30-08-2021

FNE at KVIFF 2021: Prize Winners: As Far As I Can Walk

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    KARLOVY VARY: As Far as I Can Walk / Strahinja Banović (Serbia, France, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Lithuania) directed by Stefan Arsenijević won the Crystal Globe Grand Prix, also scooping the prizes for Best Actor and a Special Mention for Best Cinematography at the 55th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, held from 20 to 28 August 2021 in the Czech spa town of Karlovy Vary.

    The FIPRESCI International Critics Prize went to Exam / Ezmûn (Germany, Iraqi Kurdistan, Qatar) directed by Shawkat Amin Korki, while the daily ratings of the films in the Main Competition and East of the West competitions organised by FNE and FIPRESCI were hotly followed. To see how the FNE Critics rated the films click HERE.

    The festival was forced to skip its 2020 edition due to the global pandemic and moved its 2021 dates from early July to the end of August to give more time for people to be vaccinated and the pandemic conditions to ease. But it was still a major effort on the part of the organisers to create conditions for a COVID safe on site event. Despite the difficult conditions the festival managed to screen 144 films, presented 456 screenings to 9267 visitors and sold 111 203 tickets.

    Despite the difficulties KVIFF managed to put in a memorable event and attract major stars including Oscar winner Jan Sverak, Johnny Depp, Michael Caine and Ethan Hawke. Sverak, Caine and Hawke all received Special Prizes for their career achievements. Depp’s appearance drew crowds of dedicated fans, some of whom waited on the edge of the red carpet starting from 6 am to catch a glimpse of their favourite star. And Depp did not disappoint spending more than half an hour signing autographs and posing for photographs with his fans.

    Full list of KVIFF Prize Winners:

    Crystal Globe Main Competition

    Grand Prix
    As Far as I Can Walk / Strahinja Banović (Serbia, France, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Lithuania)
    As Far As I Can Walk by Stefan ArsenijevićDirected by Stefan Arsenijević
    Produced by Art & Popcorn
    Coproduced by Surprise Alley, Les Films Fauves, Chouchkov BrothersArtbox
    Supported by Film Center Serbia, the Serbian Film Incentive, CNC’ Aide aux cinémas du monde, Film Fund Luxembourg, the Bulgarian National Film Center, the Lithuanian Film Centre, Eurimages, MEDIA-Creative Europe

    Special Jury Prize
    Every Single Minute / Každá minuta života (Czech Republic, Slovak Republic)
    Directed by Erika Hníková
    Produced by endorfilm
    Coproduced by Punkchart Film
    Supported by the Czech Film Fund and the Slovak Audiovisual Fund

    Best Director
    Dietrich Brüggemann for the film (Germany)

    Best Actress
    Éléonore Loiselle for her role in the film Wars / Guerres (Canada)
    Directed by Nicolas Roy

    Best Actor
    Ibrahim Koma for his role in the film As Far as I Can Walk / Strahinja Banović
    Directed by Stefan Arsenijević

    Special Mention
    The Staffroom / Zbornica (Croatia)
    Directed by Sonja Tarokić
    Produced by Kinorama
    Supported by the Croatian Audiovisual Centre

    Special Mention
    Vinette Robinson for her role in the film Boiling Point (UK)
    Directed by Philip Barantini

    Special Mention
    Jelena Stanković for cinematography in the film As Far as I Can Walk / Strahinja Banović
    Directed by Stefan Arsenijević

    Pravo Audience Award
    Zátopek (Czechia, Slovakia)
    Directed by David Ondříček
    Produced by Lucky Man Films, Czech Television - Česká televize, Z Films, Barrandov Studios, Azyl Production
    Supported by the Czech Film Fund and the Slovak Audiovisual Fund

    East of the West Competition

    Nuuccha (Russia)
    Directed by Vladimir Munkuev

    Special Jury Prize
    Sisterhood / Sestri (North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro)
    Directed by Dina Duma
    Produced by List Production
    Coproduced by Added Value Films, ijVidea Production
    Supported by the North Macedonia Film Agency, the Film Centre of Montenegro

