Cork International Film Festival announced its annual awards for features last night at The Awards Gala at the Everyman Theatre in Cork. Winners of the Gradam Spiorad na Féile (Spirit of The Festival Award), Gradam na Féile do Scannáin Faisnéise (Award for Cinematic Documentary) and the Cork International Film Festival Youth Jury Award are highly anticipated each year.
The winner of the Gradam Spiorad na Féile (Spirit of The Festival Award), presented by The Gate Cinemas, was awarded to Blue Moon (Crai Nou), directed by Alina Grigore. In this compelling film Iona Chitu gives a mesmerising performance as a young woman driven to the brink by her oppressive family in Alina Grigore’s tension-filled debut.
The Gradam na Féile do Scannáin Faisnéise (Award for Cinematic Documentary) was awarded to This Rain Will Never Stop, directed by Ukrainian documentary filmmaker Alina Gorlova. The film follows a Kurdish Red Cross volunteer assisting others who are caught up in the military conflict in Ukraine. The result is a darkly atmospheric confrontation with war and its consequences. There was a special mention in this category for A Night of Knowing Nothing directed by Payal Kapadia.
The winner of the Cork International Film Festival Youth Jury Award was awarded to Women Do Cry, directed by Mina Mileva and Vesela Kazakova. The Youth Jury Award is selected from the Spirit of the Festival and Cinematic Documentary Awards. The jury comprises students from UCC, MTU and St John’s Central College. There was a special mention in this category for Wood and Water directed by Jonas Bak..
Every film in premiere is eligible for the Audience Awards – Features and Shorts – and it is easy to cast your vote by clicking the link here. The Audience Awards will be announced at the conclusion of the Digital Festival, 21st November.
The full CIFF digital programme begins today, Saturday 13th November and continues through 21st November via the Festival website at https://corkfilmfest.org/ or the myCIFF app with clear directions on how to watch easily from home.
