19/02/2003

Iran came to Malaysia and won. During a gala event organised in one of Kuala Lumpur’s most luxurious hotels, His Majesty, King Yang Di-Pertuan Agong XII presented the winners of the first World Film Festival with the Perdana Awards.
The festival was a huge success. The organisation was outstanding and without forgetting for a moment that the message of this event was peace and solidarity, there were also plenty of those festive sidebar events that are so important for successful film promotion. It is safe to say that Malaysia can now take up its rightful place alongside the world’s leading film festivals.
Escorted by a cortege of prancing paste dragons and horses, Iranian film director Reza Mir Karimi won the festival with his Under the Moonlight, winner of the Critics’ Award in Cannes 2001. Two Europeans were second and third: Austria’s Born in Absurdistan by Iranian director Houchange Allahyari and Germany’s Nowhere in Africa [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Caroline Link. As well as winning a raft of international awards, this was also one of the lucky five titles nominated for an Oscar in the best foreign film category this year.

France takes home the Peace Prize for La Grand Illusion while the Humanity Award went to Malaysian director Mahadi J.Murat for Sayang Salmah.
Although he did not actually win an award, Italy’s The Profession of Arms was amongst the unofficial victors. Ermanno Olmi's film was a highlight of the screenings on 17 and 18 February in two of Kuala Lumpur’s multi-screens and, as well as conquering the audience, it got a new fan when no less a personage as the Italian Ambassador to Malaysia, Anacleto Felicani, announced the title was joining his personal film library of Italian masterpieces, which numbers around 250 films and videos about all aspects of Italian life, history and culture (all subtitled in English) that he regularly screens for Kuala Lumpur’s school and university students, as well as for fans of Italian cinema.
Kuala Lumpur’s first international film festival ended with traditional songs and dances, and, significantly, a royal promise made by His Majesty King Agung XII and shared by the Prime Minister for a new and improved edition next year. See you in 2004.