Audrey Diwan’s “Happening,” Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog,” Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s “Drive My Car” and Terence Davies’s “Benediction” won top prizes at the 2022 ICS Awards, which are handed out by the International Cinephile Society.
This 19th edition marked a milestone with female talents winning best picture, director, animated film, documentary, debut feature, breakthrough performance and cinematography.
“Happening,” a timely abortion drama set in 1960s France, took home best picture, while its star, Anamaria Vartolomei, won best breakthrough performance.
“Remarkable in its combination of artistic delicacy and brutal realism, yet resisting any hint of didacticism, the film quietly builds tension to a gut-wrenching emotional pitch,” stated the ICS.
Campion, meanwhile, won best director with her Western family drama “The Power of the Dog.” Runner-up for top film was Hamaguchi with “Drive My Car,” a road drama based on Haruki Murakami’s short story about guilt and grief. Hamaguchi and Takamasa Oe won the adapted screenplay award. Hamaguchi’s other movie from 2021, “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy,” won the best ensemble prize.
“Benediction” took home three awards, best actor for Jack Lowden, who portrays poet Siegfried Sassoon in his younger years, best original screenplay for Davies, as well as cinematography for Nicola Daley. Laura Wandel’s “Playground,” a Belgian film tackling schoolyard bullying as seen through a child’s eyes, won best debut feature.
The actress award went to Lee Hye-yeong, who stars in “In Front of Your Face” as a middle-aged actress who faces down death by staying present in each moment.
Anders Danielsen Lie, who stars in Joachim Trier’s romantic drama “The Worst Person in the World,” took the supporting actor award, and Ruth Negga, who stars in Rebecca Hall’s “Passing” won supporting actress.
The documentary award went to “Mr. Bachmann and His Class,” Maria Speth’s film about an unorthodox teacher’s close bond with his students in a multicultural primary school.
Here’s the full list of ICS winners:
PICTURE
“Happening,” Audrey Diwan
DIRECTOR
Jane Campion, “The Power of the Dog”
ACTOR
Jack Lowden, “Benediction”
ACTRESS
Lee Hye-yeong, “In Front of Your Face”
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Anders Danielsen Lie, “The Worst Person in the World”
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Ruth Negga, “Passing”
ENSEMBLE
“Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy,” Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
“Benediction,” Terence Davies
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
“Drive My Car,” Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, Takamasa Oe
CINEMATOGRAPHY
“Benediction,” Nicola Daley
EDITING
“What Do We See When We Look at the Sky?,” Aleksandre Koberidze
PRODUCTION DESIGN
“The Souvenir Part II,” Stéphane Collonge, Byron Broadbent, Polly Davenport
SCORE
“Annette,” Ron Mael, Russell Mael (aka Sparks)
SOUND DESIGN
“Memoria,” Akritchalerm Kalayanamitr, Raúl Locatelli, Javier Umpierrez
ANIMATED FILM
“The Crossing,” Florence Miailhe
DOCUMENTARY
“Mr. Bachmann and His Class,” Maria Speth
DEBUT FEATURE
“Playground,” Laura Wandel
BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
Anamaria Vartolomei, “Happening”