Edinburgh Film Festival: Winners Include Race & Identity Drama Farming, Finnish Pic Aurora& Documentary Sakawa
The Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) has revealed the winners for this years 73rd edition.
The winner of the prestigious Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature Film went to British filmmaker Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje for his directorial debut Farming, which received its UK premiere at the festival. The winner was chosen by the Michael Powell jury comprised of Antonia Campbell-Hughes, David Hayman and Philip John.
The jury said, “The unanimous decision of the Michael Powell Jury goes to an important, powerful and disturbing film from Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje. This story forces us to confront an unfamiliar, uncomfortable reality. Farming keeps you invested in its brutal world. Culturally adrenalising. Visceral. Inspirational.”
Kate Beckinsale and Snowfalls Damson Idris star in the film which is inspired by Akinnuoye-Agbaje real-life experience with the practice of farming, a term used in the 60s in reference to Nigerian immigrants coming to Britain who would foster their children out to poor white working-class families in order to create a better opportunity for themselves. Once they had accomplished what they set out to do, they would pick up their children and return to Africa to rebuild their lives.
Idris also won the Best Performance in a British Feature Film prize, which was also selected by the Michael Powell jurors.
The award for Best International Feature Film went to Miia Tervos Finnish comedy-drama Aurora, which received its UK premiere at this years festival. The winner was chosen by the international jury comprised of Natalie Brenner, Jack Lowden and Fred Tsui.
The Best Documentary Feature Film prize went to Ben Asamoahs first feature film Sakawa with jurors comprising William Guentzler, Daniel Monzón and Larushka Ivan-Zadeh. Best short filRead More – Source
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