by Redazione Ennesimo Film Festival
Lost Kings wins the 8th edition of the Ennesimo Film Festival
Lost Kings by Brian Lawes the short winner of the 2023 edition of Ennesimo Film Festival. The film was awarded the Ennesimo Prize by the Jury, made up this year of two industry professionals and a Terzo Giurato whose vote was expressed by five secondary school students, specially trained through an Ennesimo Academy course.
An explicit story, with excellent acting, despite its simplicity, able to captivate viewers through the
power of what is not said nor shown, involving them in a powerful emotional crescendo.
The jury has additionally assigned 3 mentions.
The Unbearable Lightness of a Chance by Ove Raymond Gyldenås for Comedy:
A comic little gem, full of original ideas and narrative inspiration. Setting off from a dramatic
situation, it constantly alters its register, in a chain of absurdities.
Rituals by Damian Vondrasek
A typical journey of initiation, built around a choice that brings viewers to identify with the painful break experienced by the young protagonists.
It’s Nice in Here by Robert-Jonathan Koeyers
For the originality of its multiple viewpoints, offering no univocal truth, but reminding everyone that every story has more sides to it.
The Ennesimo People’s Choice, assigned by the audience attended at the 2 projections evenings, went to Roy by Ross White and Tom Bekeley, who aslo won Oscar 2023 with An Irish Goodbye.
Best Performance Award, assigned by the Italian stand up comedian Luca Ravenna, went to Erik Sjöström in The Diamond by Vedran Rupic, for “having been able to drag and embody the “madness” of the short film. A film that deserved to be a long one”
The Artemisia Prize 2023, went to Not the 80s di Marlee Valien
The 1980s were the decade of the HIV virus. Announced in 1981, the AIDS syndrome was declared a pandemic after only a few years. In Italy it has claimed 45,000 victims in 40 years. Nicht the 80er conveys the message that although a long road has been travelled thanks to advances in scientific knowledge and treatment, there is still a long way to go for what pertains empathy towards those infected with the HIV virus. Compared to the 1980s, what we know today about HIV gives us the strength to meet the Other and their unique face, and even to have a love story, build a family and have children with them, overcoming fear and prejudice. The ending is open, and final frame of the film is dedicated to the boys’ feet, a leitmotif of the entire film. Will the two on the other side of the door eventually meet?
Artemisia Special Mention to Roy by Ross White and Tom Berkeley.
To P.D.O. by Thomas Samy Sidali, presented in Family Affair Selection, went the City of Fiorano Award, choosen by Ceramic District citizen through an online poll.
In the Youth Selection, there were 878 Ennesimo Academy pupils voting and they choose to asign their prizes to Canary by Pierre-Hugues Dallaire and Ben Therriault the Ennesiom Youth Prize and the Ennesimo Comix Award in partnership fo the most funny film to Boom, directed by a group of directors: Gabriel Augerai, Laurie Pereira de Figueiredo, Mathis Marchal, Charles Di Cicco e Yannick Jacquin.
Fuorifuoco Prize went to Nils Vanderwaeren, director of Grinta, which was attended the Festival.
In the end The Silent Ones by Basile Vuillemin was awarded with the Scarabeo Award for Post-Production.
