10/07/2006

While Scandinavia dominated the 2005 Brussels European Film Festival, this year the Hungarians were out in force, with two films winning the festival hands down.

At the closing ceremony held on Friday evening, hosted by Italian actress Chiara Caselli, Taxidermia [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by György Pálfi and Fresh Air [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Ágnes Kocsis (see interviews with directors in our Special Report on Hungary) were awarded the joint Iris Award for Best Film.

Thanks to Belgian television broadcasters Be TV and RTBF, who awarded prizes for distribution support (thereby buying rights) to The Bothersome Man [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jens Lien
interview: Jørgen Storm Rosenberg
film profile] by Jens Lien and Pingpong [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Matthias Luthardt
interview: Sebastian Urzendowsky
film profile] by Matthias Luthardt, Imagine Film Distribution did very well at the festival with three of its upcoming films – including Taxidermia – among the evening’s prize winners.

Actress Mirjana Karanovic came on stage to receive the Best Actress Award for her leading role in the moving title Grbavica [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Barbara Albert
interview: Jasmila Zbanic
film profile] by Bosnian director Jasmila Zbanic, which also picked up the Canvas Prize, awarded for distribution support from Flemish television.

Lastly, the Audience Award went to Belgian comedy, Ça rend heureux [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Fabrizio Rongione
interview: Joachim Lafosse
film profile] (lit. “That Makes One Happy”) by Joachim Lafosse (see interview), distributed by Cinéart, a low budget film within a film about the difficulties of a young director (Fabrizio Rogione) who decides to make a film against all odds.

Good fortune seems to be smiling on Lafosse, as Ça rend heureux may feature at Locarno and rumours are doing the rounds that the director’s upcoming feature Nue-Propriété [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (lit. “Bare Property”), starring Isabelle Huppert (see news), could be presented at Venice.

(Translated from French)