The 54th Chicago International Film Festival hosted its Awards Ceremony and taking home the top prize, the Gold Hugo for Best Film, in the International Feature Film Competition, is director Alice Rohrwacher’s Happy as Lazzaro, a film the jury recognized for its poetic cinematic language and formal rigor. The Silver Hugo for Best Director was awarded to Jia Zhangke for Ash Is Purest White and the Silver Hugo Special Jury Prize was awarded to Joy, directed by Sudabeh Mortezai.
Director Ash Mayfair took home top honors in the New Directors Competition with a Gold Hugo for The Third Wife and the Silver Hugo was awarded to Joël Karekezi for The Mercy of the Jungle. The Roger Ebert Award, presented to an emerging filmmaker with a fresh and uncompromising vision, was awarded to directors Andréa Bescond and Eric Métayer for Little Tickles, and the Chicago Award was presented to Michael Paulucci for Hashtag Perfect Life. The Founder’s Award, given to one film across all categories that captures the spirit of the Chicago International Film Festival for its unique and innovative approach to the art of the moving image, was presented to Felix van Groeningen’s Beautiful Boy.
“Each year, the films presented in our competitions represent the excellence and diversity of filmmaking from around the world, and this year was no exception,” said Festival Artistic Director Mimi Plauché. “We are proud to honor these extraordinary films from around the world and here at home, saluting a diverse lineup of singular filmmakers and their work.”
Winners of 54th Chicago International Film Festival Awards
International Feature Film Competition
Gold Hugo: Best Film
Happy as Lazzaro
Italy/Switzerland/France/Germany
Dir. Alice Rohrwacher
Silver Hugo: Special Jury Prize
Joy
Austria
Dir. Sudabeh Mortezai
Silver Hugo: Best Director
Jia Zhangke, Ash Is Purest White
China/France
Silver Hugo: Best Actor
Jesper Christensen, Before the Frost
Denmark
Silver Hugo: Best Actress
Zhao Tao, Ash is Purest White
China/France
Silver Plaque: Best Screenplay
Stéphane Brizé and Olivier Gorce, At War
France
Silver Plaque: Best Cinematography
David Gallego, Birds of Passage
Colombia/Mexico/Denmark/France
Silver Plaque: Best Art Direction
Angélica Parea, Birds of Passage
Colombia/Mexico/Denmark/France
New Directors Competition
Gold Hugo
The Third Wife
Vietnam
Dir. Ash Mayfair
Silver Hugo
The Mercy of the Jungle
Belgium/France/Rwanda
Dir. Joël Karekezi
Roger Ebert Award
Little Tickles
France
Dirs. Andréa Bescond, Eric Métayer
Documentary Competition
Gold Hugo
[Censored]
Australia
Dir. Sari Braithwaite
Silver Hugo
Ex-Shaman
Brazil
Dir. Luiz Bolognesi
Silver Hugo
The Raft
Sweden
Dir. Marcus Lindeen
Out-Look Competition
Gold Q-Hugo
Retablo
Peru/Germany/Norway
Dir. Alvaro Delgado Aparicio
Silver Q-Hugo
Rafiki
Kenya/South Africa/Germany/Netherlands/France/Norway/Lebanon
Dir. Wanuri Kahiu
Special Mention
Hard Paint
Brazil
Dirs. Filipe Matzembacher, Marcio Reolon
Documentary Short Film Competition
Silver Hugo:
Circle
U.K./Canada/India
Dir. Jayisha Patel
Gold Plaque:
Edgecombe
U.S.
Crystal Kayiza
Special Mention:
Black 14
U.S.
Dir. Darius Clark Monroe
Animated Short Film Competition
Silver Hugo:
Bloeistraat 11
The Netherlands
Nienke Deutz
Gold Plaque:
Weekends
U.S.
Trevor Jimenez
Special Mention:
Opening Night
U.S.
Margaret Bialis
Live Action Short Film Competition
Gold Hugo
Mamartuille
Mexico
Dir. Alejandro Saevich
Silver Hugo
Hair Wolf
U.S.
Dir. Mariama Diallo
Special Mention
Nyi ma lay
Singapore
Dir. Wei Liang Chiang
Chicago Award
Hashtag Perfect Life
U.S.
Dir. Michael Paulucci
Founder’s Award
Beautiful Boy
U.S.
The Founder’s Award is personally presented by Festival Founder Michael Kutza to the single film across all categories he feels best embodies the spirit of curiosity, optimism and love of film that led to his starting the Chicago International Film Festival 55-years ago. “Beautiful Boy is an emotional drama which remains full of hope and humanity with two of the most stunning performances of the year,” remarked Kutza.