Universal Language triumphs at the Geneva International Film Festival
- The GIFF gave its Reflet d’Or for Best Film to Canadian filmmaker Matthew Rankin’s surreal comedy, and the one for Best Series to Bullshit
The 30th edition of the Geneva International Film Festival (GIFF) is ending after a festival which, as usual, celebrated the multiple formats of audio-visual fiction. Without ever forgetting to look towards the future, a characteristic that’s part of the festival’s DNA, the GIFF this year put the spotlight on its rich history. On the highest steps of the podium, we therefore find five powerful and surprising oeuvres that shake up the viewing habits of the audience. Amongst them, Universal Language by Matthew Rankin triumphs, winning the Reflet d’Or for Best Feature Film.
A surrealist comedy set in the Iranian community in Winnipeg, Universal Language weaves a web of stories that intertwine (seemingly) involuntarily: that of Negin and Nazol, who find money frozen in the ice, Massoud, a mysterious tour guide, and Matthew, who decided to leave his boring yet stable job in administration to go to Winnipeg and pay a visit to his mother. With his film, Matthew Rankin isn’t afraid to impose a very personal vision of cinema, which becomes a way to explore memory and tell stories that turn into utopias.
Danish series Bullshit by Milad Alami (Opponent [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Milad Alami
film profile]), Bo Hr. Hansen and Molly Malene Stensgaard received the Reflet d’Or for Best Series. Inspired by real events, Bullshit plunges the audience into the at once dangerous and fascinating world of biker gangs. The two protagonists, Henning (aka Mackerel), who dreams of imposing himself as a leader in that milieu, and Pia, a utopian and dreamer who left her family, live a crazy and passionate love affair until a gang war breaks out and disrupts their already unstable lives. Bullshit is an exciting series in which a rebellious spirit and revolutionary demands go together wonderfully. The cast includes Alba August, Marco Ilsø as well as Clint Ruben.
The Reflet d’Or for Best Immersive Experience (whose jury included Cineuropa editor-in-chief Domenico La Porta) went to French artist Gwenael François for Oto’s Planet and the Future Is Sensible Award went to Greek artist Alexandros Avranas for Quiet Life [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alexandros Avranas
film profile]. As for the first edition of the Swiss Series Storytelling Award, it went to the Belgian-Swiss series Les Indociles.
This year, many big names attended the festival, amongst which Kirill Serebrennikov, Noémie Merlant, Leos Carax, Louis Garrel as well as Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi and Valeria Golino. In its press release, the festival “rejoices that many screenings were sold out. Young people's attendance also increased.”
The list of winners:
Reflet d’Or for Best Feature Film
Universal Language - Matthew Rankin (Canada)
Reflet d’Or for Best Series
Bullshit - Milad Alami, Bo Hr. Hansen, Molly Malene Stensgaard (Denmark)
Reflet d’Or for Best Immersive Experience
Oto’s Planet - Gwenael François (Luxembourg/Canada/France)
Future Is Sensible Award
Quiet Life [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alexandros Avranas
film profile] - Alexandros Avranas (Suède/France/Grèce/Allemagne/Estonie/Finlande)
Prix Swiss Series Storytelling Award
Les indociles - Joanne Giger, Camille Rebetez, Delphine Lehericey, Aurélie Champagne, Olivier Volpi (Switzerland/Belgium)
(Translated from French)
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