The 35th Warsaw Film Festival has concluded and the list of winners includes a few Asian and Asian-related titles.
Grand Prix was awarded to Georgian movie “Shindisi” portraying real-life events that happened in 2008 during Russo-Georgian war, when Russian forces violated the ceasefire. It goes beyond military affairs, focusing also on the civilians, who with simple humane courage and compassion attempt to save lives of several wounded Georgian soldiers. Dito Tsintsadze, who helmed the movie, also took honours of the best director. “Shindisi” is a Georgian candidate for the Academy Award in the Best Foreign Language Film category.
Iranian “A Hairy Tale” by Homayoun Ghanizadeh got the Special Jury Award for the Best Script. The renowned avant-garde theatre director in his debut feature skillfully plays with the form and conventions. Under the facade of a black comedy about eccentric employees of a barber shop, he tells a story of everyday routine and about the world eradicating women.
Best documentary feature award went to the Belgium and France co-production “Overseas” by Korean-born and Brussels-based director Sung-A Yoon. The movie emphaticaly shows the Philipino women, who plan to leave behind their homes and close ones to work abroad as domestic helps or nannies, and undergo a comprehensive training programme. It shyes away from typical victimizing narration, focusing on “women's determination, their sisterhood, and the strategies they find to face obstacles”.
Korean “Move the Grave” by Seung-o Jeong, a dramedy portraying not-a-poster-one family, won the Competition 1-2 intended for directors' first and second feature efforts. This interesting insight into changing gender roles in the modern Korean society also gained recognition of NETPAC jury, grabbing award for The Best Movie From the Asia and Pacific Region.
Ecumenical Jury Award went to Turkish movie “Omar and Us” by Mehmet Bahadır Er and Maryna Er Gorbach, a passionate story about struggles of present-day refugees trying to reach Europe through Turkey, with the main two actors who actually are two Syrian refugees living in Turkey under temporary immigration status.