Aïda’s Voice triumphs at the 34th European Film Awards

12/11/2021 – Jasmila Žbanić’s film wins three awards, including Best European Film, while Flee and The Father received two awards each

There was no clear favorite for this 34th edition of the European Cinema Prize-EFA, which even ended up slightly questioning the trend of ceremonies where one film wins everything, a trend that has continued without exception since 2016 and by which the big winner not only won the first prize, but also, at least, three others trophies (this was the case with (Toni Erdmann [+lire aussi :
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Q&A : Maren Ade
fiche film] in 2016, The Square [+lire aussi :
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interview : Ruben Östlund
fiche film] in 2017, Cold war [+lire aussi :
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Q&A : Pawel Pawlikowski
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fiche film] in 2019 and Drunk [+lire aussi :
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fiche film] in 2020).

Finally, it is the upsetting Quo Vadis Aida? [+lire aussi :
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interview : Jasmila Žbanić
fiche film], by the Bosnian director Jasmila Žbanić, who shone with three awards: best European film, best director and best European actress (Jasna Đuričić). Žbanić, obviously very moved, said her film was dedicated to the women and mothers of Srebrenica, who found a way to build peace in a destroyed country. “Women always find themselves having to solve the chaos sown by men,” she said. “I hope this award will inspire new directors and new female stories. As filmmakers, we have a responsibility to deliver the truth to our audience. It may be harsh and unprofitable, but it is our duty. Thank you very much. ” Receiving her award for her role in the film (that of a selfless and courageous United Nations performer trying to save her all-male family from what has become the Srebrenica massacre), Đuričić said: “Now , I have proof that I am a European actress, because when you live in the Balkans, things don’t always give that impression “.

The other big winner of the evening, The Father [+lire aussi :
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interview : Florian Zeller
fiche film], successful adaptation by Florian Zeller Florian for his own play, won him the award for best European screenwriter (as well as his co-author Christopher hampton), and that of the best European actor to Anthony hopkins, already awarded an Oscar last year for this role.

This means that the two big winners this year are 2020 movies (Quo Vadis Aida? premiered in Venice in September, The Father was unveiled at Sundance in January) which were even part of last year’s American Movie Trophy Season. The films of this year which were in the running, in particular the last winner of the Cannes Palme d’Or and that of the Berlin Golden Bear, Titanium [+lire aussi :
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interview : Julia Ducournau, Vincent L…
fiche film] of Julia ducornau and Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn [+lire aussi :
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interview : Radu Jude
fiche film] of Radu Jude (two films, it is true, a little too far outside the conventions for the members of the European Academy of Cinema who have voted), as well as the titles already awarded several times Compartment N ° 6 [+lire aussi :
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interview : Juho Kuosmanen
fiche film] of Juho kuosmanen, Julie (in 12 chapters) [+lire aussi :
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interview : Joachim Trier
fiche film] of Joachim Trier (one of the favorites for the US film awards season this year) and God’s hand [+lire aussi :
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interview : Paolo Sorrentino
fiche film] of Paolo Sorrentino (who had dominated the EFA in 2013 and 2015), meanwhile left empty-handed.

A film was illustrated during the ceremony: the animated documentary Flee [+lire aussi :
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interview : Jonas Poher Rasmussen
fiche film] of Jonas Poher Rasmussen, one of the big sensations of the year. This title, which traces the journey of an Afghan refugee to a place of safety, won the prize for best European documentary, and that for best animated film. By receiving this award, Rasmussen thanked his colleague Ari Folman, also competing with Where’s Anne Frank? [+lire aussi :
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interview : Ari Folman
fiche film], who for him paved the way for the animated documentary with Waltz with Bachir [+lire aussi :
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fiche film].

