Zhang Lu’s “Yanagawa” (China), Hong Sung-eun’s “Aloners” (South Korea) and Fujimoto Akio’s “Along the Sea” (Japan/Vietnam) were among the top award winners at France’s Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinemas.
“Yanagawa,” which opened the 2021 Pingyao Film Festival, won the Golden Cyclo, the festival’s top honor awarded by the international jury. “Aloners,” which has previously won awards at Jeonju and Torino, won the international jury prize and the Netpac jury award.
The grand jury prize went to San Sebastian, Tokyo and Fajr player “Along the Sea,” which also won the festival’s critic’s choice award and the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO) jury prize. The INALCO jury also recognized Da Fei’s “The Coffin Painter” (China).
The international jury accorded special mentions to Chung Mong-Hong’s Venice selection “The Falls” (Taiwan), Brillante Mendoza’s Busan Kim Ji Seok Award winner “Gensan Punch” (Philippines/Japan) and Yalkin Tuychiev “2000 songs of Farida” (Uzbekistan). “The Falls” also won the high school jury award.
The festival’s fiction film audience award was shared by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki’s “No Land’s Man” (Bangladesh/India/U.S.) and Reza Dormishian’s “No Choice” (Iran).
The top documentary award went to “Indian Space Dreams” (India/U.K.) by Sue Sudbury and youth jury award went to Leila Macaire and Mo Mo’s “February 1st” (France/Myanmar).
The Marc Haaz jury, in memory of the festival’s technical director who died at the age of 33, went to Shahrbanoo Sadat’s “The Orphanage” (Denmark/Luxembourg/France/Germany/Afghanistan/South Korea/U.S.).
The festival’s 28th edition opened with Iranian auteur Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s 2001 Cannes winner “Kandahar” and concluded on Feb. 8 with Kazakhstan filmmaker Yerlan Nurmukhambetov’s “The Horse Thieves. Roads of Time.”
The guest of honor at the festival’s 28th edition was Japanese filmmaker Fukada Koji, who was presented with an Honorary Golden Cyclo for his career at the opening ceremony.
The international competition jury was presided over by Leila Hatami, Berlin Silver Bear best actress winner for Asghar Farhadi’s Oscar-winning “A Separation.” Hatami was also accorded an Honorary Golden Cyclo for her body of work.
The 29th edition of the festival will take place from Feb. 28-March 7, 2023.