Dedicated to young, innovative and independent cinema, the Belfort Entrevues Film Festival (whose 36th edition unspooled 21 – 28 November) boasts a much appreciated post-production support programme, entitled [Films en Cours], whose 2021 jury (comprising filmmaker Marie Losier, among others) has singled out Á procura da estrela, which is the first fiction feature directed by Spain’s Carlos Martínez-Peñalver Mas. Penned by the filmmaker himself, the story revolves around Xoel, who travels to the Serra da Estrela region in order to record a range of sounds which are on the verge of disappearing. As the days pass by, he realises that tourism has already erased the traces of the past and rendered his research futile. Nonetheless, he makes out a mysterious melody hailing from the mountains and decides to track down its source. Little by little, his quest merges with the tale which gives the region its name: The Legend of the Shepherd and the Star… Production is overseen by Carlos Martínez-Peñalver Mas himself, alongside Arnau Abella Travesset, on behalf of Barcelona’s Omen Cinema, and by Portugal’s María Zimbro and Elisa Bogalheiro.

In terms of the competition unfolding within this year’s edition of the Belfort Entrevues Festival, the winner’s list is largely dominated by documentaries: Father by China’s Deng Wei walked away with the Janine Bazin Grand Prize, while the Audience Award went to Rancho by Argentine director Pedro Speroni.

European production likewise took to the stage, with two prizes bagged by El gran movimento [+leggi anche:
recensione
scheda film] by Bolivia’s Kiro Russo: the Ciné+ Distribution Support Award, courtesy of the main jury, and the GNCR (National Union of Experimental Cinemas) Award. Discovered in Venice, where it scooped the Orizzonti’s Special Jury Prize, and Bolivia’s candidate for next year’s Oscars, this feature film is sold worldwide by Belgium’s Best Friend Forever.

The full list of winners is as follows:

Janine Bazin Grand Prize
Father - Deng Wei (China)

Ciné+ Distribution Support Prize
El gran movimento [+leggi anche:
recensione
scheda film] – Kiro Russo (Bolivia/France/Qatar/Switzerland)

André S. Labarthe Grand Prize for Best Short Film
Perchés – Guillaume Lillo (France)

One+One Prize
Le Boug Doug - Théo Jollet (France) (medium-length film)

Audience Award for Best Feature Film
Rancho - Pedro Speroni (Argentina)

Audience Award for Best Short
Aucun signal – Adrien Genoudet (France)

GNCR Award
El gran movimento – Kiro Russo

Gérard Frot-Coutaz Prize
Ibrahim [+leggi anche:
trailer
scheda film] – Samir Guesmi (France)

[Films en Cours] Post-Production Support Prize
Á procura da estrela - Carlos Martínez-Peñalver Mas (Spain/Portugal)

New Talent Journey Award
Mère rouge – Marguerite Lanz
Adieu la bête – Paul Guy Rabiet