DIFF WINNERS

The 34th edition of the Durban International Film Festival, with principal funding from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, announced its award-winners prior to the screening of the closing film Free Angela – And All Political Prisoners at the Suncoast CineCentre Cinema.

Presenting the award for Best Feature Film to the film The Land of Hope, the International Jury commended Sion Sono for a film that “masterfully and humbly draws together an array of cinematic means of expression to engage us in a story”. The Best Feature Film award carries with it a cash prize of R50,000.

The international Jury, which comprised Egyptian curator and festival programmer Sherif Awad, renowned festival programmer Paolo Bertolin, South African filmmaker Sarah Blecher, film curator June Givanni and South African actress Hlubi Mboya, also awarded Best South African Feature Film to South African filmmaker Andrew Worsdale for his film Durban Poison. The Best South African Feature Film award carries with it a cash prize of R30,000.

Following its banning of the film Of Good Report for opening night and its refusal to classify it, Film and Publications Board reversed their decision and gave the film an R-Rating of 16 on July 27. The film was not screened in any of the festival’s allocated slots as a result of the classification refusal and so could not be considered for the DIFF competition.

The full list of awards is:

- Best Short Film: Mercy (directed by Eliza Subotowicz)

- Best South African Short Film: The Brave Unseen (directed by Duan Myburgh)

- Best Documentary Film: Far out isn’t Far Enough: The Tomi Ungerer Story (directed by Brad Bernstein)

- Special Mention: Best Documentary Film: I Am Breathing (directed by Emma Davie and Morag McKinonn)

- Best South African Documentary Film: Angel’s In Exile (directed by Billy Raftery)

- Special Mention: Best South African Documentary Film: Orania (directed by Tobias Lindner)

- Amnesty International Durban Human Rights Award: Pussy Riot – A Punk Prayer (directed by Mike Lerner and Maxim Pozdorovkin)

- Audience Choice Best Film: Felix (directed by Roberta Durrant)

- Audience Choice Best Documentary: Pussy Riot – A Punk Prayer (directed by Mike Lerner and Maxim Pozdorovkin)

- Audience Choice Best Wavescapes Film: Stand (directed by Anthony Bonello and Nicolas Teichrob)

- Audience Choice Best WildTalk Film: 2 Wings Many Prayers (directed by Lloyd Ross)

- Best Feature Film: The Land of Hope (directed by Sion Sono)

- Best First Feature Film: Wadjda (directed by Al-Mansour Haifaa)

- Best South African Feature Film: Durban Poison (directed by Andrew Worsdale)

- Best Direction: Xavier Dolan for Laurence Anyways

- Best Cinematograph:  MatÍas Penachino for Halley

- Best Screenplay: Asghar Fahradi for The Past

- Best Actor: David and Eitan Cunio for Youth

- Best Actress: Paulina Garcia for Gloria and Suzanne Clément for Laurence Anyways

- Durban International Film Festival Award for Artistic Bravery: Jahmil XT Qubeka

The 34th Durban International Film Festival is organised by the Centre For Creative Arts (University of KwaZulu-Natal) with support by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (principal funder), National Film and Video Foundation, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development and Tourism, HIVOS, City of Durban, German Embassy in South Africa, Goethe Institut of South Africa, French Season in South Africa, and a range of other valued partners. For more information about the Durban International Film Festival you can log onto the website www.durbanfilmfest.co.za