05-04-2010

FNE at Vilnius IFF: Winners 2010

By Anna Franklin

    VILNIUS: The 15th annual Vilnius International Film Festival (18 March-2 April) sent a new record with 54, 000 admissions to this year's event and a strong showing of films from central and eastern Europe.

    {mosimage}Bulgarian director Kamen Kalev's Eastern Plays, a Bulgarian (www.waterfrontfilm.net) Swedish coproduction was awarded the prize for Best Film as well as the CICAE prize from art house cinema operators. The film which had its world premier in the Canens Director's Fortnight last year has been a favourite at international festivals.

    Two Lithuanians received prizes, Edita Uzaite received the L'Oreal prize for for best Lithuanian film actress and Marat Sargsyan received a prize for best Lithuanian film artist for his short film Lernavan produced by Monoklis (www.monoklis.lt).

    For the first time the festival also held an industry forum supported by EU MEDIA where FNE celebrated its 3rd anniversary by inviting forum participants to a glass of champagne after FNE helmer Anna Franklin made a presentation of the FNE project and the ways in which it has been introducing filmmakers from CEE and the Baltics to new markets and facilitating coproductions.

    The festival presented 28 films from Lithuania including eight world premiers

    The winners of 15th Vilnius international film festival Kino Pavasaris

    Competition programme New Europe - New names

    The best film:
    Eastern Plays
    2009, director Kamen Kalev (Bulgaria, Sweden)

    Producer: Waterfront Film (Bulgaria)

    Chimney Pot (Sweden)

    Special mention - filmic qualities:
    Protektor / Protector
    2009, director Marek Najbrt (Czech Republic, Germany)

    Produced by Negativ Film (www.negativ.cz)

    Special mention - best actor:
    Vlad Ivanov
    Politist, adjectiv / Police, adjective
    2009, director Corneliu Porumboiu (Romania)
    Produced by 42 KM Film (www.42kmfilm.ro)


    CICAE prize:
    Eastern Plays 2009, director Kamen Kalev (Bulgaria, Sweden)
    Producer: Waterfront Film (Bulgaria)

    Chimney Pot (Sweden)

    Audience awards:
    Okuribito / Departures 2008, director Yojiro Takita (Japan)

    L`Oréal Paris contest of „Lithuanian film star"
    Actress Edita Užaitė

    Award for a young Lithuanian film artist:
    Marat Sargsyan (film Lernavan)

    Produced by Monoklis (www.monoklis.lt)