email print share on Facebook share on Twitter share on LinkedIn share on reddit pin on Pinterest

FESTIVALS France

Saint-Jean-de-Luz crowns Tel Aviv on Fire and Sir

by 

- The movies by Israeli-Palestinian director Sameh Zoabi and India’s Rohena Gera have split the Grand Prix at this festival centred on films by young auteurs

Saint-Jean-de-Luz crowns Tel Aviv on Fire and Sir
Tel Aviv on Fire by Sameh Zoabi and Sir by Rohena Gera

With its mission to shine the spotlight on feature debuts and sophomore films, the Saint-Jean-de-Luz International Film Festival has crowned two main winners at the end of its fifth edition, which unspooled from 1-6 October. The jury chaired by actress Corinne Masiero (and made up solely of women) handed the 2018 Grand Prix ex aequo to the excellent political comedy Tel Aviv on Fire [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Sameh Zoabi
film profile
]
 by Israeli-Palestinian director Sameh Zoabi (a second feature that was singled out with the Best Actor Award in the Orizzonti section of Venice) and Sir [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
 by India’s Rohena Gera, a feature debut about an impossible love between people of different castes, which previously won an award in the Cannes Critics’ Week. Interestingly, Sir (which Diaphana will distribute in France from 26 December onwards) also took home the Audience Award, while Tel Aviv on Fire also won over the youth jury.

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

The jury was particularly impressed by French actresses Diane Rouxel and Jeanne Cohendy and their performances in Head Above Water [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
 by Margaux Bonhomme (set to be released in France on 5 December, courtesy of Nour Films), while the Canadian flick Family First by Sophie Dupuis scooped two trophies (Best Director and Best Actor).

Here is the full list of winners:

Feature competition

Grand Prix (tied)
Tel Aviv on Fire [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Sameh Zoabi
film profile
]
 - Sameh Zoabi (Luxembourg/Belgium/Israel/France)
Sir [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
 - Rohena Gera (India/France) 

Best Director Award
Family First - Sophie Dupuis (Canada)

Best Actress Award 
Diane Rouxel, Jeanne Cohendy - Head Above Water [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
 (France)

Best Actor Award 
Jean-Simon Leduc, Théodore Pellerin – Family First 

Audience Award 
Sir - Rohena Gera 

Youth Jury Award 
Tel Aviv on Fire - Sameh Zoabi 

Short-film competition

Jury Prize (split)
Make It Soul - Jean-Charles Mbotti Malolo (France)
Malik - Nathan Carli (France)

Youth Jury Award 
Make It Soul - Jean-Charles Mbotti Malolo 

Audience Award
L’enfant chameau - Chabname Zariâb (France)

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

(Translated from French)

Did you enjoy reading this article? Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive more stories like this directly in your inbox.

Privacy Policy