BERLIN SCI-FI FILMFEST FETES M.A.J.I.C., THE TANGLE IN 2019 HONOURS ROLL

Highlighting the event’s growing international standing amongst speculative fiction filmmakers, works from Canada, Italy, Japan and The U.S. were among the honorees at this year’s Berlin Sci-fi Filmfest, which wrapped its third edition under festival directors Alexander Pfander and Anthony Straeger in the German capital this past weekend.

Erin Berry’s Roswell-inspired M.A.J.I.C., a post-X-Files riff that incorporates 'men in black' conspiracy theorising and alien tech-driven alternate realities, took out Best Feature in a hotly-contested field; the independent Canadian production was up against Milena Lurie’s Entangled, Navin Dev’s Zoo-head and Christopher Soren Kelly’s The Tangle for the top trophy. So close was the final tally that The Tangle was singled out for special mention with the Grand Jury Award. (Pictured, top; Paula Brancati, as Pippa Bernwood, in M.A.J.I.C.)

The other major stand-out from the festival line-up was Yuichi Kondo’s Ryoko’s Qubit Summer, a futuristic riff on teen romance that poses the question, ‘Can love exist between an A.I. and a human?’ The short film, featuring touching performances from Miku Komatsu and Ami Yamada, earned the Outstanding Film Award from official jurors Rick McLeod of Celtic Storm Films; Crawford Talents agency head Caprice Crawford; and, sound engineer Iwan Romanow. (Pictured, right; from left, Christopher Soren Kelly, Jessica Graham and Nicole da Silva in The Tangle)  

Berry was denied a double win when Aleem Hossain earned Best Director for After We Leave, a drama about a husband’s search for his wife before the opportunity to live off-world expires. The Best Script award was won by Spain’s Andres Malo Segura and Alfonso Segura Ballesteros for their short Luz Azul (Blue Light), the story of one man’s struggle to cope with a dark memory that has emerged from his archived brain patterns.

The U.K. sector offered up its finest thespians in genre roles, with Brits taking out both the acting categories. Best Actress honouree Krista De Mille (pictured, right) plays ‘Kate’, a warrior-mother fighting for the survival of her daughter, in Martin Gooch’s post-apocalyptic U.K. thriller Black Flowers, while Best Actor kudos went to Sam Gittins for Ciro Sorrentino’s time-travel/alternate reality romp, Time Perspectives.

The vibrant German science-fiction scene was acknowledged with Thorsten Franzen winning the Best Cinematography award for Daniel Raboldt’s man-vs-machine survival thriller A Living Dog, while Marcel Barion’s The Final Land won Outstanding German Contribution.

The highly prized Best Visual Effects category went to the Amsterdam-based post-production house PostPanic for their mesmerising debut science-fiction effort, Sundays. Shot entirely in Mexico City, it envisions a world under the control of a single mega-corporation after a solar flare renders the planet powerless, and the young man whose independent thought may reveal the truth.

The Australian/Croation co-production Slice of Life, co-directors Luka Hrgovic and Dino Julius’ stunning return to the urban decay of Ridley Scott’s masterpiece Blade Runner, won Best Fan Film, against the Star Wars-inspired works Bucket Head and The Lightsaber Maker and the ectoplasmic comedy Ghostbusters Italia. Jason Axinn’s blood-splattered cartoon nightmare To Your Last Death, featuring the voices of William Shatner, Ray Wise, Bill Moseley and Deadpool star Morena Baccarin, won for Best Animation.

Others who walked away triumphant from the 2019 Berlin Sci-fi Filmfest included Andréanne Germain’s augmented reality coming-of-age tale Nova, which earned the Best Experimental/Music award; Brett Ryan Bonowicz’s Best Documentary winner Artist Depiction, a profile of the three illustrators who imagined the realities of NASA’s conjecturing (pictured, right); brothers Nick and Adam Hayes’ robo-militaristic Fight Machine, which won both Best Action Short and Best Web/TV Series categories; Patrick Hagarty’s hilarious twist on holiday homecoming Home in Time, for Best Comedy Short; and, Stephen Eigemann’s emotion-filled Rewind, which took Best Drama Short honours for its exploration of how VR technology can help the parent of a deployed soldier deal with anxiety and grief.

REWIND (short film) TEASER from Stephan Eigenmann on Vimeo.

