09/09/2023 - VENICE 2023: Tana Gilbert’s movie also bagged the Mario Serandrei Prize for Best Technical Contribution, while Luna Carmoon’s Hoard scooped the Audience Award

(l-r) Jury members Ava Cahen and Bianca Oana, Tana Gilbert director Malqueridas, jury member Baloji and Malqueridas producer Paola Castillo

The International Critics’ Week, the autonomous, parallel section organised by the National Union of Italian Film Critics and unfolding within the Venice Film Festival (now at its 80th edition, running 30 August – 9 September) has announced the winners of its 38th edition.

The international jury, composed of Baloji, Ava Cahen and Bianca Oana, has awarded the IWONDERFULL Grand Prize to Malqueridas [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Tana Gilbert
film profile] (Chile/Germany) by Tana Gilbert, “Because its subject-matter is staggering and it’s formal approach masterly. It’s a radical gesture which brings the off-screen to life, only showing us touches, blurry images, stolen pixels. The story and set-up are dictated by testimonials. The director places us next to women prisoners, without expressing any judgement on their value, and this is one of the wonders of the poetic licence of film.”

The feature film also walked away with the Mario Serandrei - Hotel Saturnia Prize for Best Technical Contribution, as awarded by Matteo Berardini, Marco Contino and Raffaella Giancristofaro. The jury was particularly appreciative of “the comprehensive post-production process, which lends cinematographic form to secret footage of life within a women’s prison which would otherwise be inaccessible”.

For its part, Hoard [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Luna Carmoon
film profile] (UK) by Luna Carmoon scooped The Film Club Audience Award (earning a rating of 4.5/5), as well as the Verona Cinema Club Prize, awarded by a jury of under-35s.

The international jury also honoured Saura Lightfoot Leon with a Special Mention for her role in Hoard, alongside Ariane Labed who was one of the lead actors in Adrien Beau’s Le Vourdalak [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Adrien Beau
film profile] (France). Speaking of Lightfoot Leon’s work, the jury explained that: “We were blown away by the charisma and talent of the lead actress in Hoard, Saura Lightfoot Leon, and we wanted to pay tribute to her brilliant debut.” In terms of Labed’s performance, meanwhile, they stressed that “We can still feel her presence. The jury would like to shine a light on Ariane Labed’s performance in Le Vourdalak on account of its precision, grace and composure, and for having portrayed a marginalised female character with strength and dignity”.

Last but not least, the Prize for Best Short Film, awarded by jury members Eddie Bertozzi, Nicoletta Romeo and Matteo Tortone, went to Italy’s Las memorias perdidas de los árboles by Antonio La Camera, “for offering up a sensorial experience, a hallucinogenic journey, psychedelic vertigo” but “first and foremost for having taken us on an intense emotional exploration, both moving and marvellous, transcending matters of nature and reaching to the incredibly human heart of suffering and loss”.

The full list of winners is as follows:

Feature Films

International Critics’ Week IWONDERFULL Grand Prize
Malqueridas [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Tana Gilbert
film profile] - Tana Gilbert (Chile/Germany)

Verona Film Club Prize
Hoard [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Luna Carmoon
film profile] - Luna Carmoon (UK)

Mario Serandrei – Hotel Saturnia Prize for Best Technical Contribution
Malqueridas – Tana Gilbert

THE FILM CLUB Audience Award
Hoard – Luna Carmoon

Special Mentions for Actresses
Saura Lightfoot Leon – Hoard
Ariane Labed – Le Vourdalak [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Adrien Beau
film profile] (France)

Short Films

Best Short Film
Las memorias perdidas de los árboles – Antonio La Camera (Italy)

Best Director
La linea del terminatore – Gabriele Biasi (Italy)

Best Technical Contribution
We Should All Be Futurists – Angela Norelli (Italy)

Photogallery 08/09/2023: Venice 2023 - Settimana Internazionale della Critica - Awards

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Alain Parroni, Goran Stolevski, Angela Norelli, Gabriele Biasi, Antonio La Camera, Luna Carmoon, Tana Gilbert, Saura Lightfoot Leon, Baloji, Ava Cahen, Bianca Oana
© 2023 Fabrizio de Gennaro for Cineuropa - fadege.it, @fadege.it

(Translated from Italian)