28/11/2005

Can one be happy with someone else’s happiness? The answer is ‘yes’ if you ask director Fien Troch. The young Belgian woman triumphed in the 46th Thessaloniki International Film Festival which she left with three awards, including the Golden Alexander for best picture, and a € 37,000 cheque in her bags, for her film with exactly that title: Someone Else’s Happiness [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Een Ander Zijn Geluk).

Troch, 27, beat the traditionally strong opposition from Asia and the Americas with what is essentially her first feature film about the changes that a mystery accident brings to the life of a woman. It was the first time since 1992 and Sally Potter’s Orlando, that a female director won the event’s main prize.
Troch was stunned and almost speechless receiving the awards for best film, screenplay while her leading lady Ina Geerts, won best actress. The film also scored well with the audience although that particular award went to a surprise from the US, Man Push Cart, by second generation Iranian, Ramin Bahrani.
Hungary’s Roland Vranik shared a best director’s award for his feature Black Brush (Fekete Kefe) with Backstage [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]’s Emmanuelle Bercot.

A life achievement Golden Alexander was awarded to acclaimed cinematographer Vittorio Storaro (Apocalypse Now, 1900, The Last Emperor, Goya in Bordeaux) who chaired the official competition’s jury. “If you follow your dream strong enough there is a chance that one day you will succeed. I did” - an evidently moved Storaro told young talented filmmakers in the public after receiving his prize.
The 46th Thessaloniki International Film Festival, November 18-27, had over 200 films in its programme. The Greek national awards will be announced in a separate event tonight.

The Αwards:

Best Feature Film - Golden Alexander (€ 37,000)
Someone Else’s Happiness (Een Ander Zijn Geluk) by Fien Troch, Belgium/Netherlands.

Special Jury - Silver Alexander(€ 22,000)
Blood (Sangre) by Amat Escalante, Mexico

Best Director (ex aequo)
Roland Vranik for Black Brush (Fekete Kefe), Hungary
and
Emmanuelle Bercot for Backstage, France

Best Screenplay
Fien Troch for Someone Else’s Happiness (Een Ander Zijn Geluk)

Best Actress (ex aequo)
Ina Geerts in Someone Else’s Happiness (Een Ander Zijn Geluk).
And
Isild Le Besco in Backstage by Emmanuelle Bercot

Best Actor
Ahmad Razvi in Man Push Cart by Ramin Bahrani, USA

Artistic Achievement
Chin Ting-Chan for the cinematography of Falling in…Love (Liarnen) by Wang Min – Tai, Taiwan

Special Mention
Actress Natali Broods in the film Someone Else’s Happiness (Een Ander Zijn Geluk).

FIPRESCI award for a film in Competition
The Hours Go By (Como pasan las horas) by Inés de Oliveira Cezar, Argentina

FIPRESCI award for a film in the Greek Films section
Tsiou by Makis Papadimitratos, Greece

Human Values Award by “Vouli”, the channel of the Greek parliament (€ 15,000s)
Tsotsi by Gavin Hood, South Africa

Jameson Audience Award for a film in International Competition (€ 3000)
Man Push Cart by Ramin Bahrani, USA

Jameson Audience Award for a film in the Greek Films section (€ 3,000)
Chariton's Choir (I Horodia Tou Charitona), by Grigoris Karantinakis

Jameson Audience Award for a film in Balkan Survey (€ 2,000)
Go West, by Ahmed Imamovic, Bosnia & Herzegovina/ Croatia

The Greek Union Of Film Television And Audiovisual Technicians (ETEKT) award
True Blue (Galazio Forema) by Yannis Diamantopoulos.

The Greek Film Critics Association (PEKK) Award
Buzz, by Spyros Taraviras, Greece

Life Achievement Golden Alexander
Vittorio Storaro, Cinematographer, Italy