ALLIANCE FRANCAISE CELEBRATES ISABELLE ADJANI WITH CLASSICS RETRO SEASON

The mighty screen presence of iconic French actress Isabelle Adjani will be celebrated at the 2019 Alliance Française Classic Film Festival, with a program of seven masterworks featuring the fierce, luminous talent of arguably France’s greatest screen star. The winner of a record five ‘Best Actress’ César Awards, Adjani has appeared in 30 films since her debut at the age of 14 in Bernard Toublanc-Michel’s Le petit bougnat (1970). Says Philippe Platel, the Alliance Française Classic Film Festival’s Artistic Director, “Throughout her internationally acclaimed career, there have contrasting ‘Adjanian’ heroines, at once rebellious and delicate, bold and shy, fire and ice. Defining Isabelle Adjani as a legend, the quintessence of a star, would not [be] sufficient to give a sense of the complexity that surrounds the ‘Mystère Adjani.’”

The retrospective season, featuring the films below, begins in Sydney on November 3, at the Palace Norton Street and Cremorne Orpheum cinemas; and, in Melbourne from November 10 at The Astor Theatre. Check the Alliance Française Classic Film Festival website for further venue and session details.   

THE STORY OF ADELE H. (L’histoire d’Adèle H.; 1975) Dir: François Truffaut
L’ intrigue: In 1863, Adèle Hugo (daughter of renowned French writer Victor Hugo) is in love with British lieutenant Albert Pinson (Bruce Robinson). Despite the Lieutenant rejecting her affections, Adèle’s obsession grows and she eventually succumbs to her wild delusions.
Histoire: After witnessing Adjani’s superb performance in Claude Pinoteau’s The Slap (1974), François Truffaut (pictured, right; with Adjani on-set) sought her for his next film, a historical drama upon the diary of Adèle Hugo. At only 19 years of age, Adjani earned an Academy Award nomination - the youngest ‘Best Actress’ nominee ever at the time.

POSSESSION (1981) Dir: Andrzej Zulawski
L’ intrigue: Faced with an impending divorce from his wife for no apparent reason, Mark (Sam Neill) sets out to uncover the truth behind his wife Anna’s erratic behaviour. He follows her as she descends into extremes of madness, only to discover his suspicions of infidelity have led to something far more sinister.
Histoire: This psychological horror drama defies easy classification and was delivered by one of the most revolutionary filmmakers to emerge from Poland after World War II, Andrzej Zulawski. Adjani’s performance garnered both César and Cannes Film Festival Awards for ‘Best Actress’.

ALL FIRED UP (Tout feu, tout flame; 1982) Dir: Jeau-Paul Rappeneau
L’ intrigue: Pauline (Adjani) is right to be suspicious when her absentee father reappears suddenly. The charming Victor (Montand) has returned to Paris to scrounge for money. A complex, occasional comical struggle emerges between the two and soon, both father and daughter are fending off mobsters.  
Histoire: Adjani and Yves Montand shine in this entertaining farcical thriller, enhanced by a great cast and an amazing soundtrack, composed by the famous French singer Michel Berger.

ONE DEADLY SUMMER (L’été meurtier; 1983) Dir: Jean Becker                                                    
L’ intrigue: The alluring Eliane Wieck moves to a sun-drenched provincial town in Southern France, where the local mechanic Pin-Pon (Alain Souchon), falls in love with her. They are soon married, yet circumstances around Eliane’s arrival remain mysterious. What prompted the family’s move? Is Eliane really in love?
Histoire: An adaptation of Sébastien Japrisot’s novel, this film garnered four Césars in 1983, including ‘Best Original Screenplay’ and ‘Best Editing’. Adjani delivers a captivating performance as a traumatised woman harbouring a terrible secret, which would earn her a second César.

QUEEN MARGOT (La Reine Margot; 1994; RESTORED VERSION) Dir: Patrice Chéreau
L’ intrigue: In 1572, tensions between Catholics and Protestants are at an all-time high. When Marguerite de Valois (Adjani), a Catholic woman, is forced to wed prominent Protestant Huguenot Henri of Navarre (Daniel Auteuil) a wave of increasingly shocking events unfold, culminating in the notorious St. Bartholomew's Day massacre.
Histoire: Queen Margot was director Patrice Chéreau’s greatest success, winning the Jury Prize at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival and five César Awards, including Adjani’s fourth ‘Best Actress’ Award. Raging with passion, sex and violence, Queen Margot is a powerful and provocative film.

