The Polish period drama Cold War ( Zimna wojna) directed by Paweł Pawlikowskiis dominated the 2018 European Film Awards winning five awards including the top prize Best European Film along with Best Director for Paweł Pawlikowski.
The Best European Comedy prize went to The Death of Stalin by Armando Iannucci, and the Best European Documentary went to Bergman – A Year in a Life by Jane Magnusson.
2018 European Film Awards Winners
DOGMAN[/caption]
DOGMAN is the top film in the first wave of winners who will be honored at this year’s 2018 European Film Awards, grabbing the early awards for European Production Designer 2018 and European Hair & Make-up Artist 2018. The winners were announced for the categories cinematography, editing, production design, costume design, hair & make-up, composer, sound design and, for the first time, visual effects based on the EFA Feature Film Selection. The award recipients will be guests at the 31st European Film Awards on December 15, in Seville.
EUROPEAN CINEMATOGRAPHER 2018 – PRIX CARLO DI PALMA:
Martin Otterbeck for U – JULY 22 (UTØYA 22. JULI)
Martin Otterbeckʼs cinematography masterfully balances an aesthetic concern with the political meaning of the tragedy of Utøya. With very concentrated one-shot hand-held camera work, the cinematographer had to decide what to follow and what not to follow, thus creating an intense viewing experience as you find yourself on the island with the youngsters. Right-wing extremism is dangerously rising again: Cinema, in each of its parts, has the overwhelming responsibility to bring light into our dark times.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVpUZGmHJB8
EUROPEAN EDITOR 2018:
Jarosław Kamiński for COLD WAR (ZIMNA WOJNA)
The cuts in COLD WAR are meaningful and emotional, almost like poetry. This poetic way of editing supports and enhances the sensuality of the story. The editor sensitively leads the heroes through time, emphasizing their isolation from each other in space, the fragmentarity of their relationship and the impossibility of being together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvPkDdFeTk8
EUROPEAN PRODUCTION DESIGNER 2018:
Andrey Ponkratov for THE SUMMER (LETO)
The production design of Andrey Ponkratov makes us really believe and feel like we are in the middle of an early 80s Leningrad summer at the very beginning of major political changes.
The film sets include large open nature locations like a beach, closed flats stuffed with people and things and an almost claustrophobic concert hall. The well-researched work of the whole art department team supports and underlines the authentic atmosphere of that period in a subtle way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlHwIRZLFdc
EUROPEAN COSTUME DESIGNER 2018:
Massimo Cantini Parrini for DOGMAN
Massimo Cantini Parrini’s costumes use the style of Italian neo-realism in a very effective and creative manner, applying it to contemporary times, succeeding to create credible characters in this aesthetic convention. The costumes serve the film very well by skillfully merging with photography and production design, creating, altogether, this particular aesthetics. The color palette was carefully chosen and well balanced, adding a sense of rough poetry to the film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI2JE_xjAaY
EUROPEAN HAIR & MAKE-UP ARTIST 2018:
Dalia Colli, Lorenzo Tamburini & Daniela Tartari for DOGMAN
Rather than putting the art on display, the hair & make-up always remains realistic and connected to the story. There are a lot of violent scenes, a lot of fights, and the make-up always is spot on, never overdone and never too much, it is credible right through the movie.
