Photo above: This year Elastique Citrique, the Nyon circus school worked with Visions du Réel to provide entertainment for both film goers and the public.
Visions du Réel 2012 ended with a closing ceremony at the Théatre de Marens on Friday night with film makers stepping up to the podium to receive prizes in the various categories of film at this year's festival -see full list below. There was a particularly emotional speech from Marc Schmidt, the director of "Matthew's Laws" and winner of the Grand Prix La Poste Suisse CHF 20,000 due to the fact that the protaganist featured in the film suffered from autism and was unable to be there that night.
Claude Rey, president of Visions du Réel announced that this year the festival had surpassed its objective in terms of artistic content and the organisers were extremely happy with the attendance figures. The festival drew 790 participants from 68 countries - an increase compared to 2011. With yet more screenings on Saturday 28th April in the Salle Communale in Nyon, the numbers of total film goers ath festival this year is expected to reach approximately 25, 000.
Here is a selection of the winning films that will be shown tomorrow at the Salle Communale 14:00. Nos jours, absolument, doivent être illuminés by Jean-Gabriel Périot France - Le Gosse de Louise Jaillette, France16:00. Schildkrötenwut / The Turtles's Rage by Pary El-Qalqili20:00 Hiver Nomade by Manuel von Stürler22:00 De Regels von Matthijs / Matthew's Laws by Marc Schmidt, Netherlands
If you have been reading the reviews on this site over the past few days you will notice that the reviewers didn't mention any of the winning films as they didn't see them! Therefore the winners below don't appear in the reviewers list of favourites (see previous post). No matter, it was an enriching festival for all. Until next year! Next year's festival will be held from 19 to 26 April, 2013. Prizes awarded The Jury of the International Competition for the category "Feature films" awards the Grand Prix Swiss Post for the best feature film CHF 20,000 to DE REGELS VAN MATTHIJS (MATTHEW’S LAWS) by Marc Schmidt, Netherlands The Jury's view - "With love and courage the filmmaker places us face to face with his childhood friend. This film crosses a border into the unknown and mysterious world of autism. Matthew’s Rules gives us the opportunity to experience friendship and self-determination in the face of society’s demands from a unique point of view". The Special Prize Swiss Post for the most innovative Feature Film, CHF 10,000 to : KOVASIKAJUTTU (THE PUNK SYNDROME) by J-P Passi and Jukka Kärikkäinen, Finland The Jury's view - "Full of warmth and humour The Punk Syndrome is an entertaining and challenging celebration of life’s pleasures. This is not only a generous encounter with people traditionally placed at society’s margins it is also a work of rigorous and inspired filmmaking. Special mention to :900 DAGEN (900 DAYS) by Jessica Gorter, Netherlands "900 Dagen unveils an episode of history from the perspective of everyday people who lived it. The filmmaker creates surprising connections between horror and humanity". The Jury of the international competition for the Medium Length and Short Films categories awards the Prize George Foundation for the best medium length film, CHF 10,000 to : LE GOSSE (THE KID) by Louise Jaillette, France The jury said "The filmmaker found a remarkable subject, a boy between childhood and adolescence in rural France. Her approach is realistic and sensitive, full of clarity, curiosity and honesty". The Special Prize George Foundation for the most innovating medium length film, CHF 5'000 to : L’ÂGE ADULTE (ADULTHOOD) de Eve Duchemin, Belgique/France "Two young adults feel the pressure of contemporary life against their own aspirations. The filmmaker finds dignity and beauty in lives lived against the grain of harsh economic times". The Prize Swiss Mobiliar for the best short film, 5'000 CHF to : NOS JOURS, ABSOLUMENT, DOIVENT ÊTRE ILLUMINÉS by Jean-Gabriel Périot, FranceSpecial Prize Swiss Mobiliar for the most innovating short film, CHF 2'500 to : ENKEL DER GESCHICHTE (SPINACH AND SUGAR) by Laura Laabs, Germany "A young filmmaker makes a film about her grandmother. While a common type of project, in this case it’s done with playfulness, self-awareness and wit, that provides a refreshing approach to memory and German historical reflection". Special mention to : 3 DNI WOLNOSCI (3 DAYS OF FREEDOM) by Lukasz Borowski, Poland "A profound meditation on personal freedom and its loss". The Cinéma Suisse jury, awards the Great Prize SSA/Suissimage for the best Swiss feature film (all sections), CHF 15'000 to: HIVER NOMADE by Manuel von Stürler, Switzerland The jury awards the best prize to HIVER NOMADE - for revealing through this engaging journey the impressive touch of his director, who is able to exploit the cinematographic potential of the film’s two main characters and of their incredible chemistry. These contemporary nomads live an adventure out of time, but still deeply rooted in our present. The director of this first feature documentary creates through the power of his photography, the subtleness of the editing and the use of music, a magic of simplicity. Special prize of the Jury – SRG SSR for the most innovating Swiss feature film (all sections), CHF 10'000 to : AMORE CARNE by Pippo Delbono, Italy/Switzerland Special mention to : WHERE THE CONDORS FLY by Carlos Klein, Switzerland/Germany/Chili The jury gives a special mention for this humorous, daring, moving, original documentary. For reflecting on the art of filmmaking and creation – not only through mind and brain, but rather also through physical force, instinct and intuition; for celebrating life and its wonder the jury decided to salute this film and give it a special commendation. The Regard Neuf Jury, Prize Regard Neuf of the Canton of Vaud for a first feature film of the International Competition, Helvétiques or État d’esprit section, CHF 10'000 to : SCHILDKRÖTENWUT (THE TURTLE’S RAGE) by Pary El-Qalquili, Germany Public, award the prize of the Young Public and Société des Hôteliers de la Côte for the best film in the First Step section, CHF 3’000 to : AFTER by Lukasz Konopa, United Kingdom Lukasz Konopa, is awarded this prize for the originality with which it goes into a subject used so many times. Through a coherent form, the filmmaker succeeds in making coexist in his shots both the objects of a painful memory and their ‘mise en scène’ ready to be consumed. With the help of a subtle irony, this ambiguity questions the role and preservation of places of memory within our society. And the C-Side Postproduction Prize for the best Swiss film of the First Step Section, worth CHF 5'000 to :MAN HASTAM (J’EXISTE – I AM) by Tara Parsa, Switzerland The Interreligious Jury, Prize of the Interreligious Jury for a feature film in the International Competition that sheds light on issues dealing with meaning and sense of direction of life, CHF 5'000 to : 900 DAGEN (900 DAYS) by Jessica Gorter, Netherlands Special mention to : DE REGELS VAN MATTHIJS (MATTHEW’S LAWS) by Marc Schmidt, Netherlands The Buyens-Chagoll Prize Jury, awards the Award Buyen s-Chagoll for a film of humanist dimension focusing on stories developing values that confer meaning to the future of mankind, CHF 5'000 to : SNAKE DANCE by Manu Riche and Patrick Marnham, Belgium/Irland/NetherlandsAudience Award of the City of Nyon for the best film of État d’Esprit section, CHF 10'000 to : LA VIERGE, LES COPTES ET MOI by Namir Abdel Messeh, France