One of the highlights of the event was a visit to the small Macedonian town by actress Daryl Hannah who received a special award for outstanding contribution to world cinema.
The festival was founded in honour of Yanaki and Milton Manaki, two of Macedonia's most famous citizens who were early pioneers of cinema shooting that has become an archive of world importance during the early years of the 20th century. The brothers lived and worked in Bitola where the festival takes place.
During the festival a workshop for young film critics and film writers was organized with the participation of Film New Europe. Young critics and film writers were asked to prepare articles about the films in the main programme where were later discussed by the panel of experts with a view to helping the development of professional film criticism and film writing.
Complete list of winners of ICFF Manaki Brothers Awards
Golden Camera 300
Women without men by Martin Gschlacht
The award was granted by V. Zsigmond, President of the Jury.
The award was received by the author.
Silver Camera 300
Enter the void by Benoit Debie
The award was granted by Dominique Fury, member of the jury.
The award was received by Nigel Waters, President of IMAGO - European Federation of Cinematographers
Golden Camera 300
Lebanon by Giora Bejach
The award was granted by Darko Mitrevski, member of the jury.
The award was received by the author.
Small Golden Camera 300
Winter's beginning by Thierry Godefroy
Mosfilm's award
Special Camera 300 for outstanding contribution to the development of the world film industry
Mr. Nobody by Christoph Beaucarne
The award was granted by Igor Formanjuk, Head of Mosfilm
The award for artistic achievement granted by the Mayor of the Municipality of Bitola
Pal Adrienn by Adam Filenz's
The award is granted by Vladimir Talevski, Mayor of the Municipality of Bitola.
The award was received by the author.
The Fox Focus Post-production Studio Award
Nothing personal by Daniel Bouquet
The award was granted by Gorjan Tozija, President of the Film Workers' Association of Macedonia
The award was received by the author.
The Manaki Brothers Festival granted a special diploma to Mosfilm for their long-standing cooperation.
The Ambassador of the United States of America granted the cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond the award for Cultural Diplomacy.
The official jury consisted of: Vilmos Zsigmond (President), Natasha Braier, Christine Dollhofer, Dominique Fury and Darko Mitrevski.
For any additional information on the ICFF Manaki Brothers visit: http://www.manaki.com.mk/
Top Results from Film Critics Workshop:
Ajami (Israel - Germany, 2009. 120 min.)
Violence is a universally understood language, and to that end, "Ajami" is an allegory for that language -- a language still spoken in Israel today; a fractured retelling that introduces a series of interrelated stories fatally united at the end by the same tragic knot.
Jewish filmmaker Yaron Shani and Palestinian filmmaker Scandar Copti set this drama in the Ajami district of Jaffa in Israel, a neighborhood where ethnic allegiance (Muslims, Jews and Christians) is not a simple equation. Five chapters swing the focus of the story, sharpened on the end.
We learn about relationships across the race divide; a Palestinian teen illegally working to pay his mother's medical bills; a Jewish cop with a missing brother in the army; a young Arab man trying to save his family from revenge.
"Ajami" offers a tragic portrait of life where it is impossible to live apart but hard to live together. Here, the innocents are always the victims.
The acting is natural -- these are real human beings, not actors playing parts, and it is easy to believe in their confusion, frustration, rage and confrontation.
The film is shot mostly by handy cam in a documentary way, and expertly edited keeping the audience's attention throughout.
By Biljana Krajchevska
Ayami Film review
Ajami
An Ad Vitam (in France) release of an Inosan Prods. (Israel)/Twenty Twenty Vision Filmproduktion, ZDF -- das kleine Fernsehspiel, Arte (Germany) production. (International sales: The Match Factory, Cologne.) Produced by Mosh Danon, Thanassis Karathanos. Co-producer, Talia Kleinhendler. Directed, written, edited by Scandar Copti, Yaron Shani. Camera (color), Boaz Yehonatan Yacov; music, Rabiah Buchari; production designer, Yoav Sinai; costume designer, Rona Doron; sound (Dolby Digital), Itai Elohav, Kai Tebbel; line producer, Zehava Shekel.. Running time: 120 MIN.
With: Shahir Kabaha, Ibrahim Frege, Fouad Habash, Youssef Sahwani, Ranin Karim, Eran Naim, Scandar Copti, Elias Sabah, Hilal Kabob, Nisrin Rihan, Tami Yerushalmi, Moshe Yerushalmi, Sigal Harel, Abu-George Shibli.
(Arabic, Hebrew dialogue)
As easy as several bullets fired at an innocent child repairing his car on the streets of Jaffa the horror of Ajami's characters starts to unfold. It is an instant drive-in through painstakingly crafted stories that intermingle in this religious, social and political eye-opener.
One simply gets perplexed by the strength and the variety of the latest film by Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani. Can such intense structure of plots be perceived only as a film? Yes, we can see it as a sort of fictional documentary, a set of wise and right-to-the-point directing solutions or a painful ordeal of the characters' lives giving us the impression that they are treading the asphalt of Jaffa marked by their blood and tears. Some might think it will round-up the whole cinematic phenomenon of Ajami but it is simply too little to say about it. This becomes clearer as we smoothly enter the layers of reality sharply pointed by the Israeli and Palestinian co-directors. As much as the political background of the inter-cultural and multi ethnic neighbourhood Ajami is important, the mere human saga is also brought up as a key element.
Namely, in this section of Jaffa, Jews, Christians and Muslims claim for their spot under the sun. Political and religious propaganda gives us an ambiguous perspective in many films. However, this film, above all, unveils the problems of common people and actually offers a fearsome view of religious and political dogmas as well. Omar is a Palestinian young man struggling to end a feud between his and another Arab family. It is simply taking too many dear ones and too much time not letting him have a life by his rules. Amidst this family war, he is trying to develop a relationship, with an Israeli girl, which is literally fixed to no possible way out, to no happy ending. Dando is an Israeli cop in a relentless run to meet two ends. He maintains a home for his wife and children by putting up the violent corners, streets of Jaffa, hundreds of conspicuous yards and cars filled with drug dealers, mafia members and itchy gunmen. At the same time, he is searching for his brother, supposed to be killed by Arab soldiers. Malek is a Palestinian boy working illegally to earn the amount he needs to cover his mother's surgery. His attempt is in vain as this is a realistic and no sentimental depiction of the life in the perilous district. Omar and Malek find no other solution but selling drugs to raise money to save their families. This is how Dando's story interferes in their desperate trial.
Don't expect to get a second of sentimentality or the usual melodramatic pathos. The characters grab you by the hand and take you through the hostile whereabouts not letting you inhale a proper gulp of air. It is packed with twists and violence that will be constantly craving your participation throughout the striking pictures.
It is shot in a suiting documentary mode. The camera moves and shakes as the guts of these people tremble to stay on their feet. The balance of general shots and close-ups gives us a reason to believe that we are experiencing a kind of simulation. Mainly this is achieved as a result of long-planned and well devised workshops with majority of actors who are not professionals. It all sums up in a highly authentic script and a film which strips the life and the streets of Ajami on the screen.
Music is mostly included through radios and CD players, coming from the story within and not as external element. The sounds and the editing set a rough pace.
This is not a gentle inspection of the tragedy of winning a safe sleep in Jaffa. This is a brutal and clear shot of people's decay.
By Gorjan Miloshevski