SUBWAY (1985; SYDNEY ONLY) Dir: Luc Besson
L’ intrigue: Having stolen compromising documents from a shady businessman, Fred (Christophe Lambert), takes refuge in the Paris Metro. Here, he encounters a subterranean society of eccentric characters and petty criminals and develops a romance with a gangster's young trophy wife, Héléna (Adjani).
Histoire: An international blockbuster that launched Christophe Lambert, director Luc Besson and Adjani globally, the visually dazzling Subway was praised by The New York Times for its "highly energetic visual style". Lambert won a César for ‘Best Actor’; composer Eric Serra was nominated for ‘Best Sound’ Award. Good humour, superb music, wild 80s fashion and great acting make this unashamedly crowd-pleasing movie a must see.

CAMILLE CLAUDEL (1988; RESTORED VERSION) Dir: Bruno Nuytten      
L’ intrigue: Set at the beginning of the 1880s, this artistic triumph recounts the tumultuous relationship between Claudel and sculptor Auguste Rodin (Gérard Depardieu)., While it captures the mad genius of Rodin, it also profiles an ambitious woman who is driven to insanity and imprisoned by the societal conventions of her time.                                     
Histoire: In her role as co-producer, Adjani hired Bruno Nuytten (with whom she shares a son) as director of this multi-award winning film, a sensual and impassioned biopic now considered a classic. It would earn five Césars and Adjani a second ‘Best Actress’ nomination at the Academy Awards.

BERLINALE: FILMS OF THE PACIFIC NATIONS CELEBRATED IN NATIVE 2019

Of all the special screening series that unfurl across the Berlin Film Festival program, none are as valuable to global cinema as NATIVe – A Journey into Indigenous Cinema. The biennial event rolls around again in 2019, under the curatorial eye of New Zealand ex-pat Maryanne Redpath and co-programmer Anna Kalbhenn, with the films of the Pacific region the focus of this year’s strand. Some of the Asia Pacific sector’s most respected film figures are on board as advisors, including Indonesian filmmaker Kamila Andini (The Seen and Unseen, 2017); Palawán-Filipino director Kanakan-Balintagos (a Berlin Crystal Bear recipient for 2005’s Ang pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros); and, Samoan-born Eliorah Malifa, co-director of the Pasifika Film Fest. 

The NATIVe 2019 line-up is as diverse as the cultures of the Island nations, yet bonds the people of the Pacific in their depiction of hope, family, strength and humanity.

BUSONG (Dir: Kanakan-Balintagos; with Alessandra de Rossi, Rodrigo Santikan, Clifford Banagale; Philippines, 2011) From the Program: “Using his Palawan name Kanakan-Balintagos, award-winning director Auraeus Solito traces the legends of his homeland, connecting myths with the contemporary stories of people who are all suffering the consequences of colonisation, pollution and disease. The director unfolds his tale in a series of long takes that include stunning, almost painterly images of landscapes; the protagonists who enter his narrative are all guided by ‘busong’. This Palawan word refers to fate – something that no individual can control.”

FOR MY FATHER’S KINGDOM (Dirs: Vea Mafile'o, Jeremiah Tauamiti; New Zealand, 2019) WORLD PREMIERE. From the Program: “What does it cost to preserve one’s culture and faith in the diaspora? The children of Saia Mafile’o can provide an actual figure because their father surrenders all his income to the Wesleyan church of Tonga. ‘Misinale’ is the name of the fundraising campaign that calls on people in and from Tonga to raise money for the community. In long, dialogue-rich shots, this documentary explores how the church, Tongan culture and traditions can hold a family together but also be a burden.”
Screens with the short film Toa`ipuapuagā Strength in Suffering (pictured, right; Dir: Vea Mafile'o): A young Samoan woman displayed cuts on her body and began to bleed prior to having a near-death experience on Easter Sunday. For many Christians in Samoa, her experience has been perceived as an expression of God’s displeasure.

MABABANGONG BANGUNGOT (THE PERFUMED NIGHTMARE; Dir: Kidlat Tahimik; with Kidlat Tahimik, Hartmut Lerch; Philippines / Germany, 1977) From the Program: “Kidlat Tahimik’s 1977 cult film is about crossing bridges. A bridge connects his native village Balian in the Philippines with the rest of the world; the young Kidlat dreams of a bridge to the moon and, when he arrives in Paris as a migrant worker, he is inspired by the architecture of bridges. This self-taught filmmaker’s cinematic debut was the first Philippine film to make it into cinemas in Germany. Celebrated by international film critics as a milestone in postcolonial filmmaking, it is a work rich in idiosyncratic aesthetics and political themes.”

