Plus Cameriamge Festival 2012: The Winners

Plus Cameriamge Festival 2012: The Winners

Posted on Wednesday December 5, 2012, 18:50 by Simon Braund in Under The Radar

On Friday, with contributions from cinematographers Chris Doyle and Anthony Dod Mantle, Gus Van Sant paid heartfelt tribute to his friend and collaborator Harris Savides from the stage of the Opera Nova, accepting the Director Duo Award award on his and the late cinematographer’s behalf. Van Sant and Savides, who died of brain cancer in October, worked on six films together - Finding Forrester (2000), Gerry (2002), Elephant (2003), Last Days (2005), Milk (2008) and Restless (2011). Elephant and Last Days were shown at Plus CamerIamge along with a full retrospective of Savides’ career - aside from his work with Van Sant, Savides also brought he remarkable talent to bear on such films as American Gangster, Zodiac and The Game.

The festival wound down on Saturday with a closing ceremony at Opera Nova, followed by a screening of Last Days.

Results of the various competitions are as follows.

Student Films Competition
Golden Tadpole: Blackstory. Christoph Brunner and Stefan Brunner directors; Robert Oberreiner, cinematographer.
Silver Tadpole: The Zone, Lauri Randla, director; Mikko Kaumunen, cinematographer.
Bronze Tadpole: Without Snow. Magnus von Horn, director; Magnus Borge, cinematographer.

Directors’ Debuts Competition
Golden Frog: Chaika, director Miguel Angel Jiminiez.

Cinematographers’ Debuts Competition
Golden Frog: Chaika, cinematographer Gorka Gómez Andreu

Best Music Video: Die Antwoord, ‘I Fink U Freeky’, directors Roger Ballen and Ninja.

Best Cinematography in Music Video: Flying Lotus, ‘Until The Quiet Comes’, director Matthew J. Lloyd.

Documentary Shorts Competition
Golden Frog: No Peace Without War, directors Lorenzo Castore and Adam Cohen.
Special Mention: The Loneliness Of Sound, directors Jacek Blawut and Paet Chorzepa.

Documentary Features Competition
Golden Frog: Planet Of Snail, cinematographer/director Seung-Jun Yi.
Special Mention: She Male Snails, cinematographers Ester Martin Bergsmark and Minka Jakerson.

Polish Films Competition: To Kill A Beaver.

Main Competition
Golden Frog: War Witch (Canada), director, Kim Nguyen; cinematographer, Nicolas Bolduc.
Silver Frog winner: Holy Motors (France), director, Leos Carax; cinematographer, Caroline Champetier
Bronze: Rhino Season (Turkey, Kurdistan, Iraq), director, Bahman Ghobadi; cinematographer, Touraj Aslani.

So, as ever, Empire’s picks proved to be the kiss of death - which might not bode well since 80 Million is the official contender for the Foreign Language Film Oscar. Still, a terrific festival and one, as advertised, devoted to the art of film rather than the hype that invariably surrounds it. Again, you know you’re among people who take film-making very seriously when they give ads for Panavision the kind of riotous reception usually reserved for the latest Iron Man or Dark Knight trailer. Mind you, that XL2s is one sexy camera.