Saturday 28th July, at 20.30h in P.zza del Gesù (Fiumicello) during the award cerimony Provincia di Potenza and the Municipality of Maratea gave the prizes of the III edition of
IO, ISABELLA INTERNATIONAL FILM WEEK, an international jury indicated the winners of the
Golden Wave 2007:
1.
Golden Wave for the section
SHE’S HOT, CHE BAMBOLA! DONNE IN CONCORSO to:
STORM OF EMOTIONS by Yael Klopman
(Israel, 2006. Documentary, 82’ italian premiere)
Synopsis: The 1982 peace agreement with Egypt obliged thousands of people to leave their homes in the Sinai desert. From the options they were given by the Israeli government, many chose "Gush Katif" in the Gaza Strip as their new home. To progress the peace process, the Israeli government ordered the evacuation of the Gaza Strip on August 2005. This decision created political and social turmoil. The evacuation was to be the most complex and sensitive mission ever to be undertaken by the police forces. This movie is about emotions, beliefs, conscience and true brotherly love, It is a story of humanity in its finest hour
Motivations: “
brave non-fiction film, that offers a unique testimony following step by step the 2005 evacuation of the Gaza Strip. A film that, using the tools and language of documentary in a precise and effective way, manages without intrusion or rethorics to tip into the most humane aspects of the story it tells. In doing so the director gives to the world an amazing document that shows aspects of the Middle East's question like none has ever had the courage to do before! Yael Klopman shows all of her skills in putting into images, without taking a stand, a painful passage in the history of a Nation”.
2. The
Golden Wave Provincia di Potenza for the section
THE DISCREET CHARM OF DOCUMENTARY, goes to
THE GREAT GLOBAL WARMING SWINDLE by Martin Durkin
(Uk, 2007. Documentary, 74’)
Synopsis: The definitive response to Al Gore’s
AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH. This film shatters all common theories about men-made Globa Warming with the support of scientists and academics, the documentary goes as far as highlighting how politically driven campaigns against CO2 emissions will hurt the development of the Third World.
Motivation:
“balanced documentary in which the director does not fear to challenge the "big guys", with excellent technics and argumentations, without forgetting a noble display of humour, the winning ingredient that keeps audiences' attention alive all the way to the end”.
3. For the section
PRIMIZIE: SHE’S HOT FIRSTLING EDITION, the prize for best first film goes to:
TAKE YOUR LIFE (Nimm Dir Dein Leben) by Sabine Michel
(Germany, 2005. Fiction, 100’ italian premiere)
Synopsis: Surrealistic feature film that weaves together the life of a strange village with that of a mysterious girl who, looking for her vanished fianceé, finds instead a very special boy.
Motivation: “
the film stands out for its originality, both in the script that in the directorial choices; the young director uses at best the resources she has to realise this surreal piece of work, which balances excellently all cinematic tools and devices”.
4.
SPECIAL MENTIONS A:
-
Anna Biller for her amazing talent and the originality of her work.
“
Biller shows a talent out of the ordinary in her aesthetical research and cinematic style. A 360 degrees artist like worldwide Cinema has not seen in a very long time”.
-
Maria Victoria Andino for “El Secreto de la Sangre”
“
Argentinian talent of which we hope to hear more in the future; in her graduation film she shows great care for the fundamental aspects of the cinematic medium, first of all the photography”.
-
Karen Gehres per “Begging Naked”
“
The director follows an incredible human story, managing without flaws to transalte it into a universal tale and a beautiful documentary”.
The ending titles roll over this Third Edition of
IO, ISABELLA INTERNATIONAL FILM WEEK in a colorful trail of visions and meetings of different cultures that share real emotions lived on and off the silver screen.
See you in 2008!
Toronto's Hot Docs Festival pays tribute to the work of Jennifer Baichwal, director of the beautiful Manufactured Landscapes, which as national premiere at IO, ISABELLA IFW 2007 stirred the admiration of Italian audiences. The Canadian director enters the crew of the many excellent Canadian non-fiction filmmakers (Mark Achbar, Peter Winthonick, etc.) that in recent years brought us wonderful pieces of work. With each new film Baichwal has expanded her considerable skills as a filmmaker, with Manufactured Landscapes (2006) widely considered among the finest international documentaries of 2007. 