MERATA: HOW MUM DECOLONISED THE SCREEN (Dir: Hepi Mita; New Zealand, 2018; pictured, top) From the Program: “As the archivist of Merata Mita’s work, her youngest son Hepi Mita embarks on a journey through his mother’s life. Creating a dialogue between her work as a filmmaker and her personal life, his unique excavation reveals how deeply connected the personal, the political, and the creative were for the late Merata Mita (1942–2010), Aotearoa’s first female Maori director. This documentary does not only shed light on a resilient woman who fought for her goal to ‘indigenise the screen’ - it also reveals the strain this kind of political work was to have on her family.”

ONE THOUSAND ROPES (Dir: Tusi Tamasese; Frankie Adams, Uelese Petaia, Sima Urale; New Zealand, 2017; pictured, right) From the Program: “Set against the grey backdrop of a Wellington suburb, this film describes the effects of a violent history and the discrimination experienced by many Samoan migrants during the 1970s. Somehow, the past is always present. Juxtaposing quietness with moments of violent outbursts and animated sequences, director Tusi Tamasese and cinematographer Leon Narbey have created a visually evocative story of one man’s attempt to address his past wrongs in order to build a more hopeful future.”

OUT OF STATE (Dir: Ciara Lacy; USA, 2017) From the Program: “Doing time in prison might give you access to your traditions and roots, but how can you take that home after your release? This documentary describes two working-class Kanaka Maoli men who make the emotional journey back home to their families in Hawai’i.”
Screens with short film Stones (Dir: Ty Sanga): Nihipali and Naʻiwi are the only Mū spirits left in their Hawai’ian forest. When Nihipali encounters a human child, the veil between the spirit and human worlds is lifted.

SHE WHO MUST BE LOVED (Dir: Erica Glynn; Australia 2018) From the Program: “Freda Glynn was never a big talker but these days she talks even less. When her documentary filmmaker daughter Erica Glynn tells her she wants to make a film about her, Freda responds simply with a shrug. And yet Freda, a pioneer of the Indigenous media landscape in Australia, has much to relate. Family and art, history and stories all merge in this intimate portrait of a strong-willed woman. Together, Freda and Erica Glynn embark on a complex search for answers.”

TANNA (Dirs: Martin Butler and Bentley Dean; with Mungau Dain, Marie Wawa, Marceline Rofit, Chief Charlie Kahla, Albi Nangia; Australia, 2015; pictured, right) From the Program: “Tanna, an island in the Republic of Vanuatu, is the setting for a clash between the Yakel and Imedin tribes when, amidst preparations for her Imedin initiation ritual into womanhood, Wawa steals away with Dain, grandson of the Yakel chief. Based on real events that took place during the 1980s and shot entirely in the Nauvhal language, Tanna was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2017.”

VAI (Dirs: by Nicole Whippy, 'Ofa-Ki-Levuka Guttenbeil-Likiliki, Matasila Freshwater, Amberley Jo Aumua, Mīria George, Marina Alofagia McCartney, Dianna Fuemana and Becs Arahanga; with Mereani Tuimatanisiga, 'Ar-Ramadi Longopoa, Betsy Luitolo, Agnes Pele, Evotia-Rose Araiti; New Zealand, 2019) WORLD PREMIERE. From the Program: “For Vai, life on the South Pacific Islands is characterised by the constant tension between change and repetition and between moving to different places and returning to the traditions of her ancestors. Her world lies somewhere between Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Fiji, the Cook Islands, Niue and Aotearoa, and it is shaped by environmental threats, isolation, scarcity of resources and a tense relationship to New Zealand. This delicate portrait of Vai’s life journey celebrates the strength of female kinship, of community, and a sense of responsibility for future generations.”

A session of short films will also screen, featuring Justine Simei-Barton and Nikki Si'ulepa's Snow in Paradise (New Zealand, 2001); Amie Batalibasi's Blackbird (Australia, 2015); Jeremiah Tauamiti's Liliu (New Zealand, 2018); Tusi Tamasese's Va Tapuia (New Zealand, 2009); and, Kamila Andini's Memoria (Indonesia, 2016)

NATIVe – A Journey into Indigenous Cinema will screen February 7-17 at two venues, Cinestar IMAX and Cubix 7, as part of Berlinale 2019. Tickets and session details can be found at the strand’s official website.

