17/10/2024 - Upcoming films from Canada and Cambodia have shone bright at the fourth edition of the Festival du Nouveau Cinéma’s industry platform

Loïc Darses and Miryam Charles with their prize for Writing on the Wall (© Maryse Boyce)

On 14 October, Montréal’s Festival du nouveau cinéma announced the award-winning projects from the fourth edition of the Nouveau Marché (10-13 October).

The FNC Prize, worth $25,000, was awarded to Writing on the Wall, a powerful prison drama co-written by Loïc Darses and Miryam Charles. This Canadian film, supported by La Coop Vidéo de Montréal, tells the story of a young Québécois political prisoner in 1966, incarcerated in New York’s notorious Tombs prison. After a 29-day hunger strike, he secretly begins writing a text that will leave a mark on history.

The ArteKino International Prize, to the tune of €6,000 and presented for the second consecutive year by the ArteKino Foundation, was awarded to To Leave, To Stay, a film by Danech San (Cambodia/France/Singapore), co-produced by Anti-Archives and Apsara Films. The story follows Mera, a young woman who, in order to avoid an arranged marriage, decides to travel to a remote island with a friend to meet a soldier she has connected with online. A few weeks after her departure, Mera disappears, leaving her friend Bopha in an anguished search to find her.

The $10,000 Pitch Prize for First Feature Films, sponsored by Netflix, was awarded to Meat, directed by Ryan Steel and produced by Seán Maheux Galway. This Canadian project features an unusual plot: after a plane crash, six survivors stranded on a deserted island face a moral dilemma. When they discover the body of an alien, they decide to consume it, discovering that its meat is not only delicious but could revolutionise the food industry. However, this decision leads them towards some cosmic consequences.

A Special Mention was also given to Rocket Fuel, directed by Jessie Posthumus and produced by Nancy Pettinicchio.

The Nouveau Marché brought together 14 feature-film projects in development, presented to an audience of local and international industry professionals (see the news). With a rich and diverse selection, the platform continues to cement its role as a launch pad for emerging talent in global cinema.

Here is the full list of award winners:

FNC Prize
Writing on the Wall - Loïc Darses (Canada)
Production: La Coop Vidéo De Montréal

ArteKino International Prize
To Leave To Stay - Danech San (Cambodia/France/Singapore)
Production: Anti-Archive, Apsara Films

Pitch Prize for First Feature Films
Meat - Ryan Steel (Canada)
Production: Seán Maheux Galway
Special Mention
Rocket Fuel - Jessie Posthumus
Production: Nancy Pettinicchio