    Special Jury Mention
    Intensive Life Unit / Jednotka intenzivního života (Czech Republic)
    Directed by Adéla Komrzý
    Produced by nutprodukce
    Supported by the Czech Film Fund

    Non-Statutory Awards

    International Film Critics Award FIPRESCI

    FIPRESCI JURY
    Birgit Beumers, United Kingdom
    Eirik Bull, Norway
    Adéla Mrázová, Czech Republic

    Exam / Ezmûn (Germany, Iraqi Kurdistan, Qatar)
    Directed by Shawkat Amin Korki

    Ecumenical Jury Award

    As Far as I Can Walk / Strahinja Banović (Serbia, France, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Lithuania)
    Directed by Stefan Arsenijević

    Ecumenical Jury Special Commendation
    The Staffroom / Zbornica (Croatia)
    Directed by Sonja Tarokić

    FEDEORA Award

    Otar's Death / Otar's Death (Georgia, Germany, Lithuania)
    Directed by Ioseb "Soso" Bliadze

    FEDEORA Special Mention
    Intensive Life Unit / Jednotka intenzivního života (Czechia)
    Directed by Adéla Komrzý

    Europa Cinema Label Award
    As Far as I Can Walk / Strahinja Banović (Serbia, France, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Lithuania)
    Directed by Stefan Arsenijević

    Industry Awards

    Eastern Promises
    Works in Progress
    Post-Production Development Award
    An Owl, a Garden and the Writer (Iran, France)
    Directed by: Sara Dolatabadi
    Producers: Amir Naderi, Sara Dolatabadi, Farhad Mohammadi (associate producer)
    Screenwriter: Sara Dolatabadi

    Works In Progress TRT Award
    Victim / Obeť (Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, Germany)
    Directed by: Michal Blaško
    Producers: Jakub Viktorín, Pavla Janoušková Kubečková
    Screenwriter: Jakub Medvecký

    Works In Progress Karlovy Vary IFF Award
    Tina and Megi (Georgia, Germany)
    Directed by: Ioseb "Soso" Bliadze
    Producer: Eva Blondiau
    Screenwriters: Tamar Mumladze, Ioseb "Soso" Bliadze

    Works in Development-Feature Launch
    Head Nurse / Sestra Hana (Czech Republic)
    Directed by: Jan Vejnar
    Producer: Kamila Dohnalová
    Screenwriter: Jan Vejnar, Václav Hašek

    Special Mention
    Aliya (Israel, Russia, Poland)
    Directed by: Dekel Berenson
    Producers: Marek Rozenbaum, Alexander Rodnyansky, Paul Wesley, Co-Producers: Anna Rozalska, Ale-ksandra Aleksander
    Screenwriter: Dekel Berenson, Co-writer: Greer Ellison

    Connecting Cottbus Award
    The Bomber / Spridzinātājs (Latvia)
    Directed by: Pauls Kesteris
    Producer: Inese Boka-Grūbe
    Screenwriter: Gatis Murnieks

    Rotterdam Lab Award
    Aleksandra Aleksander, producer of project ALIYA (Israel, Russia, Poland)

    First Cut+ Awards
    TRT Award
    A Piece of Sky / Drii Winter (Switzerland, Germany)
    Directed by: Michael Koch
    Producer: Christof Neracher
    Screenwriter: Michael Koch

    Sub-Ti Award
    The Hatcher / Matecznik (Poland)
    Directed by: Grzegorz Mołda
    Producer: Izabela Igel
    Screenwriter: Grzegorz Mołda, Monika Powalisz

    First Cut+Award
    The Hatcher / Matecznik (Poland)
    Directed by: Grzegorz Mołda
    Producer: Izabela Igel
    Screenwriter: Grzegorz Mołda, Monika Powalisz