The jury composed of young European cinephiles from the 27 Times Cinema program – jointly organized by Giornate degli Autori, the European Parliament’s LUX Audience Award, and Europa Cinemas, in collaboration with Cineuropa – and headed by director João Pedro Rodrigues, has decreed the winner of the GdA Director’s Award at the culmination of its customary deliberations, which are live-streamed on the Facebook page of Giornate degli Autori and coordinated by Karel Och, director of the Karlovy Vary Film Festival. The GdA Director’s Award carries a cash prize of €20,000, to be split equally between the filmmaker and the film’s international distributor, to promote its circulation.
Out of the ten films in competition at the 20th edition of Giornate, Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person by Ariane Louis-Seize has been named the winner of the 2023 GdA Director’s Award.
The jury has released the following statement: “This film deserves to be celebrated for its strong directorial vision and consistent style in its various aspects, such as editing, cinematography, acting and art department. It bravely addresses crucial themes such as depression, mental health, euthanasia and neurodiversity. Nevertheless it is able to do so with a light-hearted feel, which makes the film radical and courageous, making it one of its strongest quirks. The idea that stood out is the possibility to find an alternative way of functioning, in a normative society. While the film has unique tone and style, it joyfully reaches a wider audience thanks to its tenderness and emotional engagement.
Synopsis: “Sasha is a young vampire with a serious problem: she’s too sensitive to kill! When her exasperated parents cut off her blood supply, Sasha’s life is in jeopardy. Luckily, she meets Paul, a lonely teenager with suicidal tendencies who is willing to give his life to save hers. But their friendly agreement soon becomes a nocturnal quest to fulfill Paul’s last wishes before day breaks.”
AUDIENCE AWARD (THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD)
Giornate audiences have also selected their own winner, after voting every day at the end of each screening of a film in competition, in the Sala Perla at the Casinò on the Lido. Out of the ten titles on the competition lineup, Quitter la nuit (Through the night) by Delphine Girard has garnered the People’s Choice Award, with 64% of the votes. Runners-up on the virtual podium were Los océanos son los verdaderos continentes by Tommaso Santambrogio, a close second, and Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person by Ariane Louis-Seize.
Quitter la nuit (Through the night) Synopsis: “One night, a woman in danger calls the police. Anna takes the call. A man is arrested. Weeks go by, the courts search for evidence, and Aly, Anna and Dary face the echoes of that night that they cannot leave behind.”
LABEL EUROPA CINEMAS
The Jury consisting of Gerardo de Vivo (Modernisssimo, Napoli, Italy); Lukas Berberich (Kino Usmev, Košice, Slovakia); Mira Staleva (Sofia Film Fest on the Road, Sofia, Bulgaria) and Priscilla Gessati (L’Entrepôt, Paris, France) assigned the Europa Cinemas Label to Photophobia by Ivan Ostrochovský and Pavol Pekarčík with following statement:
“Photophobia is a very original and beautifully observed film set today in an underground Kharkiv metro station in the middle of the war in Ukraine. But this is no miserabilist cliched war story. We see the way human beings – and the children in particular – learn to create a new way of living. There is hope here, and joy in the small things – the occasional luxury of feeling the sun on their faces for example. The film is exceptionally well made, with the cinematography a stand out. As it stands, this film has no international sales company attached. We strongly recommend that companies look at this film very quickly and get to work. As exhibitors we are convinced that this film has a wide audience waiting for it. Our unaninmous choice for the Europa Cinemas Label here in Venice is Photophobia.”
Synopsis: “On a cold February morning, 12-year-old Niki and his family arrive at the Kharkiv metro station to take shelter from the terrifying war raging outside. For Niki’s family, daylight is synonymous with mortal danger, and the boy is not allowed to leave the station premises, living under the constant glow of their neon lights. While aimlessly wandering around the abandoned cars and full platforms, Niki meets Vika (11), and a new world opens up to him. As their bond strengthens, the children find the courage once again to feel the sun on their faces.”
