03/10/2016 - Mohamed Ben Attia’s Tunisian-set Franco-Belgian co-production won the Golden Athena, while Operation Avalanche picked up directing honours

In as modest an affair as the Athens International Film Festival’s closing ceremonies usually are, Mohamed Ben Attia’s Tunisian-set drama, Hedi [+see also:
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film profile], added the Golden Athena to its Berlinale Best First Feature and Best Actor Silver Bear Awards on Saturday night. The Golden Athena is also accompanied by a €1,500 prize.

Following the story of a young man struggling his way through social conventions in Tunisia and enduring his mother’s attempts to dominate his life, Mohamed Ben Attia’s debut stars Majd Mastoura as the titular character, who has his world turned upside-down when he meets Rym (Rym Ben Messaud), a man who shows him that true life lies beyond conventions. The film is a Tunisian, French and Belgian co-production.

Matt Johnson’s Operation Avalanche (USA), which tells the story of four CIA agents sent to infiltrate NASA, but, in the process, stumble upon the titillating conspiracy of the fake moon-landing, picked up the Best Directing Award, thus earning it its first international festival win.

Headed by BFI programmer Nicola Gallani, the AIFF’s five-member International Jury also handed out the Best Screenplay Award to Babak Anvari’s inventive horror film Under the Shadow [+see also:
trailer
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film profile] (Japan/France/Belgium), which follows the major life stages of a castaway on a tropical island. 

The Best Greek Newcomer Awards were handed out earlier in the festival, with Joyce Nashawati’s Thessaloniki International Film Festival FIPRESCI Prize-winning Blind Sun [+see also:
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interview: Argyris Papadimitropoulos
film profile] star Elli Triggou picking up Best New Actress, while the Best New Actor award was split between Yiannis Niaros for Mythopathy, and Alexandros Vardaxoglou for Venice-contender, Interruption [+see also:
film review
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interview: Daphné Patakia
interview: Yorgos Zois
film profile].

Here is the complete list of the AIFF award-winners:

International Competition
Golden Athena for Best Film
Hedi [+see also:
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City of Athens Award for Best Directing
Matt Johnson – Operation Avalanche

Best Screenplay Award
Babak Anvari – Under the Shadow [+see also:
trailer
film profile]

Special Mention
The Red Turtle [+see also:
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trailer
film profile] – Michael Dudok de Wit

Audience Award
The Red Turtle – Michael Dudok de Wit

Best Newcomer Award – Director
Joyce Nashawati – Blind Sun [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]

Best Newcomer Award – Actress
Elli Triggou – Suntan [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Argyris Papadimitropoulos
film profile]

Best Newcomer Award – Actor
Yiannis Niaros – Mythopathy
Alexandros Vardaxoglou – Interruption [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Daphné Patakia
interview: Yorgos Zois
film profile]

Best Film Award for a film in the Music & Film section
Eat That Question – Frank Zappa in his Own Words [+see also:
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film profile] – Thorsten Schutte

Short Film Competition
Best Film
Limbo – Konstantina Kotzamani

Second Best Film
Fox – Jacqueline Lentzou

Best Directing
Konstantina Kotzamani – Limbo

Best Script
Alexandros Skouras – Cube

Best Cinematography
Yorgos Karvelas – Limbo

Best Actor
Nikos Zeginoglou – Fox

Best Actress
Elena Topalidou – Hela Ar I Lund

Special Jury Award
Aurelia – Christos Bourandas and Kreon Krionas