01-04-2010

Lithuania presents first Cinematographer awards

By Auksė Kancerevičiūtė

    Cinematographer Viktoras Radzevičius received the first Lithuanian Cinematographers award "The Oak" (www.azuolai.lt) for the film Vortex (Duburys, director Gytis Lukšas).

    {mosimage}Radzevičius competed against cinematographer Rolandas Leonavičius work, the film Low Lights (Artimos šviesos, director Ignas Miškinis).

    The two finalists for the best cinematography were chosen from the twelve nominated feature films, documentaries and short films created in 2009.

    The ceremony held at the St. Kotryna church in Vilnius was organized by Lithuanian Association of cinematographers (www.lac.lt) and Vilnius international film festival (VIFF) "Kino pavasaris" (www.kinopavasaris.lt).

    The chairman of LAC Rimvydas Leipus said that such prizes are awarded in many countries, and this is an evaluation by colleagues.

    The Oak award was created by sculptor Marius Skudžinskas.

    The award for lifetime achievement honored Algimantas Mockus as cinematographer in Adomas nori būti žmogumi, (1959, director Vytautas Žalakevičius), Gražuolė (1969, director Arūnas Žebriūnas), Velnio nuotaka, (1974, director Arūnas Žebriūnas), Virto ąžuolai (1976, director Gytis Lukšas), and Riešutų duona (1977, director Arūnas Žebriūnas) among others.

    The Cinematographers gratitude award was given for the film mechanic Antanas Jucys.

    The awards were decided by a jury of professionals, headed by Lithuanian director Šarūnas Bartas, cinematographers Audrius Kemežys, Kornelijus Matuzevičius, Jonas Tomaševičius and film critic Živilė Pipinytė.

    This will be an annual award.