Before the Frost ( Før Frosten) (2019)

[caption id="attachment_30997" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] HAPPY AS LAZARRO[/caption] 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.

Read more