‘I Have Electrical Desires’ Wins High Prize at Thessaloniki Movie Pageant

Valentina Maurel’s “I Have Electrical Desires” continued its successful streak this week on the Thessaloniki Movie Pageant, the place the Costa Rican director’s coming-of-age drama took house the Golden Alexander for finest characteristic movie.

Maurel’s debut follows a stressed 16-year-old lady experiencing her sexual awakening. Determined to go away the home she shares together with her mom and youthful sister, she opts to maneuver in together with her estranged father, a troubled artist.

The movie gained the prizes for finest director, actress and actor on the Locarno Movie Pageant, the place it bowed in the principle competitors, in addition to the San Sebastián Movie Pageant’s Horizons Award.

The jury in Thessaloniki, which was comprised of Mexican producer and Pimienta Movies founder Nicolas Selis, Polish writer-director Tomasz Wasilewski and Greek filmmaker Penny Panagiotopoulou, praised the movie for its “stunning and delicate portrait on how one can love the failings in an individual you’re keen on.” Main man Reinaldo Amien Gutiérrez additionally gained the award for finest actor.

The Silver Alexander Particular Jury Award went to Michael Koch’s “A Piece of Sky,” the Swiss director’s Alpine tragedy a couple of household in a distant mountain village that comes undone by medical misfortune and psychological upheaval. The movie, Koch’s second, premiered in competitors on the Berlin Movie Pageant.

Hayakawa Chie took house the Bronze Alexander for finest director for the dystopian drama “Plan 75,” which world premiered within the Cannes Movie Pageant’s Un Sure Regard part. Set within the close to future in Japan, it tells the story of the titular authorities program that encourages senior residents to be voluntarily euthanized so as to treatment the getting old society. The movie additionally gained the FIPRESCI Prize from the Worldwide Federation of Movie Critics.

Rosy McEwen gained one of the best actress award for her efficiency as a lesbian instructor who confronts systemic homophobia in U.Okay. writer-director Georgia Oakley’s characteristic debut, “Blue Jean.” The movie premiered within the Venice Days sidebar on the Venice Movie Pageant.

The award for finest inventive achievement went to “The Dam,” the directorial debut of Lebanese filmmaker Ali Cherri, which bowed within the Administrators’ Fortnight sidebar at Cannes. Martijn de Jong’s “Narcosis,” the Dutch Oscar entry this yr, additionally acquired a particular point out.

The Meet the Neighbors competitors, which showcases the primary and second options by administrators from the broader area of Southeastern Europe, the Japanese Mediterranean and the Center East, gave its high prize to “Klondike,” Maryna Er Gorbach’s searing portrayal of warfare in Ukraine’s Donbass area.

The nation’s Oscar submission has racked up a slew of awards since incomes Er Gorbach finest director honors within the World Cinema Dramatic competitors at Sundance, together with finest director at Sarajevo and finest worldwide movie at Chile’s 18th Santiago Worldwide Movie Pageant (Sanfic).

Describing it as a “shattering cinematic expertise, which takes one into the very coronary heart of darkness of warfare and its penalties,” the jury praised a movie that “keys on one lady’s plight into the insanity that surrounds her and her makes an attempt to stay human among the many devastation.”

Michael Vinik’s “Valeria Is Getting Married” was awarded the Silver Alexander in Meet the Neighbors, following its world premiere in Venice’s Horizons Further part, and a North American premiere in Toronto. Greek director Asimina Proedrou was given a particular point out within the class for her characteristic debut “Behind the Haystacks.”

Within the Movie Ahead competitors part showcasing modern filmmaking, the Golden Alexander went to “Retreat,” by Swiss director Leon Schwitter, with Greek filmmaker Nikos Bastras taking house the Silver Alexander for “Bastards.”