What’s a film festival without the awards?
China’s very own “The Dead End” snatched a couple of awards at the recently concluded Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF).
Cao Baoping was proclaimed Best Director for the crime movie “The Dead End.” Its stars Deng Chao, Duan Yihong and Guo Tao were all declared Best Actor.
It was the second time Cao was recognized for his directorial skills after he was hailed Best New Director for the film “The Equation of Love and Death” at the 56th San Sebastián International Film Festival in Spain in 2008. Actor-singer Deng Chao was in that movie.
Deng’s last acting recognition received was the Favorite Actor Award for his portrayal as a co-founder of an English learning academy in “American Dreams in China,” conferred to him at the 2013 Guangzhou Student Film Festival.
Prior to their win at the SIFF, Duan was declared Outstanding Supporting TV Actor at the 2014 China TV Director Committee Awards, and Guo bagged the Male Actor award at the 2013 Golden Phoenix Awards.
Qin Xiaoyu and Wu Feiyue’s "The Verse of Us" was hailed Best Documentary Film.
The other winners are foreign films.
Poland’s "Carte Blanche" directed by Jacek Lusinski received the Jury Grand Prize.
“The Night Watchmen,” a collaboration between Belgium and France and directed by French Pierre Jolivet, nabbed the Golden Goblet for Best Film.
South Korea’s “The Shameless,” written and directed by Oh Seung-uk, took home the Outstanding Artistic Achievement Award.
Hollywood’s “Cake” by screenwriter-director Daniel Barnz won its writer Patrick Tobin the Best Screenplay award.
Cinematographer Vladislav Opeliyants made Russia’s “Sunstroke” by Nikita Mikhalkov take the Best Cinematography award.
Krista Kosonen won Best Actress for her performance in Finland’s “The Midwife,” aka “Wildeye,” directed by Antti J. Jokinen and based from Katja Kettu’s novel (“The Midwife”).
Ireland’s “Song of the Sea” by comic artist-director Tomm Moore was announced Best Animated Film.
The jury was composed of three directors (Russian Andrey Zvyagintsev who was the head jury; Chinese Cai Shangjun; and French Philippe Muyl, also a screenwriter), two producers (Nansun Shi from Hong Kong and Ron Yerxa from the U.S.) and one actress (Chinese Hao Lei, also a singer).
The 18th edition of the Shanghai International Film Festival ran from June 13-21.