EUROPEAN COMPOSER 2018:
Christoph M. Kaiser & Julian Maas for 3 DAYS IN QUIBERON (3 TAGE IN QUIBERON)
The beautiful score for 3 DAYS IN QUIBERON fulfills the brief of effective film music, both technically and artistically. It serves the film well, working perfectly as a counterpoint to its narrative, and imparts a poetry to the black and white Nouvelle-Vague aesthetic. The main theme is not only touching, but wholly engaging. Nostalgic, romantic, sensual and melancholic, it captures the soul of Romy Schneider. It is rare in contemporary cinema to hear a melodically and harmonically distinguished score of this kind which has also been afforded the space on screen it requires to make a genuine impact.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VY0oaSgWJVQ
EUROPEAN SOUND DESIGNER 2018:
André Bendocchi-Alves & Martin Steyer for THE CAPTAIN (DER HAUPTMANN)
Following the story and the visuals at a perfect pace, the sound designers have created a soundtrack which truly lifts the film to another level. With its technically perfect, fine-tuned, poetic, atmospheric & dynamic approach, the composition adds another layer to the viewing experience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cp0Jpz4VAs
EUROPEAN VISUAL EFFECTS SUPERVISOR 2018:
Peter Hjorth for BORDER (GRÄNS)
The visual effects in BORDER are subtle and invisible. They support the narrative without ever imposing themselves upon the film or taking the viewer out of the story. At the emotional high point of the film, visual effects are instrumental in telling the story and making us believe the world that we have been drawn into. As such, the visual effects fulfill the number one goal of artists and artisans in filmmaking; to be in service of the story. In addition to this, they elevate the film and take us to a place that would not be possible without the help of world-class, seamless visual effects.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cp0Jpz4VAs
COLD WAR by Pawel Pawlikowski[/caption]
The Polish drama Cold War (Zimna wojna) directed by Ali Abbasi leads the nominations for the 31st European Film Awards with 5 nods including Best European Film, Best Director, European Screenwriter along with Best Actress for Joanna Kulig as Zula, and Best Actor for Tomasz Kot as Wiktor. The more than 3,500 EFA Members will now vote for the winners who will be presented during the awards ceremony on December 15 in Seville.
HAPPY AS LAZARRO[/caption]
HAPPY AS LAZZARO
LAZZARO FELICE
Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland
WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY Alice Rohrwacher
PRODUCED BY Carlo Cresto-Dina, Tiziana Soudani, Alexandra Henochsberg, Grégory Gajos, Arthur Hallereau, Pierre-François Piet, Michel Merkt, Michael Weber & Viola Fügen
GRÄNS (BORDER) by Ali Abbasi[/caption]
Ali Abbasi, Isabella Eklöf & John Ajvide Lindqvist for BORDER
Matteo Garrone, Ugo Chiti & Massimo Gaudioso for DOGMAN
Gustav Möller & Emil Nygaard Albertsen for THE GUILTY
Pawel Pawlikowski for COLD WAR
Alice Rohrwacher for HAPPY AS LAZZARO
49 films have been named by the European Film Academy for this year’s EFA Feature Film Selection,
Ed Sheeran in “Songwriter”[/caption]
The addition of two new films Utøya 22. juli (U – July 22) by Erik Poppe, and Songwriter by Murray Cummings complete the lineups of the Competition and Berlinale Special programs of the 68th Berlin International Film Festival.
The Norwegian film Utøya 22. juli (U – July 22) by Erik Poppe completes the Competition program, which features 24 films, 19 of which will be competing for the Golden Bear and the Silver Bears. The documentary Songwriter by Murray Cummings completes the Berlinale Special program. The film follows British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran as he creates his latest album and provides an intimate look at the musician’s work.
Museum[/caption]
Another five films, including Steven Soderberg’s Unsane, and Gael García Bernal in Alonso Ruizpalacios’ Museum, have been added to the Competition lineup of the 68th Berlin International Film Festival; and a further six films have been invited to participate in the Berlinale Special Program.
The 68th Berlin International Film Festival will take place from February 15 to 25, 2018. The complete program will be presented on February 6, 2018.
Mia Wasikowska, Robert Pattinson in Damsel.[/caption]
Another ten films including Damsel starring Robert Pattinson, have been added to the Competition of the 68th edition of the Berlin International Film Festival. Three more have also been selected for the program of the Berlinale Special.
Joining the eight Competition films and two Berlinale Special titles are 13 productions from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hong Kong – China, Iran, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Paraguay, People’s Republic of China, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Uruguay, and the USA.
Further films of the Competition and Berlinale Special programme will be revealed soon.