It was plain crusing at this yr’s European movie awards in Reykjavík for Triangle of Sadness, Ruben Ostlund’s luxurious yacht-set satire of western entitlement and self-regard, which received greatest movie in addition to three different main prizes.
The Swedish director, quick turning into an EFAs favorite, additionally took greatest director and greatest screenwriter so as to add to his six European awards for his 2017 art-world roast The Sq.. Veteran Croatian actor Zlatko Burić scooped greatest actor for his function as a Russian fertiliser magnate who turns into an unlikely revolutionary aboard Ostlund’s puke-swilling ship of fools.
Ostlund absolutely would have appreciated the truth that the 35th awards, the primary bodily version for 3 years after the Covid pandemic, passed off at Reykjavik’s Harpa Live performance Corridor, an upscale glass bastion on the Icelandic capital’s harbour with greater than a whiff of globalised privilege.
However, after the previous few subdued ceremonies, this yr’s European movie awards renewed their popularity for direct political engagement; its conventional USP in comparison with the extra superficial Oscars.
Within the European co-production award, it confirmed its assist for Ukrainian film-makers through the present battle by recognising not one manufacturing, however the nation’s complete business. Accepting the prize, producer Darya Bassel referred to Dziga Vertov’s 1929 experimental Man with a Film Digicam, which although thought to be a Soviet basic was filmed partly in Kiev, Kharkiv and Odessa: Kiev and Odessa: “Its id was stolen,” she claimed. “Identical to the id of our tradition is underneath menace at this time.”
The European Movie Academy doubled up on solidarity for Ukraine by giving greatest documentary to Mariupol 2, whose Lithuanian director Mantas Kvedaravičius was allegedly killed by Russian forces in April. His daughter obtained a standing ovation as she advised company: “He misplaced his life within the type of selflessness most of us can’t hope to attain, delivering drugs to individuals.”
With Ukrainian cinema infrastructure now largely destroyed, Matthijs Wouter Knol, CEO and director of the European Movie Academy, spoke of the necessity not simply to rebuild for the nation’s film-makers, however to construct capability to assist European film-makers caught in any type of battle zone.
A brand new award for sustainability went to the European Fee’s European Inexperienced Deal initiative, which goals to cut back emissions on the continent by 55% by 2030; via the funding arm Artistic Europe, it hopes to attain a portion of these from the movie and TV industries.
European Fee president Ursula von der Leyen recognised that, past tackling their carbon footprint, movie and tv had a number one function to play in mobilising the plenty within the local weather disaster. “They’ll make individuals embrace a trigger, and that’s what we’d like proper now. You will have the ability to vary hearts and minds,” Von der Leyen advised the assembled crowd.
However one of many award’s three presenters, a younger Icelander referred to as Vilhjálmur, warned that symbolic gestures have been inadequate and that cinema needed to make its dedication concrete. “It’s not ok,” he identified. “Subsequent yr, we wish it to go to a selected manufacturing.” All of the youth-voted prizes had a radical urgency, with Jerzy Skolimowski’s psychedelic donkey odyssey EO taking the European college movie award and Cyril Dion’s anti-speciesist inquest Animal the younger viewers award.
Away from Triangle of Unhappiness’ clear sweep, Vicky Krieps took greatest actress for her function as constrained 19th-century Empress Elisabeth of Austria in Marie Kreutzer’s Corsage. In the meantime, New German Cinema luminary Margarethe von Trotta turned the third girl within the awards’ 34-year historical past to win the lifetime achievement award, and Elia Suleiman supplied a rambling homily about his profession after bagging the world cinema achievement gong. European Movie Academy chairman Mike Downey was readily available to state his qualities extra exactly: “You ridicule statehood and ideologies, however you’re so tender with individuals.”
Although Triangle of Unhappiness is technically a UK co-production, British cinema had a threadbare evening. It solely secured a brace of technical awards – manufacturing and costume design – for Kenneth Branagh’s autobiographical memoir Belfast, with Paul Mescal lacking out on greatest actor for his efficiency in 90s drama Aftersun.
The socio-political seriousness was offset by concentrated doses of Icelandic quirk from its presenters, artist Hugleikur Dagsson and actor Ilmur Kristjánsdóttir, who cocking a snock on the uptight Oscars inspired winners to go so long as doable of their speeches: “Should you thank God, you additionally must thank the satan.” With a number of presenters struggling to prise open the profitable envelopes, the Icelandic glue business additionally obtained an surprising enhance.
Full record of awards
Greatest movie Triangle of Unhappiness
Greatest comedy The Good Boss
European Discovery (Fipresci prize) Small Physique
Greatest documentary Mariupolis 2
Greatest animated function No Canine or Italians Allowed
Greatest quick movie Granny’s Sexual Life
Greatest director Ruben Ostlund, Triangle of Unhappiness
Greatest actress Vicky Krieps, Corsage
Greatest actor Zlatko Burić, Triangle of Unhappiness
Greatest screenwriter Ruben Ostlund, Triangle of Unhappiness
Greatest cinematography The Quiet Lady
Greatest enhancing Burning Days
Greatest manufacturing design Belfast
Greatest costume design Belfast
Greatest hair & make-up All Quiet on the Western Entrance
Greatest unique rating EO
Greatest sound The Gap
Greatest visible results All Quiet on the Western Entrance
EFA lifetime achievement award Margarethe von Trotta
European achievement in world cinema Elia Suleiman
European progressive storytelling Marco Bellocchio
European co-production award (Prix Eurimages) Ukraine
European college movie award EO
Younger viewers award Animal
Sustainability award European Inexperienced Deal
