33ª Mostra Internacional de Cinema - São Paulo International Film Festival 20 out - 05 nov 2009

On Thursday, November 5th, the Cinemateca Brasileira, in São Paulo, was the scenario for the closing ceremony of the 33rd Mostra, conducted by the presenters Marina Person and Serginho Groisman. The event also featured the announcement of the films that stood out in this year’s festival, in an election held in partnership with the public and the expert jury. The big winner was the Korean SEX VOLUNTEER, which led the Bandeira Paulista Trophy for best picture.

The award was hampered by a light rain, but the director Kyong-duk Cho accepted it as a good sign. “When I was a child, I was always better in school exams on rainy days. When I saw the time change tonight, I thought it could not be simply a mere coincidence”, he joked.

The international jury – composed by the directors Ali Özgentürk, Goran Paskaljevic, Marco Bechis and Suzana Amaral, beyond the critic Jean-Michel Frodon – also elected the Swedish production THE DISPENSABLES, directed by Andreas Arnstedt, in two categories: best director and best actor for Andrè Hennicke. Arnstedt, visibly touched, thanked the recognition and the opportunity to participate of the Mostra. “It’s a great moment for me. It’s the first I come to a festival in Latin America and I’m already prized. I’m starting a new phase of my life and I invite you all to accompany it”, he said.

At the documentary category, the Bandeira Paulista Trophy was given to the French production HENRI-GEORGES CLOUZOT’S INFERNO, directed by Serge Bromberg e Ruxandra Medrea. It was also celebrated with a special mention from the jury the Brazilian THE CORPORATE HUG, by Ricardo Kauffman, who came on stage to receive the award.

For the critics, represented by the journalist Silvana Mascagni, from the journal O Tempo, of Belo Horizonte, the best international feature was NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT PERSIAN CATS, directed by the Iranian Bahman Ghobadi. The director, who could not attend at the ceremony, sent a greeting letter. “I’m very sad for not being there today, taking part in this that is one if the best festivals in the world. But I’m also happy because I’m always a prizewinner at the Mostra”, he wrote.

The critics also chose the movie THE MIDDAY SUN, by Eliane Caffé, as the best Brazilian feature. “This award is wonderful, a great surprise. It was a very hard movie to make, and it’s very good to gather the results”, said the director.

As always, the public that attended the sessions of the 33rd Mostra could also choose their favorite productions. The award for best international feature was marked by a tie between the Spanish BROKEN EMBRACES, by Pedro Almodóvar, and the Australian MAO’S LAST DANCER, by Bruce Beresford. In the Brazilian feature film category, the winner was the movie CARMO, HIT THE ROAD, directed by Murilo Pasta. “I am a son of the Mostra and I’m very proud to be here. I do what I do for the public to see, so this award is very important”, said the director.

Among the documentaries, the public chose the Brazilian DZI CROQUETTES, by Tatiana Issa and Raphael Alvarez, and the Spanish TOM ZÉ LIBERATED ASTRONAUT, by Ígor Iglesias Gonzáles. “I loved this city, and now I want to stay here forever”, said Gonzáles.

The night was also marked by the delivery of the Humanity Award for the Italian director and producer Gian Vittorio Baldi, announced by Leon Cakoff and Renata de Almeida, directors of the festival. “Brazil is one of the most important film industries of the world. This is a wonderful festival, which led to promote the Mostra Online, an initiative that opens new ways for the future of cinema”, said Baldi.

Check out the winners of the night:


JURY PRIZE - FICTION

Best Feature Film: SEX VOLUNTEER (South Korea), by Kyeong-Duk Cho
Best Director: Andreas Arnstedt, by THE DISPENSABLES (Germany)
Best Actor: Andrè Hennicke, by THE DISPENSABLES (Germany)


JURY PRIZE – DOCUMENTARY

Best Feature Film: HENRI-GEORGES CLOUZOT’S INFERNO, by Serge Bromberg e Ruxandra Medrea (France)
Special Mention: THE CORPORATE HUG (Brazil), by Ricardo Kauffman


CRITIC PRIZE

Best Feature Film: NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT PERSIAN CATS (Iran), by Bahman Ghobadi
Best Brazilian Feature Film: THE MIDDAY SUN (Brazil), by Eliane Caffé


PUBLIC PRIZE

Best Brazilian Feature Film: CARMO, HIT THE ROAD (Brazil), by Murilo Pasta
Best Foreign Feature Film: BROKEN EMBRANCES (Spain), by Pedro Almodóvar and MAO’S LAST DANCER (Australia), by Bruce Beresford
Best Brazilian Documentary Feature Film: DZI CROQUETTES (Brazil), by Tatiana Issa and Raphael Alvarez
Best Foreign Documentary Feature Film: TOM ZÉ LIBERATED ASTRONAUT (Spain), by Ígor Iglesias Gonzáles
Best Film - Youth Award: THE SWIMSUIT ISSUE (Sweden), by Måns Herngren


ITAMARATY AWARD

Best Feature Film: BEFORE THE WORLD ENDS (Brazil), by Ana Luiza Azevedo (also received Quanta and Teleimage awards)
Best Brazilian Documentary Feature Film: DZI CROQUETTES (Brazil), by Tatiana Issa and Raphael Alvarez (also received Quanta and Teleimage awards)
Best Short Film: INSOMNE (Brazil), by Marília Scharlach e Marina Magalhães (also received Teleimage award)
Special Award: Paulo César Saraceni


CANAL BRASIL AWARD

Best Short Film: PRINCE CHARMING (Brazil), by Sérgio Machado and Fátima Toledo