22/11/2021 - The Irish DoP won the Golden Frog Award for his camera work on Mike Mills’ C’mon C’mon, while Piotr Sobociński Jr was awarded in the Polish Competition for his work on Operation Hyacinth

Piotr Sobociński Jr collects the Best Polish Film award for Operation Hyacinth (© Camerimage)

The 29^th edition of the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage, a unique, specialized gathering within the European film festival scene, took place 13-20 November. The winning works were announced last Saturday during a Closing Gala at in the CKK Jordanki Festival Centre in Toruń, Poland, which was also streamed internationally.

13 feature films locked horns in the Main Competition, which sought to present films boasting a unique visual appeal and emphasizing the enormous contribution made by the movies’ cinematographers. The selection was scrutinized by an international jury composed of five members, including director, writer and jury president Joe Wright (Darkest Hour [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Cyrano [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), cinematographer and director Elen Lotman (My Dear Mother, Goodbye Soviet Union [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lauri Randla
film profile]), and cinematographers Anastas N. Michos (Man on the Moon, The Empty Man), Martin Ruhe (Control [+see also:
trailer
film profile], The Midnight Sky) and Lawrence Sher (War Dogs, Joker). As for second and third prize, the Silver Frog Award went to Bruno Delbonnel for his framing of Joel Coen’s The Tragedy of Macbeth, while the Bronze Frog Award was handed to Greig Fraser for his cinematography in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune. Decided upon by film critics Marcin Adamczak (Poland), James B. Evans (UK/Canada) and Berke Göl (Turkey), the FIPRESCI prize was handed to Nabil Ben Yadir - the director behind the Main Competition’s Best Film - for Animals [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Nabil Ben Yadir
film profile], with special consideration for the movie’s cinematography, overseen by Frank van den Eeden.

Consisting of five contenders, the Polish Films Competition was won by Operation Hyacinth, shot by Piotr Sobociński Jr. and directed by Piotr Domalewski, following the deliberations of a jury headed up by cinematographer Amy Vincent (Black Snake Moan, TV series Legion) and further composed of director and screenwriter Janicza Bravo (Lemon, Mrs. America TV series) and cinematographer Ed Lachman (Erin Brockovich, Far from Heaven). The Golden Frog Award for Best Documentary Feature went to My Voice Will Be With You, shot by Tristan Galand, directed by Bruno Tracq and singled out from among 10 other candidates by a jury composed of producer and jury president Sigrid Jonsson Dyekjær (The Cave [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], Love Child [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]), cinematographer Johaness Kirchlechner (Drei D, Comeback für Freddy Baker) and documentary filmmaker Monika Pawluczuk (shorts When I Am A Bird and The End of the World). Meanwhile, during the Opening Gala on 13 November, cinematographer Philippe Rousselot (Interview with the Vampire, Big Fish) received his overdue 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award, and actress Haley Bennett (The Magnificent Seven, Swallow [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]) accepted the New Generation Acting Award.

The movies participated in three further competitions, with the full awards list looking as follows:

Main Competition

Golden Frog Award
C'mon C'mon – Mike Mills (USA)
DoP: Robbie Ryan

Silver Frog Award
The Tragedy of Macbeth – Joel Coen (USA)
DoP: Bruno Delbonnel

Bronze Frog Award
Dune [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] – Denis Villeneuve (USA/Hungary/Jordan/United Arab Emirates/Norway/Canada)
DoP: Greig Fraser

FIPRESCI Award
Animals [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Nabil Ben Yadir
film profile] – Nabil Ben Yadir (Belgium/France)
DoP: Frank van den Eeden

Polish Films Competition

Best Polish Film
Operation Hyacinth - Piotr Domalewski (Poland)
DoP: Piotr Sobociński Jr.

Documentary Features Competition

Golden Frog Award
My Voice Will Be With You – Bruno Tracq (Belgium/France)
DoP: Tristan Galand

Documentary Shorts Competition

Golden Frog Award
Survive – Lara Milena Brose, Kilian Armando Friedrich (Germany)
DoP: Jacob Friedrich Maria Kohl

New Directors Competition

Best New Director
Titane [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Julia Ducournau, Vincent Li…
film profile] – Julia Ducournau (France)
DoP: Ruben Impens

New Cinematographers Competition

Best New Cinematographer
Bipolar – Queena Li (China)
DoP: Yuming Ke

Film and Art School Studies Competition - Laszlo Kovacs Student Award

Golden Tadpole
The Howling - Bartosz Brzeziński (Warsaw Film School) (Poland)
DoP: Max Bugajak

Silver Tadpole
Tala'vision - Murad Abu Eisheh (Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg) (Germany)
DoP: Philip Henze

Bronze Tadpole
Cold Blow Lane - Luca Homolka (Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg) (Germany)
DoP: Christopher Behrman

Music Videos Competition

Best Music Video
Zdechłam (Kuba Kawalec & Ana Andrzejewska) - Zuzanna Plisz (Poland)
DoP: Kacper Fertacz

TV Series Competition

Best Episode
Welcome to Utmark: Eye for an Eye – Dagur Kári (Norway)
DoP: Andreas Johannessen

Audience Award
C'mon C'mon – Mike Mills

Lifetime Achievement Award 2020
Philippe Rousselot

New Generation Acting Award
Haley Bennett