Award Winners of #fiff18: risk-taking pays off at FIFF

Black Level, a parable without words by Ukrainian director Valentyn Vasyanovych, won the Grand Prix at the 32nd Fribourg International Film Festival on Saturday and 30,000 Swiss francs from the Canton and Municipality of Fribourg. The International Jury voted unanimously to reward its original and artistic risk-taking. The Special Jury Prize (supported by SSA and Suissimage) was awarded to After My Death, the first film by the South Korean Kim Ui-seok, a social thriller produced within the framework of his studies at the Korean Academy of Film Arts in Seoul (KAFA).

While the Youth Jury COMUNDO also rewarded this film, other prizes were shared between The Seen and Unseen by the Indonesian Kamila Andini and Foxtrot by the Israeli Samuel Maoz, which is shortly to be released in Switzerland. With the prize for Best International Short Film delivered to Man of Pa’aling by Filipina E del Mundo (with the support of Groupe E), the Foreign Visa Prize (supported by E-CHANGER and Fribourg Solidaire) given to Les Heures-Encre by Wendy Pillonel from Fribourg and Puppy Love by Margarita Mina who received the award of Réseau Cinéma Suisse, female directors feature heavily strongly among the winners.


They are joined by Norwegian-Pakistani Iram Haq who won the BCF Audience Award for What Will People Say, soon to be released in Swiss cinemas.


This prize list came at the end of an exceptional week for FIFF. In addition to Ken Loach’s presence, attendance was up and the Festival registered more than 44,000 visitors. At the closing ceremony, Dominique de Buman, President of the National Council, praised festivalgoers who "fearlessly embraced the new ventures put forward by the festival organisers and Artistic Director Thierry Jobin in particular. His audacity and risk-taking have been rewarded with record attendance".

Download the Award Winners

Sunday, 25.03 | Awarded Films | Rex 1
13:30 | Best international Short Film Award and Grand Prix
16:00 | Audience Award | Free admission

Out in Movie Theater
28.03.18 : Sarah joue un loup-garou, Katharina Wyss, Switzerland, Germany
25.04.18 : Foxtrot, Samuel Maoz, Israël, Switzerland, Germany, France
13.06.18 : What Will People Say, Iram Haq, Norway, Germany, Sweden, India

Highlights of #fiff18
All the highlights of #fiff18 are now on www.fiff.ch

The 33rd edition of the Fribourg International Films Festival will take place from 15 – 23 march 2019, we look forward to seeing you!