The 36th Moscow International Film Festival’s main prize was won by the Japanse film My Man directed by Kazuyoshi Kumakiri. The Golden George was awarded by Russian film director Gleb Panfilov, chair of the festival jury.
A total of 16 films were screened in the main competition including two Russian titles Yes and Yes directed by Valeria Gai Germanicus, which won the FIPRESCI Critics Prize and White Moss directed by Vladimir Tumayev which won the Audience Award.
Turkish film scored another victory after Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s Cannes win with the special Jury Prize going to Eye Am directed by Turkish directors Melik Saracoglu and Hakki Kurtulus. There was also a surprise all night screening of Winter Sleep.
The Best Actress award went to the Ukrainian actress Natalka Polovinka, for her role in the Ukrainian film Brothers. Last Confession As she was performing and could not attend the ceremony the award was collected on her behalf by the chairman of the Ukrainian Union of Cinematographers, Sergey Trimbach, who told the audience that “Culture must resist political madness. Political lunatics should not dictate the rules of life, artists should be together." He thanked the festival for including a Ukrainian film in the main competition as well as thanking the jury on behalf of Polovinka.
MIFF president Nikita Mikhalkov said at the closing ceremony that "We are not politicians - we are artists, we must be independent of politicians."
The Moscow Business Square also hosted film industry professionals from 21-24 June during the festival. This year the focus was on Latin America with projects and professionals from Brazil, Chile, Mexico and other countries making the trek to Moscow - many of them for the first time- to present projects and meet European professionals.
36 MIFF PRIZES:
Main Prize Golden George for the best film:
My Man/Watashi-No Otoko directed by Kazuyoshi Mukariri (Japan)
Special Jury Prize Silver George
Gozumun Nuru/Eye Am directed by Melik Saracoglu and Hakki Kurtulus (Turkey)
Silver George for the best director:
Valeria Gai Germanika for Yes and Yes (Russia)
Silver George for the best actor:
Tadanobu Asano for his role in Watashi-No Otoko/My Man (Japan)
Silver George for the best actress:
Natalka Polovinka for her role in Braty, Ostannya Spovid/ Brothere: The Final Confession (Ukraine)
Silver George for the best film of the documentary competition:
Deep Love directed by Jan Matuszynski
Prize for the best film of Short Films Competition
14 Steps directed by Max Shavkin (Russia)
Special Prize for An Outstanding Contribution To The World Cinema:
Gleb Panfilov (Russia)
Special Prize for The Outstanding Achievement In The Career Of Acting and Devotion To The Principles of K.Stanislavsky's school:
Inna Churikova (Russia)
FIPRESCI Prize for Best Film
Yes and Yes directed by Valeria Gai Germanicus
Audience Award
White Moss directed by Vladimir Tumayev
