The Leopards: Awards of the Festival

The competition section of the Festival aims principally at discovering fresh talent, directors of innovative films who have not yet received international recognition. Best films are rewarded with Golden, Silver and Bronze Leopards, and a Public's Choice Award. The winners were announced 12 August. The Jury

Golden Leopard
Wang Shuo Baba by Wang Shuo (China)
The jury about Baba: "We think this film is not only a very important film in the context of new cinema in China and all over the world, it is also a film that gives you a very human explanation of a new universal society."
"It was some kind of problem actually to read the English subtitles, which unfold very fast. But you know what is true of good films is that sometimes you don't need translations, you can see the film in Bengali or whatever language and still understand what the film is about. We hope this film will get a distribution all over the world - because this is the only copy available outside of China."

Silver Leopard (tie)
Little CheungLittle Cheung by Fruit Chan (Hong Kong) & Manila by Romuald Karmakar (Germany)
The jury about Manila: "We think that this film is a kind of self-criticism and therefore brings us closer to its image of society and characters."

Special Prize/Bronze Leopard (tie)
Actress Sabine Timoteo (L'Amour, L'Argent, L'Amour / Germany) & the actors of Der Uberfall by Florian Flicker (Austria)

Special Jury Crossair Prize
Gostanza da Libbiano by Paolo Benvenuti (Italy)

Special Mentions
In Vanda's RoomBronx Barbes by Eliane de Latour (France) & No Quarto da Vanda (In Vanda's Room) by Pedro Costa (Portugal)
The jury about Bronx Barbes: "We wanted to mention this film for its sophistication and ability to readily convey the humanity of characters who reach out to live in the face of extraordinary adversity."
The jury about No Quatro da Vanda: "We believe this director was trying to be experimental, to expand the expressive possibilities of cinema. So we think it was very important to mention the film."

Video Competition:
Sony Grand Prize - Video Golden Leopard to Les Yeux Fermés by Olivier Py (France) :
Sony Prize - Video Silver Leopard for a feature to Puisi Tak Terkuburkan by Garin Nugroho (Indonesia) :
Sony Prize - Video Silver Leopard for a short film to Seule avec la Guerre by Danielle Arbid (France/Belgium)

FIPRESCI Prize
HotaruHotaru (Fireflies) by Naomi Kawase (Japan)
The Jury members: Luciano Monteagudo (Argentina, president) Sylvain Garel (France) Juri Gladilchtchikov (Russia) Günther Jekubzik (Germany) Thomas Binotto (Switzerland).
The jury about Hotaru: "...for the intensity and originality of its personal and universal approach towards the conflict between tradition and modernity."

CICAE/ARTE Prize
Hotaru by Naomi Kawase (Japan)
Special Mention: Little Cheung by Fruit Chan (Honk Kong)


Critics' Week Prize
Do It by Sabine Gisiger & Marcel Zwingli
Special Mention: Blue End by Gaspar Kasics


Hollow ManAudience Prize
Hollow Man by Paul Verhoeven


Don Quijote Prize of the FICC/IFFS
Mua Oi by Dang Nhat Minh (Vietnam)