STOCKHOLM — Clio Barnard’s “The Selfish Giant” took the best film nod at the 24th Stockholm Intl. Film Festival’s gala ceremony hosted at Berns Hotel on Friday.
A drama turning on the ambivalent friendship between two feral adolescents, “Giant” world preemed at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight to warm reviews. It’s repped by Protagonist Pictures and produced by Moonspun Films, with the backing of the British Film Institute and Film4.
“Shattering, to the point, believable, delicate, humorous. The sensitive interaction between the two main actors has resulted in the most touching portrayal of friendship we’ve seen in film,” stated the jury, which was chaired by Kristian Petri and comprised Ai Weiwei, Helena Danielsson,Lena Endre, Moa Gammel and Hiner Saleem.
Sundance Selects will distribute ”Giant” in the U.S.
Continuing on its laureled path, Ryan Coogler’s “Fruitvale Station” won best first film. Pic bowed at Sundance, winning the Grand Jury and audience nods, and played at Cannes’ Un Certain Regard, where it took best first film. It opened in the U.S. on June 12.
A Weinstein Co. release, “Fruitvale” is based on the tragic true story of Oscar Grant (Michael B. Jordan), a 22-year-old California resident who was fatally shot by a San Francisco transit police officer on New Year’s Day in 2009.
Alexandros Avranas’s “Miss Violence,” a drama about a dis-functional family, co-written by Avranas and Kostas Peroulis, snatched up best script.
The acting nods went to George Mackay for his perf as young Scottish misfit in Paul Wright’s “For Those in Peril” and Jasmine Trinca for her part as a caregiver of terminally-ill patients in Valeria Golino’s “Miele.”
Amat Escalante’s “Heli” won best cinematography for DP Lorenzo Hagerman. Escalante took the best director award at Cannes.
Hans Zimmer won best music for his score of “12 Years a Slave.”
The audience nod was awarded to Lea Becker’s “Swear.”
The rising star nod, sponsored by Citroen DS, went to Adam Lundgren, the young lead actor of the Swedish drama “Shed No Tears.”
Another important sponsor of the fest, the Swedish digital platform Telia delivered a film award to Calin Peter Netzer’s “Child’s Pose.”
Steve McQueen’s “12 Years A Slave” nabbed a special mention for best film and Anna Odell’s “The Reunion” (Atertraffen) also took a special mention for directorial debut.
As previously announced, French auteur Claire Denis, whose latest film “The Bastards” opened Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section, was honored with Stockholm Lifetime Achievement nod.
http://variety.com/2013/film/news/the-selfish-giant-wins-best-film-at-stockholm-fest-1200838287/