• • • The short film jury has awarded ‘Ningú borda’, by Catalan filmmaker Júlia Coldwell.
    • In the series competition, the Swedish production ‘Hundarna’, directed by Lisa Linnertorp, has been recognised.

Cinema Jove has awarded the Luna de València for Best Feature Film in the Official Feature Film Section to the social satire ‘Filipiñana’, directed by Rafael Manuel. The film was also the favourite of the Young Jury.

The Official Feature Film Jury, made up of Maria Ekerhovd, Isabel Ivars and Frédéric Boyer, highlighted that with this award they celebrate “a bold and visually unforgettable work of remarkable artistic ambition.”

Set against the sweltering backdrop of a Filipino golf club, the film follows a young woman’s journey through a setting shaped by inequality. In doing so, ‘Filipiñana’ transforms what appears to be an ordinary day into a “powerful meditation on social class, power, exploitation and hidden histories.”

The jury praised its meticulous visual imagery, striking cinematography and moments of dark, absurd humour. They concluded that the film “demonstrates cinema’s power to create meaning through image, atmosphere and presence.”

For its part, the Young Jury justified its award “for its striking imagery and its anti-colonial critique rich in symbolism.”

Direction, cinematography and cast in feature films

The award for Best Director went to Afghan filmmaker Shahrbanoo Sadat for ‘No Good Men’, which also received the Audience Award. The jury praised her courage in capturing the intersection of the personal and the political during the turbulent days leading up to the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan through a story that is “deeply moving in its portrayal of resilience, love and survival,” offering a powerful portrait of women fighting to preserve their voices.

The Best Cast Award went to the ensemble of ‘On Our Own’—Denisa Vraja, Vlad Furtuna, Mara Diaconu Ducica, Sofia Vasiliu and Dominique Toma—whose performances were praised for their “extraordinary honesty, warmth and resilience in portraying children forced to navigate adulthood far too soon.”

In the technical categories, Tang Ka Hei received the Best Cinematography Award for ‘I Heard That They Are Not Going to See Each Other Anymore’, a work that, according to the jury, “transforms Taipei into a dreamlike landscape of longing, memory and possibility.”

Finally, the award for Best Sound Design and Music went to Ryan Billia and Jon Natchez for ‘Żejtune’, for creating a soundscape intertwined with traditional Maltese folk music until it becomes “the heartbeat of the film.”

Luna de València for Best Short Film goes to a filmmaker from Tarragona

The short film jury, made up of Amélie Queret, Lucía Casañ and Laurence Boyce, awarded the Luna de València for Best Short Film to ‘Ningú borda’, by Catalan director Júlia Coldwell.

In their statement, they praised the film for creating “a unique and surreal universe through precise imagery, outstanding sound design, strong performances and an ingenious, thought-provoking screenplay.”

The Special Mention in this category went to ‘Night of Passage’, by Reza Rasouli, for being “a film that is complex in its simplicity and offers an unexpected perspective on a topical issue with moral complexity and technical excellence.” Apolline Andreys also received a Special Mention for Best Performance for her short film ‘Lady Attila’.

The Young Jury awarded the Norwegian film ‘Sand i tissen’, directed by Ingrid Runde Saxegaard, because it “portrays the intimacy between a mother and daughter through a deeply personal and intimate perspective.” In addition, the Feroz Cinema Jove Award went to ‘Un buen salvaje’, by Valencian filmmaker Joan Vives i Lozano.

Finally, the Audience Award went to ‘Esto está frío’, by Valencian filmmaker Iván Fernández de Córdoba.

Una propuesta sueca, moderna y diversa gana en la categoría de series

El jurado de series, compuesto por Julia Fidel, Christopher Sharp y Vasilisa Kuzmina, ha elegido la producción sueca ‘Hundarna’, dirigida por Lisa Linnertorp, como la Mejor Serie de la edición. 

Sus integrantes se han declarado impresionados por una producción que dibuja “un retrato vívido de una sociedad moderna y diversa, abrazando sus complejidades y contradicciones sin perder de vista las historias humanas en su centro”. En concreto les han llamado la atención sus potentes actuaciones, su afilado montaje y unos personajes que se sienten “reales en sus tensas relaciones y vulnerabilidades”.

El público, por su parte, ha otorgado el premio a la Mejor Serie a la alemana ‘Das Manko’, dirigida por Arne Feldhusen. La propuesta alemana también ha sido la preferida del Jurat Jove, “por su innovación en formato, temática, desarrollo colectivo y lenguaje universal”.

La producción de Pablo Fendrik y Felipe Cano Ibáñez, ‘Dear Killer Nannies’, de Disney +, se ha llevado el premio a la Mejor Dirección, mientras que el galardón al Concepto Más Original ha sido para la francesa ‘Respire Fort’ de Arthur Fanget, gracias a su “innovación en formato, desarrollo colectivo y lenguaje universal”.

Emerging talent at the Youth Audiovisual Encounter

The Youth Audiovisual Encounter (EAJ) awarded its First Prize in the Amateur category to ‘Wounded Light’, by Abril Catalina Beascoechea, which also received the Special Mention for Best Direction.

As for the remaining Special Mentions, Irene Roig was recognised for her Screenplay for ‘Canta, xiqueta, canta’; María Lucía Suárez Berbery and Erick Rafael Montes Molina for the Art Direction of ‘El niño de las orejas rojas’; Andrea Anghinetti for the Cinematography of ‘Catarsis’; and Álex López and Julia Balserini for their performances in ‘El Lambo de San Blas’.

The latter short film, directed by David Sendín, also received a runner-up award as well as the Special Award ‘La Aventura del Saber’ from La 2 (TVE). The Young Jury, meanwhile, awarded ‘A la vejez, viruelas’, directed by Pol Aguilera.

Finally, the filmmakers selected to take part in the Young Filmmakers Residency, which will be held in September and will debut its new venue at LABA Valencia with an intensive programme of mentoring and meetings with production companies, are Abril Catalina Beascoechea, David Sendín, Irene Roig and André Brugnara.

Best poster and children’s shorts

The festival also recognised excellence in design with the Best Poster Award, presented to María Cristina Pérez for her short film ‘Una vez en un cuerpo’.

Finally, the new Cinema Kids section, developed through a strategic partnership with the French festival Premiers Plans d’Angers, recognised the French-Swiss short film ‘Il était un fois à Dragonville’, by Marika Herz, in the three-to-six age category, and ‘La légende du colibri’, by French filmmaker Morgan Devos, in the six-to-nine category.

Curt Creixent and the final Proyecto Corto Movistar+ Award

Curt Creixent, the IVC’s leading industry event dedicated to short films, which brings together students and professionals through pitch sessions, workshops, masterclasses and panel discussions, also presented its industry awards.

The Best Short Film Project Award went to ‘Ocle’, by Manuel Omonte, produced by Andreu Corberà and Begoña Palomares, while the Best Short Film in Post-Production Award went to ‘La noche tendrá tus ojos’, a project by Amanda Cots and Ángel Suárez, produced by Amanda Cots and Carolina Gómez.

Finally, the Proyecto Corto Movistar+ Award was presented to ‘PAM’, by Dani Feixas. The award marks the end of an era, as it is being presented for the last time at the festival following Movistar Plus+’s decision to permanently discontinue its ‘Proyecto Corto’ programme.

This initiative, which has been crucial for the sector, acquired the broadcasting rights to the winning short films at Cinema Jove, Seminci in Valladolid and FICX in Gijón. The programme comes to an end tonight, much to the concern of the industry.