27/06/2016 - Catrin Stewart wins Best Performance in a British film for her role in The Library Suicides

Debutant filmmaker Ben Sharrock has won the Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature Film at the Edinburgh International Film Festival (15-26 June). The jury, comprising actress Kim Cattrall, filmmaker and actress Icíar Bollaín, and actor Clancy Brown, said, “We wanted to recognise the very personal and individual voice of director Ben Sharrock for his film Pikadero [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ben Sharrock
film profile]. In a year when the jury viewed a selection of very distinctive and different films his film really stood out.” Sharrock said, “It is so valuable to have this kind of recognition for Pikadero in the UK. It is awards and recognition like this that help us get the film out to as wide an audience as possible. We have been lucky enough to screen Pikadero in different countries around the world but it has been a very special experience having the UK premiere here at EIFF and showing it to audiences in my home city.”

Best Performance in a British Film went to Catrin Stewart for her role in Euros Lyn’s The Library Suicides [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and was also selected by the Michael Powell jurors. The Jury said,  “We wanted to recognise the striking performance by Stewart in The Library Suicides. The complexities and subtleties of playing twin characters is challenging and she managed to achieve the rare feat of making each of the two roles she played truly distinctive.”

The award for Best International Feature Film went to Argyris Papadimitropoulos’ Suntan [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Argyris Papadimitropoulos
film profile]. The International Jury comprising actor Angus Macfadyen, actress and producer Sadie Frost and journalist Matt Mueller, said, “While there were many outstanding films in the international competition, Suntan is the title that really resonated with us. Papadimitropolous’ film is a compelling and unflinching portrait of one man’s journey from infatuation to desperation, marked out by a truly great performance from its lead actor, Efthymis Papadimitriou.”

Taika Waititi’s Hunt for the Wilderpeople won the Audience Award. The award for Best Documentary Feature Film went to Johan Grimonprez’s Shadow World [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]. The award for Best Short Film went to Igor Kovalyov’s Before Love and the McLaren Award for Best British Animation to Simon Tofield’s Simon’s Cat – Off to the Vet.

The list of winners:

Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature Film
Pikadero [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ben Sharrock
film profile] - Ben Sharrock

Special Mention
Brakes [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Mercedes Grower
film profile] - Mercedes Grower

Best International Feature Film
Suntan [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Argyris Papadimitropoulos
film profile] - Argyris Papadimitropoulos

Best Documentary Feature Film
Shadow World [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Johan Grimonprez

Best Performance in a British Feature Film
Catrin Stewart - The Library Suicides [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Euros Lyn)

Special Mention
David Sillars - Seat in Shadow [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Henry Coombes)

Audience Award
Hunt for the Wilderpeople - Taika Waititi

Best Short Film
Before Love - Igor Kovalyov

Special Mention
Murderous Injustice - Gavin Scott Whitfield

McLaren Award for Best British Animation
Simon’s Cat – Off to the Vet - Simon Tofield