Film, respectively, by the large audiences that packed out theatres in the city, which will be the European Capital of Culture in 2016.

The full list of winners of the 63rd San Sebastián Festival is below:

Golden Shell: Sparrows [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Atli Óskar Fjalarsson
interview: Rúnar Rúnarsson
film profile], Rúnar Rúnarsson
Special Jury Prize: Evolution [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], Lucile Hadzihalilovic
Silver Shell for Best Director: Joachim Lafosse, The White Knights [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Joachim Lafosse
film profile]
Silver Shell for Best Actress: Yordanka Ariosa, The King of Havana [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]
Silver Shell for Best Actor: Javier Cámara and Ricardo Darín, Truman [+see also:
film review
trailer
making of
interview: Cesc Gay
film profile]
Jury Prize for Best Cinematography: Manu Dacosse, Evolution
Jury Prize for Best Screenplay: Arnaud and Jean-Marie Larrieu, 21 Nights With Pattie [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]
Special Jury Mention: The Apostate [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], Federico Veiroj

New Directors Award: The New Kid [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Rudi Rosenberg
film profile], Rudi Rosenberg
Special Mention: Drifters [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Peter Grönlund, and Sex Life of Plants, Sebastián Brahm

(Translated from Spanish)