ADFF annnounces list of winners for 2010

Best Narrative Film ($100,000)
Silent Souls (Ovsyanki), directed by Aleksei Fedorchenko (Russia), “for its poetic depiction of the echoes of a cultural heritage for the people of today and for the excellence of its cinematic language”.

Best Narrative Film from the Arab World ($100,000)
Here Comes the Rain (Shatti Ya Dini), directed by Bahij Hojeij (Lebanon)

Best Actor ($25,000)
Andrew Garfield in Never Let Me Go, directed by Mark Romanek (United Kingdom/USA)

Best Actress ($25,000)
Lubna Azabal in Incendies, directed by Denis Villeneuve (Canada/France)

Jury Special Mention
CARLOS, directed by Olivier Assayas (France/Germany), “for rendering the complex portrait of an era, a region, and a controversial character”.

Best Documentary ($100,000) shared by Nostalgia for the Light (Nostalgia de la Luz), directed by Patricio Guzmán (Chile/Germany/France), “for the originality of its dramatic and cinematic vision, where image and sound are like traces of the mystery of the past present, the secrets of the big bang and remains of Pinochet’s victims”.

and

Pink Saris, directed by Kim Longinotto (United Kingdom/India), “for bringing cinema and real life at once, together reinforcing one another and breaking the illusory boundary between documentary and fiction, leading is a woman, who forges from inner strength a new authority of her own to face official authority”.

Best Documentary by an Arab Director or Related to Arab Culture ($100,000) shared by HOMELAND, directed by George Sluizer (Netherlands), “for its cinematic dramatic treatment of the lived experience of time and cinematic time, the camera’s journey into its memory from 36 years ago until the present, to draw a tragic portrait of the Palestinian dispersal”.

and

WE WERE COMMUNISTS (Sheoeyin Kenna), directed by Maher Abi Samra (Lebanon/France/United Arab Emirates), “for its attempt to unlock time and its multiplicity, exploring past and present to uncover meaning and intention, this fragmented cinematic chronicle of the filmmaker and his characters’ journey of understanding and confession”.

Jury Special Mentions

Tears of Gaza (Gazas Tårer), directed by Vibeke Løkkeberg (Norway), and

How Bitter My Sweet! (Bahebbak Ya Wahsh!), directed by Mohamed Soueid (Lebanon)

New Horizons / Afaq Jadida Competition 2010

Best Narrative Film by a New Director ($100,000) GESHER, directed by Vahid Vakilifar (Iran)

Best Narrative Film by a New Director from the Arab World ($100,000)
OK, Enough, GOODBYE (Tayeb, Khalas, Yalla), directed by Rania Attieh and Daniel Garcia (Lebanon/United Arab Emirates)

Best Documentary by a New Director ($100,000) shared by El ambulante, directed by Eduardo de la Serna, Lucas Marcheggiano and Adriana Yurcovich (Argentina), and
Bill Cunningham New York, directed by Richard Press (USA)

Best Narrative Film by a New Director from the Arab World Jury Special Mention ($25,000)

Living Skin (Jeld Hayy), directed by Fawzi Saleh (Egypt), “for a promising uninhibited and passionate director who took us in a poignant journey into the dire living and working conditions of laboring children”.

Abu Dhabi Film Festival Audience Choice Award 2010

ADFF Audience Choice Award ($30,000)
WEST IS WEST, directed by Andy De Emmony (United Kingdom)

The Emirates Competition

Best Short Narrative (First Prize, AED 35,000) - GHEAMT SHROOG, directed by Ahmed Zain (UAE)

Best Short Narrative (Second Prize, AED 30,000) - ONE MORE DAY (Yawm’k?), directed by Chaker Ben Ahmed (Bahrain)

Best Short Narrative (Third Prize, AED 25,000) – NIGHT GUARD (Haris Al-layl), directed by Fadel Al Muhairi (UAE)

Jury Prize (AED 30,000) ­– CLOTHESLINE (Habl Al-Ghaseel), directed by Essa Al Janahi (UAE)

Best Emirati Short (AED 35,000) – SHHH, directed by Hafsa Al Mutawa and Shamma Abu Nawas (UAE)

Best Scriptwriter (AED 20,000) – GHEAMT SHROOG, directed by Ahmed Zain (UAE)

Best Cinematographer (AED 10,000) – DAKEN, directed by Bader Al-Homoud (Saudi Arabia)

Short Documentaries:

First Prize (AED 30,000) – THE QUEEN (Al-Malika), directed by Hadi Shuaib (UAE)

Second Prize (AED 25,000) – COASTAL LAWS (Qawaneen Al-Sawahel), directed by Ebrahim Rashid Al-Dosari (Bahrain)

Jury Prize (AED 25,000) – OF FISH & MEN (Rajal Al-Samak), directed by Rola Shamas (UAE)

Student Short Narratives:

Best Student Short Narrative (First Prize, AED 25,000) – SHHH, directed by Hafsa Al Mutawa, Shamma Abu Nawas (UAE)

Best Student Short Narrative (Second Prize, AED 20,000) – I LOVE YOU, Champs ElysÉes(Ohebbok ya Champs Elysées), directed by Mahdi Ali Ali (Qatar)

Best Student Short Narrative (Jury Prize, AED 20,000) – NEW CINDERELLA (Al-Sinderella Al-Jadeeda), directed by Eva Daoud (UAE)

Student Short Documentaries: Best Student Short Documentary (First Prize, AED 25,000) – LADY OF THE ROSARY (Al-Sayyeda Al-Wardiyya), directed by Sarah Rougani and Shorooq Shaheen (Qatar)

Best Student Short Documentary (Second Prize, AED 20,000) – PETTY DREAMS (Ahlam Sagheera), directed by Tariq Al Makki (Qatar)

Best Student Short Documentary (Jury Prize, AED 20,000) – ME IN MY COUNTRY (Ana Fi Biladi), directed by Shorooq Shaheen (Qatar)

Emirates Script Competition

Best Script (First Prize, AED 30,000) - EBNAT AL QADR, by Mohammed Al Hammadi

Best Script (Second Prize, AED 25,000) – MAKTOOB, by Amal Abdulla

Best Script (Third Prize, AED 10,000) – FAN ATLINTIGA’, by Fatma Al Mazrouei

Short Film Competition 2010

Best Narrative Short ($25,000) – ALBUM, directed by Shiraz Fradi (Tunisia)

Best Documentary Short ($25,000) – THE CITY WITH A DIRTY FACE, directed by Peter King (United Kingdom) andCinema Azadi(Azadi Cinema), directed by Mehdi Torfee (Iran)

Best Short from the Arab World ($25,000) – THE LAST PASSENGER (Le Dernier Passager), directed by Mounes Khammar (Algeria)

Best Animated Short ($15,000) – TORD & TORD (Tord och Tord), directed by Niki Lindroth Von Bahr (Sweden)

Best Student Short (First Prize, $15,000) – THE FIFTH COLUMN (Hinkerort Zorasune), directed by Vatche Boulghourjian (Lebanon)

Best Student Short (Second Prize, $10,000) – THE BIRTHDAY (Aniversarea), directed by Luiza Pârvu (Romania)

Best Student Short (Third Prize, $5,000) – DEAF ROCK N'ROLL (Betisoare rock n'roll), directed by Cristian Pascariu (Romania)

Special Jury Mention (Short Narrative) – RITA, directed by Fabio Grassadonia and Antonio Piazza (Italy)