JAPAN, PRC LEAD NOMINEES FOR 2018 ASIA PACIFIC SCREEN AWARDS

Japan and the People’s Republic of China lead the field of nominees at the 2018 Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA), with their respective industries securing 7 nominations each. The pack tightens behind them, with Australia, India and Kazakhstan each earning 5 nominations in key categories.

The 12^th annual celebration of Asia Pacific cinema, a sector that provides half the world’s film output, features 46 films from 22 countries. Kore-Eda Hirokazu’s Palme d’Or winner Shoplifters (Japan; pictured, top) stands alone at the head of the nominee list with three nominations, including Film, Director and Screenplay nods. The film has sentimental ties to the APSAs, with star Kirin Kiki the 2015 Best Actress award winner for Naomi Kawase’s An; a beloved figure in Asian cinema, she passed away in September, aged 75.

Four other titles earned dual nominations - Lee Chang-dong’s Burning (Republic of Korea); Adilkhan Yerzhanov’s The Gentle Indifference of the World (Kazakhstan, France; pictured, right); Khavn’s Balangiga: Howling Wilderness (Philippines); and, Phuttiphong Aroonpheng’s Manta Ray (Thailand, People’s Republic of China, France).

The Australian sector’s five noms came across four categories. Paul Damien William’s Gurrumul will vie for the Best Documentary honour; amongst the Best Actress contenders is US actress Rooney Mara for Garth Davis’ Mary Magdalene; veteran Bruce Beresford earned his first APSA Best Director nomination for Ladies in Black; and, in the Best Original Score race, Harry Gregson-Williams (for Simon Baker’s Breath) and Hildur Guðnadóttir and the late Jóhann Jóhannsson (for Mary Magdalene) will compete.

The APSA nominee family expands in 2018 with the first ever contender from Uzbekistan. Best Actor nominee Karim Mirkhadiyev (pictured, left), star of Rashid Malikov’s stirring father/son drama Fortitude, will carry his nation’s hopes against a formidable field, including Nawazuddin Siddiqui (Manto; India), child actor and former Syrian refugee Zain Al Rafeea (Capharnaüm; Lebanon), Bahman Farmanara (Tale of the Sea; Islamic Republic of Iran) and Akylbek Abdykalykov (Night Accident; Kyrgyzstan).

Rooney faces a tough field of Best Actress contenders - Zhao Tao (Ash is Purest White; People’s Republic of China, France); Damla Sönmez (Sibel; Turkey, France, Germany, Luxembourg); Cannes Best Actress winner Samal Yeslyamova (Ayka; Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, People’s Republic of China, Germany, Poland); and, deaf actress Laura Koroleva (Sveta; Kazakhstan).

The awards, overseen by APSA Academy President Jack Thompson, will be held at a black-tie event on Thursday, 29 November 2018 at Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. Further details can be found at the official website.    

COMPLETE LIST OF 12^th ASIA PACIFIC SCREEN AWARD NOMINATIONS

BEST FEATURE FILM
Balangiga: Howling Wilderness (Philippines; Dir: Khavn)
Burning (Republic of Korea; Dir: LEE Chang-dong
The Gentle Indifference of the World (Laskovoe Bezrazlichie Mira) (Kazakhstan, France; Dir Adilkhan YERZHANOV)
Manta Ray (Kraben Rahu) (Thailand, People’s Republic of China, France; Dir: Phuttiphong AROONPHENG)
Shoplifters (Manbiki Kazoku) (Japan; Dir: KORE-EDA Hirokazu)

BEST YOUTH FEATURE FILM
Ava (Islamic Republic of Iran, Qatar, Canada; Dir: Sadaf FOROUGHI)
Nervous Translation (Philippines; Dir: Shireen SENO)
Passage of Life (Boku no kaeru basho) (Japan, Myanmar; Dir: Akio FUJIMOTO)
The Pigeon (Güvercin) (Turkey; Dir: Banu SIVACI; trailer, below)
Village Rockstars (India; Dir: Rima DAS)

