19/09/2006

During a gala evening dedicated to Finnish cinema held during the Helsinki International Film Festival (September 14–24, 2006), Finnish star filmmaker Aki Kaurismäki was voted Director of the Year by the Association of Finnish Film Directors, and Ilkka Matila Producer of the Year by the Central Organization of Finnish Film Producers.

Commenting on the top honour bestowed upon the director of Lights in The Dusk [+see also:
trailer
film profile], the jury said: "To quote Jean Renoir, ‘Nobody can make a good film without a strong personal philosophy’. The Association of Finnish Film Directors wants to reward Aki Kaurismäki for his uncompromising and long-term work for the benefit of Finnish cinema."

The jury’s statement regarding the producer of Mother of Mine [+see also:
trailer
film profile] was: "Ilkka Matila is an experienced, international and multi-talented producer. His filmography includes 11 highly diverse fictional features, which together have garnered 1.6 million admissions domestically. Mother of Mine, produced by Ilkka Matila, is a quality film produced with ambition, with a national theme that expands to be internationally relevant and touching to different audiences. The production process of Mother of Mine was long and arduous, but the skilful producer held things together and succeeded in making a cinematic work that has attracted wide attention, multiple awards and commercial success."

The 19th Helsinki International Film Festival –Love & Anarchy opened last Thursday with the screening of Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Babel and will close on September 24with Michael Winterbottom’s A Cock & Bull Story.

Ninety films from 30 different countries are screening at the non-competitive festival. Announced talent expected to attend includes French actress Deborah François (The Page Turner [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Denis Dercourt
interview: Michel Saint-Jean
film profile]), Swedish filmmaker Björn Runge (Mouth to Mouth), French directors Xavier Beauvois (Le petit lieutenant [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) and Laurent Cantet (Heading South [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Laurent Cantet
interview: Robin Campillo
interview: Simon Arnal-Szlovak
film profile]), German director Florian Gagg (Wholetrain) and Hungarian producer Péter Miskolczi (Taxidermia [+see also:
trailer
film profile]).