CHEAP THRILLS directed by E.L. Katz
The Fantasia International Film Festival wrapped up this year’s festival and confirmed record attendance numbers after screening over 131 features from 31 countries and more than 220 shorts over three weeks. Fantasia also announced this year’s prize-winners with SXSW’s Audience Award winner CHEAP THRILLS directed by E.L. Katz winning the New Flesh Award for Best First Feature. BIG BAD WOLVES by Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado won the award for Cheval Noir Award for Best Film; and Hou Chi-Jan won the award for Best Director for WHEN A WOLF FALLS IN LOVE WITH A SHEEP.
Fantasia International Film Festival Winners with Jury Statements via Fantasia International Film Festival
New Flesh Award for Best First Feature: CHEAP THRILLS by E.L. Katz
Winner of this year’s SXSW’s Audience Award, the Fantasia jury calls CHEAP THRILLS, “Darkly humourous, smart and bloody in ways that will make many viewers squirm with glee. This abundantly confident first feature provides a thoroughly entertaining snapshot of modern blue collar desperation in a world addicted to easy money and childish amusement.”
Special Mention: HALLEY by Sebastian Hofmann
The jury for the First Feature Competition consisted of Jury President Charles de Lauzirika (Filmmaker), Ramachandra Borcar (Musician), Manon Dumais (Film Critic, Voir), Jason Lapeyre (Filmmaker) and Stéphane du Mesnildot (Film Critic, Les cahiers du cinema).
Cheval Noir Award for Best Film: BIG BAD WOLVES by Aharon Keshales & Navot Papushado
Statement: With elements of horror, crime thriller, revenge drama, and wicked black comedy, BIG BAD WOLVES takes genre-bending to bold new levels. This sense of originality, along with its subversive political subtext, assured visual style, and impeccable ensemble cast, is what separates the film from the rest of the pack.
Best Director: Hou Chi-Jan for WHEN A WOLF FALLS IN LOVE WITH A SHEEP
Best Screenplay: Aharon Keshales & Navot Papushado for BIG BAD WOLVES
Best Actor: Cho Jae-hyun for THE WEIGHT by Jeon Kyu-hwan
Best Actress: Nathalie Boutefeu for LES GOUFFRES by Antoine Barraud
Special Mention: ACROSS THE RIVER by Lorenzo Bianchini & LES GOUFFRES by Antoine Barraud
The grand jury for the Cheval Noir Competition was comprised of Jury President Laura Kern (Managing Editor of Film Comment), Jean-Pierre Bergeron (Actor, Filmmaker), Samuel Jamier (Co-Director of the New York Asian Film Festival), Jarod Neece (Senior Programmer, South by Southwest Film Festival), Travis Stevens (Producer, CEO of Snowfort Pictures)
Satoshi Kon Award for Achievement in Animation (Tied): BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC III – THE ADVENT & THE GARDEN OF WORDS
Fantasia’s Animation Jury is pleased to award the Satoshi Kon Award for Achievement in Animation to two equally exceptional films. Each of these astounding films represent, in their unique way, the various ends of the spectrum in animation story telling, one as an epic giant battle to save a world, one as an intimate poetic study of relationship.
Statement: BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC III – THE ADVENT, directed by Toshiyuki Kubooka: this film is “fantastic” in every sense of the word, from start to finish. An intense visual attack of the senses, “The Advent” goes deep into the dark side, to look horror, pain and death in the face, without shying away.
Statement: THE GARDEN OF WORDS (KOTONOHA NO NIWA) directed by Makoto Shinkai: this delicate film of poetic observations of life is extremely beautiful and every single scene is a masterpiece of composition. The colours, the exceptional backgrounds, and the intimate, well-observed relationships will win everyone over.
Special Mention: AFTER SCHOOL MIDNIGHTERSby Hitoshi Takekiyo
Best Animated Short Film: KICK-HEART by Masaaki Yuasa
The animation jury is pleased to award the Best Animated Short to KICK-HEART by Masaaki Yuasa. KICK-HEART stood out for its overall originality, unique sense of timing, and its engrossing and vibrant style of motion and visuals.
Special Mention: JAMON by Iria Lopez
Statement: We award this Best First Film for its adept and consistent visual style, clever storytelling and overall sophistication.
Special Mention: THE WINDOW by Yeun Sang-ho
Statement: We recognize this film for its outstanding script and skilled realization of very difficult subject matter.
The jury for the animation prizes consisted of Jury President Patrick Bouchard (Director), Luc Chamberland (Director and Animator) and Keltie Duncan (Programmer and Technical Coordinator at the Ottawa International Animation Festival).
Best International Short: RESET by Marcus Kryler & Fredrik Åkerström
The international short jury consisted of Jury President Sten-Kristian Saluveer (Programmer, Director and Producer), Garrick Dion (Senior VP of Development, Bold Films) and Frédérick Maheux(Filmmaker).
Audience Awards:
Best Asian Feature:
Gold HK/FORBIDDEN SUPER HERO by Yuichi Fukuda
Silver LESSON OF THE EVIL by Takashi Miike
Bronze HOW TO USE GUYS WITH SECRET TIPS by Lee Wonsuk
Best International Feature:
Gold CURSE OF CHUCKY by Don Mancini
Silver OXV: THE MANUAL by Darren Paul Fisher
Bronze BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN by Felix Van Groeningen
Best Canadian or Quebec Feature:
LES 4 SOLDATS by Robert Morin
Best Animation Feature:
THE GARDEN OF WORDS by Makoto Shinkai
Guru Prize For Most Energetic Film:
Gold HK/FORBIDDEN SUPER HERO by Yuichi Fukuda
Most Innovative Film:
OXV: THE MANUAL by Darren Paul Fisher
Best Short Film:
Gold LE CHEVREUIL by Rémi St-Michel
Silver L’ÉTRANGER by Olaf Svenson
Bronze JACK ATTACK by Antonio Padovan & Bryan Norton
Best Documentary:
REWIND THIS! by Josh Johnson