Cannes: ‘Son of Saul’ Wins Fipresci Competition Award
CANNES – Delivering early verdicts on Cannes Palme d’Or contenders, Fipresci and Ecumenical Jury Awards went to Laszlo Nemes’ “Son of Saul” and Nanni Moretti’s “My Mother,” respectively.
Fipresci’s competition nod vindicates Cannes’ selection of Holocaust drama “Son of Saul,” the only first feature in competition that has gone on to abundant international sales for Films Distribution.
A French press Palme d’Or frontrunner, “My Mother,” again sold by Films Distributiion, has scored well with overseas reviewers, as was the case with “Saul.” Neither Fipresci nor Ecumenical jury plumped for either of Cannes’ competition frontrunners, according to critics’ polls at least: Todd Haynes’ “Carol” and Hou Hsiao-hsien’s “The Assassin.”
Announced Saturday, further kudos from the Fipresci Intl. Federation of Film Critics were won by Un Certain Regard entry “Masaan,” directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, and Santiago Mitre’s Versatile-sold “Paulina,” which already topped Critics’ Week on Thursday.
A “social thriller,” Mitre has said, plus a study of how people react to violence, “Paulina” centers on a woman lawyer in a humble neighborhood who is brutally attacked, but refuses to give up on her social work. With the two prizes at Cannes, Mitre makes good on the promise of his debut “The Student.”
On Pathe Intl.’s sales slate, “Masaan” is another debut, made of up of intertwining tales, set against the background of the clash between old and new India.
Stephane Brize’s “The Measure of a Man” and Brillante Mendoza’s “Taklub” received mentions from the Ecumenical Jury.
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