30th European Film Awards Winners

Last night the European Academy had their annual awards ceremony and have to admit that enjoyed the show, at least the first half as believe Wim Wenders speech was outstanding and the #MeToo moment was relevant - will take a lot for me to forget what the Polish lady said-.

Then there were the clip collages with kudos to the 30th anniversary video which gave me satisfaction as to my viewing pleasure, have seen almost all the movies they shown.  Always homages have nice videos with the honored filmography, but Aleksandr Sukorov video was breathtaking with many well-crafted images from his outstanding oeuvre.  Images from Mother and Son will always move me beyond tears as not often you see such beauty in cinema.  Gorgeous homage to Sukorov.

The big winner of the night is The Square by Ruben Östlund which tonight collected 5 awards for a grand total of 6 awards when taking into account those announced earlier.  Ruben Östlund won 2 awards for directing and screenwriter; but perhaps the most remarkable achievement is film to win both top award as well as top European comedy.

Also well-deserved are Lady Macbeth win as film is constructed in such an interesting fashion that a well-known story becomes new in the hands of William Oldroyd and with the amazing performance of his lead actress.

No doubt Loving Vincent is mesmerizing as the novelty of oil painting animation in the style of Vincent Van Gogh is impossible to imagine until you see it.  Perhaps is a bit too-much for me but nevertheless was a very interesting cinematic experience.  Well-deserved recognition from the European Academy and wonder how well will film do in the American awards.

Last half of the awards show became a monotonous, especially after the first half was very dynamic but some winners were emotional and always feels very fresh to see those spontaneous reactions.  In general was a good awards show that lasted almost three hours and was able to maintain my interest alive.  Great.

So check the winners below.  Those announced earlier have the statement for your information.

---///---
11/14/17
Today the European Film Academy announced the first award winners for the 2017 edition but the major categories will be announced during the awards ceremony next December 9; consequently, post will be in progress until that date.

A special seven-member jury convened in Berlin and, based on the EFA Selection list and the additional film entries, decided on the winners in the categories cinematography, editing, production design, costume design, hair & make-up, composer and sound design.

These are the winners

European Film:  The Square, Ruben Östlund, Sweden, Germany, France and Denmark
European Comedy:  The Square, Ruben Östlund, Sweden, Germany, France and Denmark

European Discovery - Prix FIPRESCI: Lady Macbeth, William Oldroyd, UK
European Documentary: Komunia (Communion), Anna Zamecka, Poland
European Animated Feature: Loving Vincent, Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman, Poland and UK

European Director:  Ruben Östlund for The Square, Sweden, Germany, France and Denmark
European Screenwriter: Ruben Östlund for The Square, Sweden, Germany, France and Denmark

European Short Film: Timecode, Juanjo Giménez, Spain

European Actress: Alexandra Borbély in Teströl és lélekröl (On Body and Soul), Ildikó Enyedi, Hungary
European Actor: Claes Bang in The Square, Ruben Östlund, Sweden, Germany, France and Denmark

People's Choice Award for Best European Film: Von der Morgenrote (Stefan Zweig-Farewell to Europe), Maria Scharader, Germany, Austria and France

European University Film Award: Heartstone, Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson, Iceland and Denmark
Heartstone is a story about exploration of identities and growing up within an isolated Icelandic community. It highlights the pressure placed on people to conform to particular gender conventions and social norms. The film offers an individual and unique perspective on the difficulty of experiencing and suppressing same-sex attraction in small, disconnected communities. As an up and coming talent, Gudmundur Arnar Gudmundsson delivers an immersive story visualized by overwhelming natural landscapes and beautiful performances. It stands out not only because it is a good film, but also because it explores relevant contemporary issues within today’s society.

European Cinematographer - Prix Carlo di Palma: Michall Krichman for Нелюбо́вь Nelyubov (Loveless), Andrey Zvyagintsev, Russia, Belgium, Germany and France
The cold eye of Michail Krichman guides us through the film’s dark universe, consequently constructing an intense feeling of discomfort. The camera conveys a strong sense of darkness, emptiness and sadness. The choice of what is shown and what stays hidden, gives tremendous weight to every movement of the camera, every carefully constructed frame. Ascetic and well-measured cinematic means evoke an uncanny sense of anxiety, a slight internal tremor.

European Editor: Robin Campillo for 120 Battements par minute (BPM (Beats per minute)), Robin Campillo, France
From the very beginning, Robin Campillo’s editing underlines perfectly the desperate personal urgency of the ACT UP activists and their manifestations. Be it at a pharmaceutical corporation or at a conference, the edit makes the tempo and contributes to the urgency of the film in perfect harmony with framing and story. 

European Production Designer: Josefin Åsberg for The Square, Ruben Östlund, Sweden, Germany, France and Denmark
With great artistic sensibility, the production design in THE SQUARE elevates the film by creating a world at the edge to the surreal. In this way the scenography is able to integrate and interact with the story without ever dominating over it. This is the great artistic quality of Josefin Åsberg.

European Costume Designer: Katarzyna Lewińska for Pokot (Spoor), Agnieszka Holland and Kasia Adamik, Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, Sweden and Slovakia
The simplicity and clarity of the costumes intensify the images and underline the substantial message of the film. The clash between the human element and the natural environment is reflected in the texture, the colours and the design of the costumes, at the same time contributing to the personality of the characters and giving them life. They form an integral part of the storytelling, along with all the other visual elements, and together they create a powerful viewing experience.

European Hair & Make-up Artist: Leendert van Nimwegen for Brimstone, Martin Koolhoven, Netherlands, France, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, UK and USA
In BRIMSTONE, Leendert van Nimwegen, with make-up and hair, helps the characters and their development throughout the film, from play- and colourful, to sober and sinister, the good, the bad, the young, the old. It is a perfect combination of hair and make-up to describe characters, so beautifully done, and making them real.

European Composer: Evgueni and Sacha Galperine for Нелюбо́вь Nelyubov (Loveless), Andrey Zvyagintsev, Russia, Belgium, Germany and France
The dark, haunting and brooding music intensifies the experience of watching the film. Beautifully written, with an intelligent use of piano effects, the score works like an extra character added to the unfortunate family. From beginning to end, the music captivates the underlying tensions, the hidden truths and lies, and guides you through the story, without being too overtly present.

European Sound Designer: Oriol Tarragó for A Monster Calls, J.A. Bayona, Spain
The sound design in A MONSTER CALLS is the power of imagination. Sonically, it takes us into a completely new, unknown world, and does exactly what the filmmaker wants the audience to feel when they’re watching something unfold on screen: It creates a sense of eeriness, a sense of mood, a sense of darkness … resulting in a well-crafted collaboration between sound and visuals.

The members of the jury that selected the seven EFA awards.
Samir Fočo, sound designer, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Raf Keunen, composer, Belgium
Melanie Ann Oliver, editor, UK
Vassilia Rozana, costume designer, Greece
Susana Sanchez, hair & make-up artist, Spain
Łukasz Żal, cinematographer, Poland
Tonino Zera, production designer, Italy

European Co-Production Award-Prix Eurimages: Cedomir Kolar
European Achievement in World Cinema: July Delpy
European Life Achievement Award: Aleksandr Sokurov