Another victory should be noted: that of Ninjababy [+lire aussi :
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interview : Yngvild Sve Flikke
fiche film] Norwegian Yngvild Sve Flikke, voted best European comedy, while the European Discovery Prize – FIPRESCI Prize can be described as quite timid insofar as the winner, Promising Young Woman of Emerald fennell, was clearly the best-known film, and therefore the one that needed least to be “discovered”, among the nominees in this category (which included gems like Beginning [+lire aussi :
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interview : Dea Kulumbegashvili
fiche film] of Dea Kulumbegashvili, Lamb [+lire aussi :
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interview : Valdimar Jóhannsson
fiche film] of Valdimar johansson, Playground [+lire aussi :
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interview : Laura Wandel
fiche film] of Laura Wandel, Pleasure [+lire aussi :
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interview : Ninja Thyberg
fiche film] of Ninja thyberg and The Whaler Boy [+lire aussi :
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interview : Philipp Yuryev
fiche film] of Philipp yuryev).

Saturday’s ceremony, which was again a distancing event given the restrictions linked to the pandemic (and during which the three finalists for the LUX Public Prize 2022 – read the article), nevertheless welcomed a few winners on site, such as Susanne Bier (European achievement award with regard to world cinema) and Steve mcqueen (Prize for innovative European storytelling for Small Ax [+lire aussi :
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fiche film]), who delivered speeches from the heart when receiving their awards. The great figure of Hungarian cinema Marta Meszáros however, accepted her Lifetime Achievement Award from home. She received it from the hands of a Ildikó Enyedi full of admiration. The conversation between them was very moving, because she was the first female filmmaker to win a Golden Bear in Berlin, and she continued to make her films in a situation which, as always, was very difficult for women.

This edition of the EFA marked the second time in the history of the prizes that a woman won in the main category (after the victory of Toni Erdmann in 2016), which shows that there is still a long way to go.

The winners:

European film
Quo Vadis, Aida? [+lire aussi :
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interview : Jasmila Žbanić
fiche film] – Jasmila Žbanić (Bosnia-Herzegovina / Austria / Romania / France / Netherlands / Germany / Poland / Norway / Turkey)

European comedy
Ninjababy [+lire aussi :
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interview : Yngvild Sve Flikke
fiche film] – Yngvild Sve Flikke (Norway)

European documentary
Flee [+lire aussi :
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interview : Jonas Poher Rasmussen
fiche film] – Jonas Poher Rasmussen (Denmark / France / Norway / Sweden)

European animated film
Flee – Jonas Poher Rasmussen

European director
Jasmila Žbanić – Quo Vadis, Aida?

European actress
Jasna Đuričić – Quo Vadis, Aida?

European actor
Anthony Hopkins – The Father [+lire aussi :
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interview : Florian Zeller
fiche film] (United Kingdom / France)

European screenwriter
Florian Zeller and Christopher Hampton – The Father

European discovery – FIPRESCI Prize
Promising Young Woman – Emerald Fennell (US / UK)

European short film
My Uncle Tudor – Olga Lucovnicova (Belgium / Portugal / Hungary / Moldova)

European photography
Crystel Fournier – Great Freedom [+lire aussi :
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interview : Sebastian Meise
fiche film] (Austria / Germany)

European assembly
Mukharam Kabulova – Loose Fists [+lire aussi :
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fiche film] (Russia)

Best European decors
Márton Ágh – Natural Light [+lire aussi :
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interview : Dénes Nagy
fiche film] (Hungary / Latvia / Germany / France)

European costumes
Michael O’Connor – Ammonite [+lire aussi :
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fiche film] (UK / US / Australia)

European hairstyle and make-up
Flore Masson, Olivier Afonso and Antoine Mancini – Titanium [+lire aussi :
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interview : Julia Ducournau, Vincent L…
fiche film] (France)

European soundtrack
Nils Petter Molvær and Peter Brötzmann – Great Freedom

European sound
Gisle Tveito and Gustaf Berger – The Innocents [+lire aussi :
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interview : Eskil Vogt
fiche film] (Norway / Sweden / Denmark / Finland / France / United Kingdom)

European visual effects
Peter Hjorth and Fredrik Nord – Lamb [+lire aussi :
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interview : Valdimar Jóhannsson
fiche film] (Iceland / Sweden / Poland)

European innovative storytelling award
Steve McQueen – Small Ax (UK)

Prize for the European contribution to world cinema
Susanne Bier

Career Award
Marta Meszáros

European University Film Award
Flee – Jonas Poher Rasmussen

(Translated from English)