30/04/2012 - Kleber Mendonça Filho’s Neighbouring Sounds took first prize, while Canadian director Philippe Falardeau received the Audience Award – for the second time

Brazilian director Kleber Mendonça Filho’s feature debut, Neighbouring Sounds, won first prize – the New Talent Grand PIX - at CPH PIX, the Copenhagen International Film Festival, which ended Sunday (April 29). The award comes with a €30,000 cheque for the director’s next film.

Scripted by Filho, depicting the fears of social unrest and violence in a middle-class quarter of Recife, the drama-thriller takes place in a single street where a private security guard is both a good cop and a bad cop. Ten films were competing for the Grand PIX.

At the awards ceremony in Copenhagen’s Vega, the jury headed by French director Mia Hanssen-Løve praised Filho for his the feeling of personal insight into contemporary Brazil and the nuanced depiction of the people in the small town of Recife, where he also lives.

“Even though the story is simple and often funny, the jury feels that the movie has a strong feeling of authenticity and honesty,” concluded the jury, which also included German director Matthias Glasner and Indian director Anurag Kashyap.

For the second time, Canadian director Philippe Falardeau received the CPH PIX Audience Award, for his Monsieur Lazhar, about a middle-aged Algerian immigrant in Quebec, who ends up as a teacher at a primary school where the children are traumatised after a tragic incident. His It's Not Me, I Swear won in 2009.

For the 18-day showcase,festival director Jacob Neiiendam and programme director Thure Mundkholm scheduled 158 films – including four new Danish features - screening in eight Copenhagen (and two provincial) theatres.