Thursday, November 12, 2009

2009 Viennale


Not long ago the fest had the awards ceremony and here are the award winners.

Wiener Filmpreis for Best Feature Film: Lourdes, Jessica Hausner, Austria and France, 2009
“I have never seen anything like it before, at least not in such an aesthetic form!’ This sentence springs to mind when watching Jessica Hausner’s film-passion “Lourdes.” In its unconventional film language, at times reminiscent of still life, in its various aspects, direction, acting performances, and camerawork, it is a truly outstanding film experience. It is about the unbelievable, hope and longing, and believers waiting for a miraculous healing in the Marian pilgrimage site of Lourdes, where this film was also shot.”

Der Standard Readers’ Jury Prize: Darbareye Elly, Asghar Farhadi, Iran, 2009
“Darbareye Elly is an artistically convincing, multi-layered drama about morals, responsibility to oneself and others, as well as the relationship to truth revealed by the dynamics of interpersonal relations. At the same time, it provides a rare view of Iran’s middle-class.”

FIPRESCI Award: Xiao Li Zi (Survival Song), Yu Guangyi, China, 2008
“For its strong portrayal of an area so remote, told through filmmaking so fresh with innocence and innovation, it almost seems like witnessing the invention of cinema at a place it never before existed.”

To read awards in all categories and browse the film program please go here.

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