End clap for the 30th edition of the Gérardmer Fantastic Film Festival. The Jury, chaired by Michel Hazanavicius and Bérénice Bejo, has unveiled its prize list: it is Eduardo Casanova’s disturbing “La Pietà” which leaves with the Grand Prix.
It is a special anniversary edition that the festival-goers of Gérardmer experienced. In the mountains of the Vosges, the public was able to discover a horrifying and fantastic program from all walks of life, which was held from January 25 to 29.
This 30th edition notably welcomed two exceptional guests of honor: Jaume Balagueró (La Secte Sans Nom, Fragile and REC) and Kim Jee-woon (Two Sisters, I met the devil) and allowed fans of the genre to discover preview Knock at the cabin, the new film by M. Night Shyamalan.
Chaired by Michel Hazanavicius and Bérénice Bejo and made up of Alex Lutz, Anne Le Ny, Catherine Ringer, Eye Haïdara, Gringe, Sébastien Marnier, Pierre Deladonchamps, Finnegan Oldfield and Pierre Rochefort, the Jury decided on nine films in competition.
And the Jury gave its Grand Prize to Eduardo Casanova’s second feature film: La Pietà. This very aesthetic and surprising drama about a toxic and disturbing mother-son relationship is a big hit since it was also dubbed by the public and by the Young Jury of the Grand Est Region.
Another big winner of this edition: La Montagne by Thomas Salvador, a fantastic and poetic drama about a man who drops everything to reconnect with nature. Good news, you will be able to discover it from February 1 in French cinemas.
This feature film, which has already won the SACD Prize at the Directors’ Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival, was distinguished by critics but also received the Jury Prize, which it shares with Piaffe by Ann Oren.
Who says special birthday, says special price! For the 30th anniversary of the Gérardmer Festival, the 30th anniversary prize was awarded to the effective thriller Watcher by Chloe Okuno, carried by Maika Monroe.
As for the short films, the Jury chaired by David Jarre and composed of Frédérique Moreau, Lou Lampros, Ophélie Bau, François Descraques and Jules Benchetrit rewarded There is a lot of light here by Gonzague Legout.
The 2023 Awards
The 2023 winners
La Pietà – Grand Prize / Public Prize / Youth Jury Prize
Barton Movies
Shortly – Lili and her son Mateo have a close relationship that makes them dependent on each other. They wallow in a suffocating reality until the day one of them is stricken with a serious illness. The mere idea of being separated leads them to develop the darkest and most toxic version of themselves.
The Mountain – Jury Prize / Critics’ Prize
The pact
In theaters February 1 – Pierre, a Parisian engineer, goes to the Alps for his work. Irresistibly drawn to the mountains, he sets up a bivouac at high altitude and decides not to go down again. Up there, he meets Léa and discovers mysterious lights.
Piaffe – Jury Prize
Rediance
Shortly – Eva, an introverted young woman who works as a sound designer, has difficulty creating the sounds for a commercial featuring a horse. As a ponytail begins to grow out of her body, she develops a submissive relationship with a botanist.
Watcher – 30th Anniversary Award
Universal Pictures Content Group
Shortly – Julia and her husband of Romanian origin leave the United States to move to Bucharest, where the latter has found a new job. Having recently drawn a line under her career as an actress, Julia often finds herself alone in her large apartment and tries to occupy herself as best she can. One night, while peering through the window at the building opposite, she sees a silhouette that seems to be looking back at her…
There’s a Lot of Light Here – Short Film Award
Green Ad Agency
As a deadly threat approaches outside, a circus troupe prepares to perform its final show.