Vivat, VOICES!

The award ceremony was the event which everyone had been looking forward to. It was done at the festival closing ceremony of the Second Young European Film Festival 9 June 2011 in Lencom cinema. The number of the people organizing the festival included Vologda region government, the Department of Culture and Protection of Vologda region cultural heritage objects, Vologda city authorities, the major of Cherepovets city, French company “ID-REEL”.

The film stars and the moderators of the festival again took a walk along the red carpet. Smiles, happy eyes, camera flashes attended everyone who was present. The participants of the contest were waiting for the jury decisions.

This time there was one more character who accompanied the presenters – Italian actress Anita Kravos and Russian actor Andrei Chistik – at the stage – that was a brown bear. It became a “path” to Berlin film festival, the symbol of which it is. Since next year is going to be a year of Germany in Russia.

The audience and the participants of the festival remembered the by-past festival when watching the VOICES short video record where they could see its best moments. It was followed by the award ceremony.

The winner of the contest of amateur short films about Vologda region "I Love You, Vologda" was awarded by the first deputy governor of the Vologda region Ivan Pozdnyakov. The best demo film was "Phoenix" of Alexander Pavlov and Vadim Schekun, they have got a certificate for a trip to Rome.

The prize for the best acting was given by an Italian actress Katerina Murino. This year that was difficult for the jury to stand out only one actress that is why two actresses were awarded – Olivia Kolman ("Tyrannosaur" Great Britain) and Alicia Vikander ("Pure" Sweden).

The best script award was given by a scriplwriter and a director Nino Giorgadze. The winner here was Brigitte Si for the film "Free Hands" (France).

Lisa Langset was honored by the best direction award for the film "Pure" (Sweden).

The "Sympathy Prize of Viewers” was given by Valentin Ratsko, the merited cultural worker, the chief of the Department of Culture and Protection of Vologda region cultural heritage objects. The award went to "Pure" (Sweden).

And the most important – the main prize of the VOICES went to the film "Tyrannosaur" (Great Britain), Paddy Considine, the director and script writer. The chairperson of the jury Hugh Hudson said that all the jury unanimously had chosen that film, very violent and still very human embodying great hope.

All the winners got the prizes made in the shape of a director’s megaphone. It was specially made at Velikii Ustug factory Northen Chern. As for the main prize it is supposed to have a money award which is divided between the director of the film and the company distributing it in Russia. Unfortunately not all the winners could come for the ceremony and their prizes were given to Pavel Morozov, the festival general producer and representatives of the distributing companies, but all the prizes will be handed to the winners.

Vologda citizens are waiting for a new VOICES festival nest year and for Germany, a new country which is going to conquer Vologda region. At the end of the ceremony the first deputy governor of the Vologda region Ivan Pozdnyakov and the executing director of the VOICES Igor Lisenck put a symbolic cap on the brown bear which meant the end of the ceremony. Ivan Pozdnyakov marked: “ I want to thank everybody for great job during the preparation and the conduction of the festival. Vologda made a big step toward its development. Let us see each other at new festivals. Vivat, VOICES!”

The audience got one more surprise – film Romantics Anonymous. A lyrical comedy about two lovers who were so afraid of everything that they nearly missed their happiness.

 

Irina Sorokinа