04-07-2017

FESTIVALS: Closeness Wins the 13th Bucharest IFF

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    FESTIVALS: Closeness Wins the 13th Bucharest IFF Copyright by Simion Buia

    BUCHAREST: Closeness by Russian filmmaker Kantemir Balagov was awarded best film and best script at the 13th edition of Bucharest IFF (28 June - 2 June 2017), the oldest festival in Bucharest organising competition for feature films.

    The festival had also a short film competition for domestic films. Vanessa Redgrave was the special guest of the festival. All the feature films screened at the festival had their Romanian premiere and will not be distributed in domestic cinemas afterwards.

    BIFF 2017 was organised by Fundația CHARTA with the support of the Bucharest City Hall through ARCUB, the Ministry of Culture and National Identity, the Romanian Cultural Institute, the Romanian Film Centre (CNC) and Dacin Sara.

    The festival took place under the high patronage of Radu, Prince of Romania.

    WINNERS:

    Best Film (given by the Romanian Cultural Institute):
    Closeness (Russia)
    Directed by Kantemir Balagov

    Best Director (given by the Romanian Cultural Institute):
    Daouda Coulibaly for Zulu (France, Senegal)

    Best Script (given by Dacin Sara):
    Kantemir Balagov and Anton Yarush for Closeness (Russia)

    Best Romanian Short Film:
    Chers amis
    Directed by Valeriu Andriuță

    Critics’ Award:
    Gabriel and the Mountain (Brazil, France)
    Directed by Fellipe Barbosa

    Honorary Award for Short Film (given by the Hyperion University):
    Actress and film director Kristina Cepraga for Tamara Echelon