Comedy Pony Place is crowned as Best Film at EYE

(AMSTERDAM) The comedy Pony Place by director Joost Reijmers has won the Best Film at Shortcutz Amsterdam Annual Awards. The top prize of €15,000 is an equal contribution by Cam-a-lot (in rental gear), Filmmore (in post-production services) and Shorts TV (pocket money) into the making of a new film. A sold-out Cinema 1 at Eye saw Reijmers receiving the prize from the hands of top British director Peter Greenaway on Sunday 18 January.

The comedy written by screenwriter Thomas van der Ree tells the story of how an old couple becomes obsessed with their granddaughter’s online farming game.

Van der Ree wrote another film which was also taking part in competition: 97% by director Ben Brand, who won the award for Best Director. 97% also won Best Actor with Bert Hana taking home the yellow statuesque Mr Zee. Hana beat, among others, Reinout Scholten van Aschat and the experienced Johnny Kraaijkamp Jr who was nominated for his role in No Guts by Melvin Simons and Jon Karthaus.

This duo of directors didn’t leave empty handed though. Together with writer Julian Philbert and actor Willem Spaaij (who also stars in the film) they won the Mr Zee for Best Screenplay. The film No Guts was written in a few hours for the 48 hour film project through which films are conceived and produced in two days.

The Best Actress category was one of the toughest for the jury of the competition with excellent performances by Bian de Moor, Joke Tjalsma and Nienke ‘sGravemade. But it was Carine Crutzen the one who received the award from the hands of Ariane Schluter for her role in Southwest.

The film La Commedia by Jan-Willem de Kraaij won the award for best Post Production. Cinematographer Wouter Verberkt was selected the Best Director of Photography for his work on the film A Journey Far Away by Kurt Platvoet. Wiep Teeuwisse won Best Animation with her film Facing the News. The duo Floris+Menno won Best Experimental film with The Rapid Eye. And We Hunt by Vera Holland and Ted Alkemade was awarded Best Documentary.

But it was not only the new generation of filmmakers that were honoured at the ceremony. Director Jos Stelling was the recipient of Shortcutz Amsterdam Career Award. He was introduced by producer Marc van Warmerdam.

An emotional homage to late director and former jury member George Sluizer also took place in the evening.

The event was co-hosted by actor Mark van Eeuwen and counted with the presence of several other established names of the industry, such as Pierre Bokma, Martin Koolhoven, Eddy Terstall, Esther Rots, Paul Driessen, Roel Reiné, Ramon Gieling and Guido van Gennep.

The winning films were selected by a jury made out of actor Tygo Gernandt, actress Hanna Verboom, director Mijke de Jong, actor Vincent van Ommen, producer Jeroen Koolbergen, producer Harmen Jalvingh, EU1 co-founder Marko van Kampen, EYE film programmer René Wolf, Mediamatic co-founder Jans Possel and street-artist Laser 3.14.

Note for the press:

Link to the photos of the ceremony – copyright: Boudewijn van den Breemer

http://we.tl/nivGq1ZjkJ

Photo 4070: Martin Koolhoven

Photo 4079: Martin Koolhoven greeting winner of Post Production Jan-Willem de Kraaij

Photo 4119: Ariane Schluter 

Photo 4133: Ariane Schluter embracing Carine Crutzen, winner of Best Actress

Photo 4148: Evening hosts actor Mark van Eeuwen and co-founder of Shortcutz Amsterdam Alexa Rodrigues

Photo 4162: Bert Hana receiving the award for Best Actor from casting director Hans Kemna

Photo 4210: Eddy Terstall 

Photo 4302: Roel Reiné 

Photo 4337: Peter Greenaway 

Photo 4342: Peter Greenaway congratulating director Joost Reijmers and screenwriter Thomas van der Ree for winning Best Film

Photo 4352: Joost Reijmers during his acceptance speech

Photo 4362: Marc van Warmerdam introducing Jos Stelling

Photo 4373: Jos Stelling and Marc van Warmerdam embracing each other

Photo 4378: Jos Stelling during his acceptance speech for Shortcutz Amsterdam Career Award