24 Torino GLBT Film Festival Award Winners

Yesterday the fest had its closing ceremony and here are some of the award winners.

Best Film: Leonera (Lion’s Den), Pablo Trapero, Argentina, South Korea and Brazil, 2008
“For the balance between a rigorous and genial direction the movie succeeds in conveying, transmitted by the intense interpretation of the female main characters. Moreover for the archetypical female role of maternity as a defense for people's overcoming supported by women's solidarity”. A Special Mention goes to Martina Gusman for her interpretation in Leonera, thanks to her skill in physically and mentally transforming herself in the character of the mother.

Special Jury Award: Elève libre (Private Lessons), Joachim Lafosse, Belgium, 2008
”For its courage in facing in a deep, intelligent and extremely rigorous way a difficult and scandalous theme, thanks to a perfectly balanced script with concise and essential dialogues”. A Special Mention goes to Jonas Bloquet, as innocent as Tadzio in Death in Venice, for his natural skill, despite his young age, in bravely playing an extremely difficult role.

Special Mention: Wu sheng feng ling (Soundless Wind Chime), Kit Hung, Hong Kong, China and Switzerland, 2008
“For its poetic imagery that captures love that knows no boundaries of space, country and time. Also for its constant balance between dream state, reality and moments of theatrical surprise, combined with big emotions between sadness and beauty. And it also successfully couples Eastern and Western point of views”.

New Director (1st film): Wu sheng feng ling (Soundless Wind Chime), Kit Hung, Hong Kong, China and Switzerland, 2008
“For the ability to mix time and reconciling two different worlds through a poetic point of view and a cinematic technique able to give visual substance to feelings”

To check the audience awards and the winners in the documentary and shorts categories please go here. These films seem interesting beyond the genre and definitively is great to see Leonera getting more well deserved honors.