THE BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN
The 25th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) announced this year’s juried award winners of the Festival, held from January 3 to13, 2014. From the 46 of the 76 official Foreign Language submissions to the Academy Awards screened at this year’s Festival, the Oscar shortlisted THE BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN (Belgium), directed by Felix van Groeningen was awarded the FIPRESCI Prize for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year. FIPRESCI Prize for the Best Actor of the Year in a Foreign Language Film went to Mads Mikkelsen from THE HUNT (Denmark) directed by Thomas Vinterberg, which is on the Oscar shortlist, and Bérénice Bejo from THE PAST (Iran), directed by Asghar Farhadi, received the FIPRESCI Prize for Best Actress of the Year in a Foreign Language Film.
The New Voices/New Visions selected MEDEAS (USA) directed by Andrea Pallaoro. The film is an archetypal tale of adultery, rendered with exquisite strokes in this slow burning rural psychodrama, the first feature from an Italian-born filmmaker working in the US. The New Voices/New Visions competition included 12 new international talents making their feature film debut at the Festival, with the additional criteria that the films selected are currently without U.S. distribution. The jury presented a special mention to LEFT FOOT RIGHT FOOT (Switzerland), directed by Germinal Roaux.
The Cine Latino Award, was presented to two films HELI (Mexico), directed by Amat Escalante and LIVING IS EASY WITH EYES CLOSED (Spain) directed by David Trueba. Special Mention went to GLORIA (Chile).
FINDING VIVIAN MAIER (USA), directed by John Maloof and Charlie Siskel, received The John Schlesinger Award, which is presented to a first-time documentary filmmaker. The film is a compelling, eye-opening introduction to an anonymous and mysterious woman who recently found posthumous fame as a giant of 20th century photography.
WALESA. MAN OF HOPE (Poland), directed by Andrzej Wajda, received the HP Bridging the Borders Award presented by Cinema Without Borders and Hewlett Packard, which honors the film that is most successful in exemplifying art that promotes bringing the people of our world closer together. The Cinema Without Borders Special Jury Award went to PLOT FOR PEACE (South Africa) directed by Carlos Agulló and Mandy Jacobson.
The complete list of award winners are:
Mercedes-Benz Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature
TBA
Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature
TBA
FIPRESCI Prize for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
THE BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN (Belgium), directed by Felix van Groeningen
FIPRESCI Prize for the Best Actor of the Year in a Foreign Language Film
Mads Mikkelsen from THE HUNT (Denmark), directed by Thomas Vinterberg
FIPRESCI Prize for Best Actress of the Year in a Foreign Language Film
Bérénice Bejo from THE PAST (Iran), directed by Asghar Farhadi
New Voices/New Visions Award
MEDEAS (USA), directed by Andrea Pallaoro – Winner
LEFT FOOT RIGHT FOOT (Switzerland), directed by Germinal Roaux – Special Mention
Cine Latino Award
HELI (Mexico), directed by Amat Escalante and LIVING IS EASY WITH EYES CLOSED (Spain), directed by David Trueba – Winner
GLORIA (Chile), directed by Sebastian Lelio – Special Mention
The John Schlesinger Award
FINDING VIVIAN MAIER (USA), directed by John Maloof and Charlie Siskel – Winner
HP Bridging the Borders Award
WALESA. MAN OF HOPE (Poland), directed byAndrzej Wajda – Winner
PLOT FOR PEACE (South Africa), directed by Carlos Agulló and Mandy Jacobson – Special Jury Award