The international jury of the 29. WFF International Competition consisted of Iulia Rugină (Romania), Yariv Horowitz (Israel), San Fu Maltha (Holland), András Muhi (Hungary), and Krzysztof Varga (Poland).
"We were looking for a powerful story, good acting and great cinematogprahy. We felt that Ida had it all," Rugină told FNE. Pawlikowski explores the issues of family and identity in the drama which recounts the story of Anna, a novice in a convent determined to contact her only living relative, Wanda, before she takes her vows. Wanda informs her of her Jewish heritage and together the two women embark on a journey to discover the tragic history of their family. The film, starring Agata Kulesza and Agata Trzebuchowska, is a Polish-Danish co-production shot in black and white and produced by Opus Film in coproduction with Canal+ Cyfrowy and Phoenix Film Ivestment. World sales are managed by Fandango Portobello.
"We knew we had a very special film, but this great run at the festivals is a major suprise to us," Ewa Puszczyńska from Opus film told FNE, "especially that we had just received notice that the film also won a Grand Prix at the 57th London Film Festival."
The Best Director's award went to Zaza Urushadze Tangerines, an Estonian-Georgian coproducion from Allfilm and Cinema24.
"It is a great honour. I am very proud. It doesn't happen often that a film from such small countries like Estonia and Goergia is awarded at such a major film festival," the director told FNE.
The special Jury Award went to a Lithuanian-Latvian co-production The Gambler and it's producers Uljana Kim and Roberts Vinovskis ( Studio Uljana Kim, Locomotive Productions). The FIPRESCI Jury gave the award for best debut from Eastern Europe to a Turkish production Yozgat Blues directed by Mahmut Fazil Coskun while the Free Spirit Award went to Ché Sandoval and his film Much Better than You.
"This is my first European award and it makes me very happy that the European audience also understands my film and reacts to it," Sandoval told FNE.
Full list of winner and the verdict:
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
Warsaw Grand Prix, the main prize of the International Competition, founded by City of Warsaw : IDA, dir. Paweł Pawlikowski (Opus Film, Poland) )
Best Director: Zaza Urushadze for the film TANGERINES / MANDARIINID (Allfilm, Cinema24 (Estonia/Georgia)
Special Jury Award: for producers of the film THE GAMBLER / LOŠEJAS, dir. Ignas Jonynas (Lithuania, Latvia) – Uljana Kim, Roberts Vinovskis
1-2 COMPETITION
Ex-aequo award to
THE JAPANESE DOG / CÂINELE JAPONEZ, dir. Tudor Cristian Jurgiu (Romania, www.librafilm.net )
and
ALIENATION / OTCHUZHDENIE, dir. Milko Lazarov (Bulgaria) for the unadorned and poetic narration of a fundamental theme.
Special Mention: SEDUCE ME / ZAPELJI ME, dir. Marko Šantić (Slovenia, www.rtvslo.si) for the cleverly formulated sort telling and the outstanding performance of the main character.
FREE SPIRIT COMPETITION
Free Spirit Award: MUCH BETTER THAN YOU / SOY MUCHO MEJOR QUE VOS, dir. Ché Sandoval (Chile)
Special Mention: RITES OF PASSAGE, dir. Phillip Crawford (Australia)
DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
DIRTY WARS, dir. Richard Rowley (USA)
SHORT FILMS COMPETITION
Short Grand Prix for the best short film: PANDAS / PANDY, dir. Matúš Vizár
Best Animated Short: HASTA SANTIAGO, dir. Mauro Carraro
Best Live Action Short: WHALE VALLEY / HVALFJÖRÐUR, dir. Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson
FIPRESCI Award: YOZGAT BLUES, dir. Mahmut Fazil Coskun (Turkey)
ECUMENICAL JURY Award: IDA, dir. Paweł Pawlikowski (Poland)
NETPAC Award: HARMONY LESSONS / UROKI GARMONII, dir. Emir Baigazin (Kazakhstan)
