Hunger wins in Ljubljana
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The 19th Ljubljana International Film Festival ended on November 23 with Steve McQueen’s Hunger [trailer, film focus] winning the Best Film Award.
The competition consisted of first or second films, and included the European titles Ain't Scared [trailer] (France) by Audrey Estrougo, Duane Hopkins’s Better Things (UK), Philippe Ramos’ Captain Ahab [trailer] (France/Spain), Thanos Anastopoulos’ Correction (Greece), Koen Mortier’s Ex-Drummer [trailer] (Belgium) and Faro, Goddess of the Waters (Mali/Burkina Faso/France/Germany/Canada).
Lance Hammer’s Ballast (US) won the FIPRESCI Award.
The main competition jury comprised Kieron Corless, deputy editor of Sight and Sound; Nuno Sena, director of the IndieLisboa festival; and Slovenian filmmaker Petra Seliskar.
The short film jury – made up of German film critic Olaf Mueller, Slovenian actress Manca Dorrer, and Nerina Kocjanic, deputy director of the Slovenian Film Fund – awarded Mexican Carlos Armelia’s Land and Bread while a special mention went to Slovenian Matevz Luzar’s Wolfy.
Andrzej Wajda’s Katyn [trailer, film focus] won the Audience Award.
Side programmes included retrospectives on Terrence Davies and Adoor Golapakrishnan; Serbian director Zelimir Zilnik enjoyed a tribute; and the Focus On was dedicated to contemporary Catalan film.
All the screenings were well attended, even sold out for programmes such as Avantpremieres, which included Vicky Cristina Barcelona, The Art of Negative Thinking [trailer], Waltz with Bashir [trailer], Shine a Light and The Orphanage [trailer]; and Extravaganza, with REC [trailer, film focus], Otto; Or Up With Dead People, Silent Light [trailer] and Inside.
The festival closed with Eran Kolirin’s The Band’s Visit [trailer].
Vladan Petkovic Cineuropa.org