The 50th edition of the Deauville American Film Festival concluded on Saturday, September 14, 2024. Actress Natalie Portman was honored for her entire career by receiving a Deauville Talent Award just before the announcement of the winners of this edition.
Natalie Portman received this prestigious award from the hands of actress Isabelle Adjani, who delivered an emotional speech in her honor. The French actress commended Portman’s impressive career, which began at the age of 13 with the film Léon. Adjani also highlighted the American actress and director’s feminist commitments, especially her active role in the Time's Up movement and her fight against sexual violence in the film industry. The ceremony continued with the announcement of the winners of this 50th edition. Here is the list of awardees:
Grand Prize
The film In The Summers, directed by Alessandra Lacorazza Samudio, won the prestigious Grand Prize. This film was also awarded the Louis Roederer Foundation Revelation Prize, highlighting its significant impact on the festival. Violeta and Eva visit their loving but reckless father Vicente every summer. He creates a world of wonder but under the fun facade, he battles addiction which gradually erodes the magic. Vicente tries to make up for the past, but wounds aren’t easily healed…
Jury Prize
The Knife, a film by Nnamdi Asomugha, was distinguished with the Jury Prize. This award highlights the originality and narrative depth of the film. Construction worker Chris is prepared to do whatever he can to build a solid life for his family, yet his plans are thrown into disarray after a mysterious woman appears in their new home late one night. By the time police arrive, the intruder is lying on the kitchen floor unconscious, a knife in her hand, and it falls to steadfast Detective Carlsen to uncover the truth about what happened.
Barrière Prize for the 50th Edition
La Cocina by Alonso Ruizpalacios received the Barrière Prize, a special distinction for this edition marking half a century of the festival's existence. As its title indicates, the film is set in the Hispanic community in New York City. It’s rush hour in the kitchen of the Grill, a bustling Manhattan restaurant. When money disappears from the cash register, service gets out of hand. Pedro, a dreamy, rebellious cook, tries to prove his love to Julia, while Estella, a new recruit just arrived from Mexico, must navigate the chaos.
City of Deauville Audience Award
The Strangers' Case by Brandt Andersen captured the audience's hearts, winning this award given by festival attendees. Tragedy strikes a Syrian family in Aleppo, starting a chain reaction of events in four different countries involving a group of people from five different families, including a doctor and her daughter, a soldier, a smuggler, a poet and a coast guard captain.
Critics' Prize
Color Book, directed by David Fortune, was praised by critics, receiving the Critics' Prize for its artistic vision and innovative cinematic approach.
Following the passing of his wife, a devoted father learns to raise his son with Down's Syndrome as a single parent. While adjusting to their new reality, the two embark on a journey through Metro Atlanta to attend their first baseball game.
CANAL+ Special 50th Anniversary Prize
The School Duel by Todd Wiseman Jr. was honored with this special prize, celebrating the film's originality and engagement in the context of this anniversary.
In this dystopian thriller set in near-future Florida, Sammy (Kue Lawrence), a tormented 13-year-old, is recruited to participate in a deadly, statewide competition known as “The School Duel.” The contested event is the government’s solution to curbing school shootings in the wake of gun control being abolished. An outcast, attracted by the promise of notoriety and acceptance, and guided by a sense of righteousness and misplaced patriotism, Sammy secretly enlists against his mother’s (Christina Brucato) wishes. As he takes the battlefield, Sammy slowly starts to understand what is at stake.
This edition of the festival highlighted a variety of works, reflecting the diversity and richness of independent American cinema. The awarded films stand out for their captivating narratives and innovative approaches, contributing to the cultural legacy of the Deauville American Film Festival.
The festival concluded with a tribute to Claude Lelouch, who won an Oscar in 1967 (Best Foreign Language Film) for his film Un homme et une femme. On this occasion, his latest film, Finalement, was premiered.
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