24/09/2005

The official jury of the 53rd edition of the San Sebastian International Film Festival has awarded the Golden Shell (Concha de Oro) for the best film to the Czech-German co-production Something Like Happiness [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Bohdan Slama
interview: Pavel Strnad
film profile] by Bohdan Sláma. The film, to which Cineuropa dedicated a making of is focused on the chaotic relationship between three childhood friends. Starring Ana Geislerová as a schizophrenic mother, the Czech Shooting Star 2004 has just been awarded the Silver Shell (Concha de Plata) for the best actress.

17 year old Spanish actor Juan José Ballesta received the Silver Shell for his performance in 7 Virgenes. The award consolidates a talent spotted four years ago in El Bola. Wolfgang Kohlhaase received the jury's award for the script of Summer in Berlin by Andreas Dresen.

The other official jury's awards went to Sun Flower (best photography for Jong Lin and best director for Zhang Yang) and Iluminados por el fuego by Argentinean director Tristán Bauer (the jury's special prize). The awards, announced this afternoon by Angelica Houston, seem to disappoint the expectations of both public and press, whose favourites included European productions such as Je ne suis pas là pour être aimé and Spanish productions Hard Times and Sud Express. Proof that public applauses and jury’s decisions are often different.

On the sidebar section, Jan Cvitkovic’s Gravehopping received the Award Altadis – New Directors for its "clever combination of drama and comedy, through characters who are constantly surprising us in a very lively film". This jury attributed a special mention to the Spanish documentary El taxista Ful by Jo Sol.

The other awards of this year’s edition are:

Montblanc Award for new scriptwriters:
Kang Yi-Kwan for Sa-Kwa

Horizons Award:
Toro Negro by Carlos Armella and Pedro González Rubio

Audience TCM Award:
Holy Lola by Bertrand Tavernier

Youth Volswagen Award:
Aupa Etxebeste by Asier Altuna and Telmo Esnal

FIPRESCI Award:
Tideland de Terry Gilliam

Signis Award:
Sud Express by Chemq de la Peña and Gabriel Velásquez

Best European Film Award (CICAE jury):
Alex by José Alcala

CEC (Círculo de Escritores Cinematográficos) Award:
Je ne suis pas là pour être aimé by Stéphane Brizé

San Sebastian 2005 Award (GEHITU’s prize):
Hard Times by Manuel Martín Cuenca

TV 5 Award
Les Petits Producteurs de la Sierre by Sandra Blondel and Pascal Hennequin

CECC Award:
Cache ta joie by Jean-Baptiste de Laubier