News 57th TrentoFilm Festival: the winners are Turkey and the audience
The Golden Gentian goes to Sonbahar by turkish director Alper Ozcan
Turkey has won the 57th Trento FilmFestival. The international jury chaired by Giuliano Montaldo decided unanimously to award the City of Trento Grand Prize – Golden Gentian for best film to “Sonbahar” by Turkish director Alper Özcan.
The Jury said its decision was based on the film’s “touching story-telling and delicate poetry”. “Sonbahar” tells the harrowing tale of a young man who fought for democracy in his country and was handed a harsh sentence for his devotion to this cause. After ten years in prison, he returns to his hometown, which sits amidst the mountains overlooking the Black Sea. Here, he manages to find moments of happiness and love before he dies. His time in prison, his illness and sufferings are retold touchingly, without rhetoric or exaggeration.
Italian directors also did well. Valeria Allievi, a young director from Milan, walked away with the City of Bolzano Prize – Golden Gentian for the best film on Alpine sport, exploration and adventure; her film “Karl” is the story of South Tyrol climber Karl Unterkircher, who died tragically last summer during an attempt to scale the north face of Nanga Parbat. Climber and director Elio Orlandi won the Audience Prize in the mountaineering category for his film “Oltre la parete”.
Stefano Saverioni won the Bruno Cagol Press Prize and the City of Imola Prize for “Diario di un curato di montagna”, a film shot in the villages at the foot of the Gran Sasso, which were devastated by an earthquake.
The Italian Alpine Club’s Golden Gentian for best film on mountains went to the documentary “Himalaya terre des femmes” by French director and ethnologist Marianne Chaud. The Jury Prize went to young Chinese director Xuang Jiang, maker of “Ba Yue Shi Wu”, a story recounting the violence suffered by one young woman.
The Silver Gentian for best artistic technical contribution went to “Racines” by Swiss director Eileen Hofer. The award for best television production went to French director Hamid Sardar for “Sur la piste du renne blanche”, which was shot amidst the nomadic peoples of Mongolia.
Swiss directors Claudius Gentinetta and Frank Braun won the Silver Gentian for best short film with their animated tale “Die Seilbahn”.
The Audience Prize for full-length films went to Canada’s “Before Tomorrow” by directors Madeline Piujuq and Marie Hélène Cousienau.
A total of 43 films took part in the 57th Trento FilmFestival. In reading the jury report, art director Maurizio Nichetti highlighted that the number of entrants had risen yet again, and he spoke of the festival’s power to attract new spectators.
