Best Fiction LA BELLE SAISON
by Catherine Corsini

Fiction Jury motivation. Jury composed by Maria Rosa Cutrufelli, president,
with Maria Pia Brancadori, Elena Tenga, Roberta De Paoli, Valeria Viganò

The film quality, as well as the thematic quality of the four fiction films proposed to the Jury, aroused a long and passionate discussion. At last, we reached the conclusion of awarding the first prize to “La Belle Saison”by Catherine Corsini and give a special mention to “My days of Mercy” by Tali Shalom Ezer for the following reasons:
“La Belle Saison”is an overwhelming tale from the beginning, with a great communicative ability on the part of the director, who finds support in the protagonists convincing and extraordinary acting proof. The way she faces the relationship between feminism and lesbianism is fascinating. The two female figures are well defined in their differences and the ending is bittersweet, giving back to each one her own identity beyond love.
“My days of mercy”, convinced us for its emotional power. Despite her youth, the director shows an extraordinary talent in interweaving a delicate love story with a dramatic theme as death penalty. We appreciated the two protagonists interpretation, but also the supporting actors, well defined in their psychologies.

Best Documentary Ex Aequo: Girl From God’s Country by Karen Day e The Judge
by Erika Cohn

Documentaries Jury composed by Nadia Pizzuti President
with Veronica Pravadelli, Nerina Milletti, Monica Pietrangeli

The Ex Aequo choice was made because both these documentaries show us almost unknown realities about women life, the first one concerning past times, the second an equally far present.
Girl From God’s Country is a documentary that returns us pieces from the history of cinema, forgotten for decades. Based on the figure of Nelly Shipman, one of the first independent female filmmaker and producer, pioneer of silent cinema, with a strong environmentalist and animalist sensitivity, this documentary manages to give us the cross-section of a time in which women were present in the film industry, without being recognized.

We also awarded The Judge, because of the skill with which it proposes a rich and clean portrait of the first woman working as a judge in a Shari ‘a Court. A Palestinian judge we could define an Islamic feminist because, as she herself says in the film, she has “thrown a stone into still waters” of traditional and religious culture, revealing the backwardness of Koranic law and, in the meanwhile, interpreting and using some of its principles in favor of women.

Best Short Film COCOON
by Mei Liying

Giuria Giovani for Short Film, Jury composed by Francesca Susca, President,
with Laura Dellacostanza and Vanessa Capello
The winner of the Short category is “Cocoon” by Mei Liyng, thanks to the neatness and the delicacy with which, through a little’s girl eyes, a family change and particularly a mother’s change are told, by celebrating love in all its forms.