XIII edition of the magazine European Film Festival, held, as usual, in Lecce, ended with an undeniably positive balance. Many guests this 2022: from Raoul Bovawhich he presented Christmas showto Sergio Rubini who received the Golden Olive for Lifetime Achievement from his brothers Greenfinch which each year awards the director and cast the best Italian debut film. First ruleThe movie will release on December 1st. Film event, director Albert LaMonica ended with an awards ceremony.

As part of the European competition of feature films “Golden Olive”, the jury chaired by Pascal Dio It’s made up Klaus Eder, Andrei Khalpakhchi, Marie-Pierre Vallee as well as Enrico Vannucci awarded with the following awards:

• Golden Olive and Cristina Soldano Award for Best Film to My own room directors Iosif Bliadze “for the ability to deeply interpret the conservative approach to the youth of society and show how, in spite of everything, you can become the architect of your own destiny”
• Special Jury Prize to How is Katya? directors Christina Tynkevich “for depicting the tragic fate of a young single mother against the background of the injustice of some social problems”
• Best Cinematography Award to 9th step directors Irina Puzhauskaite “for the sensitive depiction of the life and emotions of the main characters”
• Best Screenplay Award to Zuhal directors Nazli Elif Durlu “for the originality of the script that reconstructs the social landscape of a Turkish condominium through the fate of a cat imprisoned behind a wall”

SNGCI Award for Best European Actress/Actorappointed Jury of Italian Film Journalistsgone Bosnian Maria Pikichmovie protagonist Ballad by Aida Begichbecause “she lends body and soul a lightness and intensity to the lonely ballad of Mary as she fights a custody battle over her infant daughter, and also faces the recklessness of a family together that is dysfunctional to say the least. the least and the aggressiveness of a domineering mother. In her life, marked by contrasting moods and perspectives, there is no intimacy or right to rest. For this reason, the alternation of feelings and states of mind that Maria plays out ignites a small feminist revolution in her difficult everyday life. Her Mary, more than convincing in her dramatization of reality and melancholy, loneliness and rebellion, becomes the protagonist of a liberation ballad.

FIPRESCI Jury Prizeappointed Paula Casella, Ziva Emersic As well as Joanna Orzechowska-BonisHe went to Zuhal by Nazli Elif Durlu “for the original idea and the intellectual development of a deceptively simple story that begins with an absurd quest for a cat theoretically hidden within the walls of an upper-middle class apartment building. This surreal quest is led by a central, strong female character and independent, revealing a stratified portrait of modern Turkish society represented by tenements that behave in accordance with their conformism and cowardice.The tone of the film, initially light-hearted, gradually turns into a serious and introspective reflection of the role of women in Turkey…. And yet her critical ideas remain cleverly hidden under the cover of cat hunting, never without losing sight of an important message.”

OURSynevrop Prizeappointed director Valerio CarusoHe went to 9th step from Irma Puzhauskaite for “sensitively showing that one can learn from one’s mistakes. For describing fragile and wounded figures from life, but who can save themselves through their passions. As a reward for the first film of a very promising young woman. The film makes us appreciate the figure of a father who tries, despite adversity and addiction to alcohol, to do the right thing and keep the moral bar straight. smile at your ruthless daughter”

For section Show of Pugliajury chaired by Gregory Paonessa It’s made up Antonella Gaeta As well as Lydia Vitalehe appointed CNC Award – National Short Film Center As well as August Color Award to Rock of San Vito from Faust Roman “For a narrative dance, light and playful, with tradition, the dance of the perforated stone of San Vito in Calimera, in the heart of Salentina Greece, which ensures fertility and well-being. Fausto Romano’s short film captivates, entertains and moves safely on the basis of paradox and well-acted and directed comedy.”

There were two special mentions. The first went to: Last day of winter from Renata La Serra: “The only short film of real selection, the work of Renata La Serra, reveals the mastery of tools of life storytelling through a story of acceptance, inclusion and memory, themes that our modernity is called to face on a daily basis.” Instead, the second was attributed Endless waiting from Francis Lorusso“The short film, supported by important and international media, reveals the confident and inspired hand of a young filmmaker in training who plunges his heart and eyes into the supernatural, into the myth and into the loneliness of coming into a world that never passes. place”.

