The Spanish film `Sirat’ won the International Federation of Film Critics Prize for Best International Feature Film Sunday at the 37th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival.
Director Oliver Laxe’s hallucinatory drama follows a man and his son who follow a group of ravers through the Moroccan desert in search of the man’s daughter.
Sunday’s juried awards included the International Federation of Film Critics FIPRESCI Prize for films in the International Feature Film Oscar Submissions program, the New Voices New Visions Award for unique viewpoints from first and second time directors, the Best Documentary Award for compelling non-fiction filmmaking, the Ibero-American Award for best film from Latin America, the Desert View Award for a film that promotes understanding and acceptance between people, and the Young Cineastes Award for a film chosen by the Youth Jury among others.
The award winners were:
— FIPRESCI Prize for Best International Feature Film: “Sirat” (Spain), director Oliver Laxe;
— FIPRESCI Prize for Best International First Feature Film: “Happy Birthday” (Egypt), director Sarah Goher;
— FIPRESCI Prize for Best International Screenplay: “Sentimental Value” (Norway), director Joachim Trier;
— FIPRESCI Prize for the Best Actress in an International Feature Film: Nina Ye, Janel Tsai, Shi-yuan Ma, “Left-Handed Girl” (Taiwan), director Shih-Ching Tsou;
— FIPRESCI Prize for Best Actor in an International Feature Film: Milan OndrÃk “Father” (Slovakia), director Tereza Nvotová;
— Best Documentary Award: “Natchez” (USA), director Suzannah Herbert;
— Best Documentary Award Special Mention: “Yanuni” (Austria), director Richard Ladkani;
— New Voices New Visions Award: “3670” (South Korea), director Joonho Park;
— Ibero-American Award: “Runa Simi” (Peru), director Augusto Zegarra;
— Desert Views Award Winner: “Beloved Tropic” (Panama), director Ana Endara;
— Young Cineastes Award Winner: “Remaining Native” (USA), director Paige Bethmann.
The PSIFF is scheduled to conclude Monday. Throughout the course of the festival, 178 films from 72 countries and territories including 53 premiers will be screened.
The Palm Springs ShortFest, a short film festival, is scheduled to take place from June 23-29.