07/11/2005

Kari Paljakka’s For The Living And The Dead was this year’s recipient of the coveted Sutherland Trophy awarded annually to the most original and imaginative first feature film screening in the Times bfi London Film Festival (LFF) which ended last Thursday.
. The Finnish film which previously screened in Berlin 2005 Panorama Section is based on the true story of a family who suffered the loss of their younger son. "For The Living And The Dead offers a genuinely fresh approach to a taboo subject; Paljakka has created an intimate and inflicting portrait of a grieving family that is both humane and uplifting. This is a powerful and original film and a deserving winner of the bfi Sutherland Trophy" said Festival artistic director Sandra Hebron when announcing the winner among 12 international feature films that were competing this year.

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Four other main awards were given at this year’s 49th LFF: The Alfred Dunhill UK Film Talent Award of £15,000 (€ 22,000) went to producer Gayle Griffiths from Wild Horses Film Company whose film Song of Songs directed by Josh Appignanesi was also running for the LFF Sutherland Trophy.
The Satyajit Ray Award was handed out to Perry Ogden’s Irish film Pavee Lackeen [+see also:
trailer
film profile]. Clyde Jeavons, President of the jury, said: "The jury acknowledges the high standard of many of the first features in this year’s festival and particularly admired Bouli Lanners’ Ultranova [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Bouli Lanners
film profile], Lee Yoon-Ki’s This Charming Girl and Maria Procházkova’s Shark In The Head. We are unanimous however in giving the 10th annual award to the Irish film Pavee Lackeen, Perry Ogden’s skilfully dramatised and deeply committed portrayal of the traveller community in Dublin and its struggle with bureaucracy, poverty and prejudice".
The 8th Fipresci International Critics Award winner at the LFF was Ramin Bahrani’s US/Iranian film Man Push Cart by Ramin Bahrani, and the new Festival Grierson Award given to the director of the best feature-length documentary film went to Michael Glawogger’s Workingman’s Death.