WINNERS ANNOUNCED AT THE 11TH VILNIUS INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL

Having invited audiences to spend long winter evenings watching short films, on Saturday night the festival hosted an awards ceremony at the Arts Printing House, where the winners of the national and international competitions were announced. This year’s eight international programmes contained last couple of years’ 48 best short films from all around the world, whereas the national programme consisted of 12 films by Lithuanian directors.

The award for the Best National Short Film went to The Camel (2016) by Laurynas Bareiša. The national competition jury members were Wouter Jansen (The Netherlands), Wim Vanacker (Belgium) and Audrius Kuprevičius (Lithuania).

The Best Fiction in the international competition – Chasse Royale (by Lise Akoka, Romane Gueret, France, 2016). “Precise Mise en Scene, incredible cast, impressive acting and such a pulsatile vitality makes Chasse Royale a strong and powerful film,” said the jury.

The Best Documentary in the international competition – Green Screen Gringo (dir. Douwe Dijkstra, Holland, Brasil, 2016). “With the smart use of a simple technique, Douwe Djikstra opens the frontier of the Brazilian society. He shakes up the caste and history, and create a poetic equality of people. To make it short, for creating the new world born of this illusion.”

The Best Animation in the international competition – Moms On Fire (dir. Joanna Rytel, Sweden, 2016). “Joanna Rytel offers to us a funny, crazy, naughty, witty animation short deconstructing the traditional maternity concept. Women touching each other, cheating their husband, Cocaine, sex and booze. So modern, so punk!”

The Special Mention went to Written/Unwritten (dir. Adrian Silisteanu, Romania, 2016). “A highly emotional and sensitive short film about differences, respect and family.”

This year’s international competition jury consisted of Torunn Nyen (Norway), Clément Tréhin-Lalanne (France) and Santa Lingevičiūtė (Lithuania).

The festival was opened by the band Parranda Polar and the awards ceremony featured a live performance by Chung Kran.

Screening will continue all along Sunday in Vilnius film theatres Skalvija and Pasaka and on January 26-29 the festival is moving to Kaunas, Klaipėda, Panevėžys, Šiauliai and Ukmergė.

More information: http://www.filmshorts.lt/