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Hoffmaniada (Russian Federation; Dir: Stanislav SOKOLOV)
Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms (Sayonara no asa ni yakusoku no hana o kazarô
(Japan; Dir: Mari OKADA)
Mirai (Mirai no Mirai) (Japan; Dir: Mamoru HOSODA)
On Happiness Road (Hsing Fu Lu Shang) (Taiwan; Dir: SUNG Hsin-Yin)
Rezo (Znaesh’, mama, gde ya byl) (Russian Federation; Dir: Leo GABRIADZE)

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM
Amal (Egypt, Lebanon, Qatar, France, Germany, Norway, Denmark; Dir: Mohamed SIAM)
Gurrumul (Australia; Dir: Paul Damien WILLIAMS)
Of Fathers and Sons (Syrian Arab Republic, Lebanon, Qatar, Germany; Dir: Talal DERKI; trailer, below)
Of Love & Law (Japan, United Kingdom, France; Dir: Hikaru TODA)
Up Down & Sideways (kho ki pa lü) (India; Dir: Anushka MEENAKSHI, Iswar SRIKUMAR)

ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
Nadine LABAKI for Capharnaüm (Lebanon)
Bruce BERESFORD for Ladies in Black (Australia)
Emir BAIGAZIN for The River (Ozen; Kazakhstan, Norway, Poland)
KORE-EDA Hirokazu for Shoplifters (Manbiki Kazoku; Japan)
Ivan AYR for Soni (India)

ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
Saumyananda SAHI for Balekempa (India)
Hideho URATA for A Land Imagined (Singapore, France, Netherlands)
Nawarophaat RUNGPHIBOONSOPHIT for Manta Ray (Kraben Rahu; Thailand, People’s Republic of China, France; trailer, below)
Chaiyapruek CHALERMPORNPANIT for Malila: The Farewell Flower (Thailand)
ZHANG Miaoyan, XU Zhiyong for Silent Mist (People’s Republic of China, France)

BEST SCREENPLAY
Payman MAADI for Bomb, A Love Story (Bomb, Yek Asheghaneh; Islamic Republic of Iran)
OH Jung-mi, LEE Chang-dong for Burning (Republic of Korea)
Adilkhan YERZHANOV, Roelof Jan MINNEBOO for The Gentle Indifference of the World (Laskovoe Bezrazlichie Mira; Kazakhstan, France)
KORE-EDA Hirokazu for Shoplifters (Manbiki Kazoku; Japan)
Dan KLEINMAN, Sameh ZOABI for Tel Aviv on Fire (Israel, Belgium, France, Luxembourg)

CULTURAL DIVERSITY AWARD UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF UNESCO
Ala Changso (People’s Republic of China; Dir: Sonthar GYAL)
Balangiga: Howling Wilderness (Philippines; Dir: Khavn)
The Lord Eagle (Toyon Kyyl) (Russian Federation; Dir: Eduard NOVIKOV)
Memories of My Body (Kucumbu Tubuh Indahku) (Indonesia; Dir: Garin NUGROHO; trailer, below)
The Taste of Rice Flower (Mi Hua Zhi Wei) (People’s Republic of China; Dir: Pengfei)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS
ZHAO Tao for Ash is Purest White (Jiang hu er nv; People’s Republic of China, France)
Samal YESLYAMOVA for Ayka (Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, People’s Republic of China, Germany, Poland)
Rooney MARA for Mary Magdalene (Australia, United Kingdom)
Damla SÖNMEZ for Sibel (Turkey, France, Germany, Luxembourg)
Laura KOROLEVA for Sveta (Kazakhstan)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR
Zain AL RAFEEA for Capharnaüm (Lebanon)
Karim MIRKHADIYEV for Fortitude (Sabot; Uzbekistan)
Nawazuddin SIDDIQUI for Manto (India)
Akylbek ABDYKALYKOV for Night Accident (Tunku Kyrsyk; Kyrgyzstan)
Bahman FARMANARA for Tale of the Sea (Hekayat-e Darya; Islamic Republic of Iran)

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Eléni KARAÏNDROU for Bomb, A Love Story (Bomb, Yek Asheghaneh; Islamic Republic of Iran)
Harry GREGSON-WILLIAMS for Breath (Australia)
Hildur GUÐNADÓTTIR, Jóhann JÓHANNSSON for Mary Magdalene (Australia, United Kingdom)
Ryan CAYABYAB for The Portrait (Ang Larawan; Philippines)
Omar FADEL for Yomeddine (Egypt)