03/05/2016 - The Barcelona International Auteur Film Festival awards the Talents prize to the documentary by Andrés Duque on Russian musician Karavaichuk

Last Saturday, 30 April,Andrés Duque, a Venezuelan by birth who lives in Barcelona, won the Talents D’A 2016 award of the Barcelona International Auteur Film Festival for Best Director (along with prize money of €6,000) for his film Oleg and the Rare Arts [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], which was awarded by the jury made up of Natalia de Molina, Diana Santamaría (the director of Capricci Films España) and filmmaker Matías Piñeiro, “for the level of intimacy it achieves during the journey and the way it defends a wild character awaiting the death of the classics with optimism. Also for the music, the shorts, the dissonance and consonance of a director who makes art into something difficult and sensitive”.

And so this Spanish production picks up another award, after triumphing at Punto de Vista (see article) and getting a special mention and the award for best soundtrack at Cinéma du Reel (see article). The jury also gave a special mention to Portuguese director Joao Nicolau’s film John From [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], for “taking a gamble on an original, vibrant and liberating fictional film”.

The Critics Jury instead awarded its prize in the Talents section to Baden Baden [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Rachel Lang (Belgium/France), because “with its frankness and the way it ties in with contemporary reality, it raises a conspiratorial smile from the viewer whilst touching on themes that are crucial to the development of an individual”. The same jury gave a special mention to Oleg… for putting together “an accurate portrayal of the protagonist without losing the author’s perspective”.

Members of the public who flocked to the screenings of this interesting festival voted for Japanese production Happy Hour by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, which, over its five-hour duration, offers an introspective portrayal of thirty-year-old women. The D’A 2016, which was closed with a screening of The Next Skin [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Isa Campo, Isaki Lacuesta
film profile] by Isa Campo and Isaki Lacuesta, will return to Barcelona to bring together the best of arthouse film from around the world in its next edition, which will be held from 27 April to 7 May.

The awards:

Talents D’A 2016 Award
Oleg and the Rare Arts [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] – Andrés Duque

Special Mention
John From [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] – Joao Nicolau

Critics’ Award
Baden Baden [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Rachel Lang

Special Mention
Oleg and the Rare Arts - Andrés Duque

Audience Award
Happy Hour - Ryusuke Hamaguchi

(Translated from Spanish)