6th European First Film Award, 2011-2012
Three New creations to discover in 2012
The Jury of the 6th European First Film Award met in Vevey to look at 43 film projects selected from approximately 100 candidates for this film award. Every two years, the Festival Images gives three grants to help film directors who've recently graduated from a European film school. The monies are designed to aid these young directors in starting their first professional film. The prizes are supported by the city of Vevey, l'Etat de Vaud and the company SSR SRG.
This year's jury was composed of Catherine Berger, scriptwriter, Zurich; Claudia Durgnat, director of the Festival Tous Ecrans, Geneva; Thierry Spicher, producer, Lausanne; Frédéric Maire, director of the Cinémathèque Suisse, Lausanne and Jonathan Waser, in charge of programming for Cinérive, Vevey.
After deliberating, the jury decided to grant the following projects:
« Soft Rain » by Denes Nagy (graduated in 2009 from the Theatre and Film University of Budapest, Hungary):
Zoli, an adolescent boy who grew up in an orphanage, falls in love with his classmate Juli. He is trying to get close to this girl with provocative and wild behavior. Even though, externally he shows great confidence, deep inside he is struggling to build his own self-esteem.
The jury was convinced unanimously by the strong visual environment and the quality of the school projects of this young film director. The intensity of the scenario for his next project impressed the members of the jury. They also liked the strength and determination present in the portraits of the actors who will probably play the teenagers in this fiction.
« Après moi le déluge » by Didier Crepey (graduated in 2009 from the HEAD, Geneva):
In an old brewery, new rules disturb the administration and the workers. An external consulting company in contemporary management is hired to explain the importance of these changes and ensure the establishment of these rules. A social conflict breaks out around the banning of drinking beer.
The members of the jury were convinced by the film director's approach; they especially appreciated his intention to ask real workers to act in this fiction so close to their working environment. The school project of Didier Crepey “Des poux dans la paille” is partly built on the same methodology and shows the artistic potential of such an approach.
« Lettre à José Luis Guerin » by Marie-Elsa Sgualdo (graduated in 2010 from the HEAD, Geneva):
It's summer in a campground; we buy a camping car or camp with friends under a freeway. We are all happy because it is the summer… This film is a tribute letter to the film director José Luis Guerrin who Marie-Elsa Sgualdo had the pleasure to recently meet. This 16mm film project is intended as a note book and aims to question cinema in a manner different than the usual cause and effect relationship.
The jury acknowledges the personal involvement of this young film director in her project. The chosen location and the outline of the proposed method seem great assets to create a personal and contemporary film.
The three winners will receive 10'000 € (approx. 12'000 swiss francs) each to develop and direct their film within a year. The results will be presented for the first time during the next Festival Images in September 2012.