The short films of the Puglia Show section also included:

• OURRai Cinema Channel Awardby decision of the jury Maria Federica Lo Hakono As well as Manuela Rimawhich is equivalent to 3000 euros and went to face pillow from Xavier Capiello “for the great ability of the director and very young performers to deeply tell the reality at that stage between childhood and adolescence, when everything is a challenge and the need for acceptance is fundamental.”
• Unisalento Awardappointed by the jury of the university cinema club of dams and courses for the degree “Design and management of audiovisual and performative production systems” of the University of Salento, and went to Last day of winter from Renata La Serra with the following motivation: “For a storytelling that uses wonderful fluidity and fluidity. Immersive footage invites the viewer into a reality presented in a natural way. For a message aimed at raising awareness of the problem of political refugees in our country, a sensitive issue is treated with originality.”

In order not to forget Mario Verdone Awardappointed by a jury of brothers Charles, Luke As well as Sylvia Verdone a choice of 10 titles offered by the European Film Festival and SNGCI. That’s what won Julia Louise Steigerwalt for his debut work September with the following motivation: “A particularly interesting debut, which, in the interweaving of lost love and unexpected encounters, marks a small revolution in the traditional liturgy of sentimental comedy. Irony and sincerity alternate with moments of genuine poetry, and in the film, the shyness of adolescents in the face of the difficulty of the first time is contrasted with the desire of lost adults to emerge, even surprisingly, from melancholy loneliness in order to awaken feelings in apathy. a comedy interspersed with sensuous storytelling that now also promises a good screenwriter a bright future as a director.”

Emidio Greco Awardfor which short films selected by Leah FurgyDirector of CNC, and from Albert LaMonica The FCE director was awarded by a jury consisting of a family Greekto The True Story of the World’s Greatest Hide and Seek Gamefrom David Morando, Irene Cotroneo As well as Paul Bonfadiniwith the following motivation: “Having time to improve memory, working so that it remains alive in the thoughts of new generations, is a difficult, but necessary, in some cases fundamental operation. To be able to do this in a short film, using the language of the documentary and its freedom and respect, irony and awareness, aimed at one’s own expressive needs, is one of the main goals of cinema. That’s what the winning film managed to do. The tenth edition of the Emidio Greco Award goes to The True Story of Hide and Seek in the World by Davide Morando, Irene Cotroneo and Paolo Bonfadini, with the hope of continuing the successful exploration of the territory where cinema meets reality.”

Rotary Club Lecce Award, selected from all the films presented at the Festival, is usually assigned to the film, which, in terms of subject matter and narrative form, is especially close to the mission of “We Serve” a humanitarian association. This year the recognition went to Yazz Bunn from Lorenzo Zitoli As well as Salvatore Magronewith the following motivation: “Through the restoration of the values ​​of the past and the awareness of the present, the film offers a musical storytelling that becomes a sensitive metaphor for today, based on the care of our roots and projected onto future perspectives”

This year The Cinema&Reality section has been enriched with a special mention of “Cinecittà News”.what was attributed to MILVA from Angelo Dominic Capona: “The editors of CinecittàNews have chosen a film capable of confirming that cinema is also able to create dreams, even when it is narrating, starting from the most violent current events. The choice of mockumentary does not ignite a fantasy universe, but a realistic and fantastical political cosmos set in the near future. A monster for the environment, society, health, a monument to immobility and death: ILVA Taranto, from a place of horrors in Puglia and news, with cinema, is transformed into a museum that, in its essence, carries the concept of historical memory and a glimpse of a different future. For the daring vitality with which the author takes on a burning subject that still ignites the existence of Taranto and Italy and is capable of playing with a cinematic instrument that explodes its imaginary essence, with a very realistic result; for the ability to weave the language of mockumentary with the language of modern history with the life force of the oran.”

People’s Choice Awardwas finally appointed to 9th step, Irma Puzauskaite.