Italy’s Margini, Denmark’s Eismayer and Colombia’s Anhell69 are among the winners of the 37th International Film Critics’ Week (SIC), an autonomous and parallel section organized by the National Union of Italian Film Critics (SNCCI) as part of the 79th. Venice Biennale International Film Festival (Aug. 31-Sept. 10, 2022).
Eismayer, David Wagner’s first feature film, was awarded the IWONDERFULL Grand Prize, given by the international jury composed of Rok Biček, Nico Maezano and Barbara Wurm: “This mature and surprisingly coherent first feature on many levels (acting, setting, direction) is an outstanding example of effective, direct and seamless storytelling” the jurors state in the reasons for the award. “The film” they continue, “accepts the challenge of conquering one of the last institutional bastions of homophobia: the military. Describing the realm of self-discipline and mere obedience is a surprisingly genuine and calm reflection on the nature of our feelings and their connection to our bodies, attitudes and beliefs. A film about ‘courage to overcome’ and about coming out, about knowing ourselves and others.”
Unanimous special mention by the same jury to Theo Montoya’s Anhell69, because “Through a bold and eclectic aesthetic that accounts for painful yet vital energies suspended between life and death-the latter perceived as a given-this work coherently float through the urban layers of prevailing tragedies.” A “sensitive and poetic ‘death song,'” they conclude, “an overwhelming ‘película trans’ of its kind.”
But the palmarès also includes space for Niccolò Falsetti’s debut feature, Margini, the only Italian feature film in competition at SIC, which was awarded THE FILM CLUB Audience Award with a 4.52/5.00 approval rating. Theatre attendance exceeded pre-pandemic numbers.
To Theo Montoya’s film also went the Verona Film Club Award, given by the jury composed of Marta Bellamoli, Riccardo Chiaramondia, Marianna Giorgia Marchesini, Lorenzo Rigobello and Vittoria Savoia, and The Mario Serandrei – Hotel Saturnia Award for Best Technical Contribution, given by a special panel of experts composed of Marco Contino, Anna Maria Pasetti and Lorenzo Rossi.
Also crowned were the winners of the seventh edition of SIC@SIC (Short Italian Cinema @ Settimana Internazionale della Critica) by the jury composed of three film industry professionals – Marco Alessi, Valerio Ferrara and Tita Tummillo De Palo. To Puiet by Lorenzo Fabbro and Bronte Stahl the Best Short Film Award. To Albertine, where are you? by Maria Guidone, the Best Director Award.
Reginetta by Federico Russotto finally won the Best Technical Contribution Award.
For Delegate General Beatrice Fiorentino, “This concludes what we envisioned as an ‘edition of rebirth,’ open and inclusive, oriented toward an ideal of sharing, friendship, love, and a sense of community. We have favoured an idea of cinema that is authorial yet accessible, and the winners of SIC 2022 pander to this editorial line, which is also meant to be a sign of confidence and an invitation for audiences to return to theatres.”
“Viewers who voted for the audience award,” recalls Cristiana Paternò, president of the National Union of Italian Film Critics (SNCCI), “gave the seven films in competition an average score of 4 out of 5. More than 1,000 professionals and journalists took part in an intense program of interviews, meetings and networking moments organized in the newly established Casa della Critica, which soon became a reference point for film delegations and not only for them. We can already announce that the House of Critics will be confirmed and strengthened next year with new content.”
Today at 2 p.m. in the Sala Perla there will be screenings of the short film and feature film winners of the Grand Prix International Film Critics’ Week, open to all accredited.
