29/09/2020 - The Swedish comedy Call Mom! by Lisa Aschan has come out on top in the Comedy Competition

Directors Ivan Ostrochovský (left) and Slávek Horák on stage at the Febiofest Prague awards ceremony (© Febiofest Prague)

The postponed Febiofest Prague 2020 (see the news) has announced the winners of its 27^th edition. The Main Competition jury, comprising Czech filmmakers Beata Parkanová and Slávek Horák, and Czech actress Anna Polívková, stated: “Each of the films made an impact on us, affecting different parts of our personalities. That’s why we also decided to hand out a Special Mention. And it was precisely that award that represented the toughest choice, as it was hard to decide between these well-matched films. In the end, it went to Maria Sødahl’s Hope [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Maria Sødahl
film profile], which won us over with its sensitive telling of a story, with excellent acting performances.”

The top prize went to the Slovak-Czech-Romanian-Irish drama Servants [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ivan Ostrochovský
film profile] by Slovakian director-producer Ivan Ostrochovský, which premiered at this year’s Berlinale. “An extremely powerful story told by purely cinematic means, a genuine celebration of film language that at the same time delivers a clear message comprehensible to viewers. All elements of this film are of the highest standards in terms of filmmaking, combining to create a highly compelling, brave and original whole,” said the jury of its unanimous decision to pick Ostrochovský’s film, following young seminarians as they face pressure from the secret police during the early 1980s in Czechoslovakia, when the clergy, grouped together in the association Pacem in Terris, collaborated with the communist regime. “I have to admit that I never expected an award,” noted Ostrochovský. “More than anything, I’m happy that my film was screened at a festival and that viewers had a chance to see it before it enters cinemas. The fact that Servants also won has made me very happy indeed!”

Lisa Aschan’s comedy Call Mom! [+see also:
trailer
interview: Evin Ahmad
film profile] came out on top in the Comedy Competition, as the jury was most impressed by how the film “handles the difficult subject of fruitless interpersonal communication with elegance and humour”. Iranian filmmaker and women’s right activist Mahnaz Mohammadi received the Amnesty International Febiofest Award for her directorial debut, Son-Mother [+see also:
trailer
film profile], penned by this year’s Golden Bear winner, Mohammad Rasoulof. The jury praised the feature for “its unusual formal handling of two parallel storylines, the naturalness of the acting performances, and the unvarnished, powerful story”.

Here is the complete list of winners at the 27^th edition of Febiofest Prague:

Main Competition
Servants [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ivan Ostrochovský
film profile] – Ivan Ostrochovský (Slovakia/Czech Republic/Romania/Ireland)
Special Mention
Hope [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Maria Sødahl
film profile] - Maria Sødahl (Norway/Sweden)

Comedy Competition
Call Mom! [+see also:
trailer
interview: Evin Ahmad
film profile] – Lisa Aschan (Sweden)

Amnesty International Febiofest Award
Son-Mother [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Mahnaz Mohammadi (Iran/Czech Republic)

You’re the Filmmaker Competition (amateur shorts)

Solo category
Robinson Crusoe – Vít Rosenkranc (Czech Republic)
The Tribe – Šimon Černík (Czech Republic)
Why Actually? – Tina Tran (Czech Republic)

Team category
Absolute Environmentalist – Prague Secondary School for EU Administration (Czech Republic)
Up to Our Neck in Garbage – Animation studio of fourth- and fifth-grade pupils at the Kolín V Elementary School (Czech Republic)
How You Help Nature Be Clean – Vráž Primary School (Czech Republic)