21/11/2013 - The feature debut by emerging director Rok Bicek left Bratislava with a handful of awards

Young Slovenian director Rok Bicek dominated the International Film Festival of Bratislava by winning the Grand Prix, Audience Award and FIPRESCI Prize with his impressive feature Class Enemy [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Rok Biček
interview: Rok Bicek
interview: Rok Bicek
film profile]. The jury applauded Bicek´s film for its “vivid study of acute generational conflicts sprouting from the seeds of bigotry and alienation.” The tension rises between students and their new German teacher. After the suicide of a student, the teacher is blamed for her death. Igor Samobor won the Best Actor Award for his performance as the teacher. The FIPRESCI jury praised the film for its “great script, perfectly depicted characters, mixture of pro and non-pro actors and precise camera work...”

The Award for the Best Actress went to Anne Odell for her role in the drama The Reunion [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]. Odell uses her identity and life story to study borders between fantasy and reality. Odell also directed the film. “Anne Odell presents the dynamic creation of a character dealing with poignant issues such as the alienation of young people in contemporary society,” the jury said while handing out the award.

The Award for Best Director was won ex aequo by Bobo Jelčič and Jurij Bykov. Jelčič´s A Stranger [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Bobo Jelcic
film profile] analyses the invisible borders left in the city of Mostar twenty years after the war and the dilemma of the main protagonist Slavko. Slavko cannot decide whether to attend the funeral of his Muslim friend. “[The director’s] inventive style bestows to the narration an absorbing sense of the political reality of the city,” said the jury about Jelčič´s work while at the same time applauding Bykov´s drama The Major for “directing with instinctive technique by laying a conscience bare before the collateral chicane of the police authority.” The film follows Sergej Sobolev, the major of local police, who runs over a kid while rushing to the hospital where his wife is giving birth to their son. The kid dies and the major finds himself at a crossroad: go to prison or cover up the accident.

The Award for Artistic Excellency was given to Danish Oscar holder and winner of two Palmes d´Or, Bille August. The International Film Festival of Bratislava and the city of Bratislava also continue to appreciate domestic film personalities. The newest tile on the film pavement of fame in Bratislava was dedicated to film and theatre actress Eva Krížiková. For the occasion, the Czechoslovak comedy Quadrille (1955) was screened to honour the actress.