AlexDeleon

The Popular Jury, made up of 50 members and presided over by Ettore Scola, has assigned the RomeFilmFest’s official awards to the following films:
The award for Best Film goes to Izobrajaya Zhertvy / Playing the Victim by Kirill Serebrennikov. The RomeFilmFest – BNL Best Actress Award is for Ariane Ascaride in Le Voyage en Arménie / Armenia by Robert Guédiguian. The RomeFilmFest – Chamber of Commerce award for Best Actor Award goes to Giorgio Colangeli in L´ aria salata by Alessandro Angelini. Finally, the Jury Special Prize is for This is England by Shane Meadows
A special RomeFilmFest - BNL Award has been assigned to Gillo Pontecorvo. The prize has been delivered by Giuliano Montaldo, close friend of the filmmaker, to the wife Picci and their sons Marco and Simone.

The Winners
Kirill Serebrennikov
Born in Rostov-on-Don in 1969, Kirill Serebrennikov graduated with a degree in Physics. While a student Kirill directed stage plays at a small local theater. Now he is one of the most acclaimed Russian theatrical directors, adored by critics and audiences for his highly unusual and contemporary visual style. Among the over 20 plays he has directed in Moscow and St. Petersburg is "Jeanne D´Arc" with Fanny Ardant. His first theatrical feature film Ragin (2004) was premiered at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival. His TV project Bed scenes (Postelnie szeny) appeared on TNT channel in 2005 and participated in the Visions program of the Toronto Film Festival. The play Playing the Victim was premiered at the Edinburgh Theater Festival.

Ariane Ascaride
Born in Marseille in 1959, Ariane Ascaride is of Italian origin. She began her career working in the theatre with her brother Pierre before starting to land small film roles in the 1970s. She gained international acclaim in 1995 with Marius and Jeannette and Robert Guediguian, for whom she has acted in five films.

Giorgio Colangeli
In a career that spans over 20 years, Giorgio Colangeli has worked with, among others, Calenda, Gassman, Lizzani, Olmi, Camerini and Pugliese. He is known to television audiences for his roles in several extremely successful series of recent years. In cinema, he has appeared in Marco Tullio Giordana¹s Pasolini: un delitto italiano, Daniele Vicari´s L´Orizzonte degli Eventi and, most recently, in Paolo Sorrentino´s The Family Friend, presented at this year´s Cannes Film Festival.

This is England
The Jury Special Award has been delivered by Ettore Scola to Shane Meadows´ This is England, an account on an English teenager growing in the 80´s in a skinhead environment. The roots of the story are autobiographical: Meadows, after a troublesome teenage, taught himself the technique of making films. After some independent short works, his first feature film was the documentary TwentyFourSeven (1997). Later on, he completed his Midlands trilogy with the British cult classic A Room For Romeo Brass (1999) and the Spaghetti Western tribute Once Upon a Time in the Midlands (2002). Dead Man´s Shoes (2004) confirmed his status as one of British film´s most significant voices.

This is the official press release of the winners of the first edition of the RomeFilmFest
The Popular Jury, made up of 50 members and presided over by Ettore Scola, has assigned the RomeFilmFest’s official awards to the following films:

RomeFilmFest – Best Film Award:
Izobrajaya Zhertvy / Playing the Victim by Kirill Serebrennikov

RomeFilmFest – BNL Best Actress Award:
Ariane Ascaride in Le Voyage en Arménie / Armenia by Robert Guédiguian

RomeFilmFest – Chamber of Commerce Best Actor Award:
Giorgio Colangeli in L´ aria salata by Alessandro Angelini

Premio Speciale della Giuria:
This is England by Shane Meadows

During the closing night ceremony, the following collateral have been appointed:
Cult Award for Best Documentary in selection:
The jury, composed of Sherin Salvetti (President), Saverio Costanzo, Paulo Morelli, Antonio Dipollina and Marco Visalberghi has chosen to award
Deep Water by Louise Osmond and Jerry Rothwell
for the following motivation: "An incredible and tragic athletic undertaking that goes beyond the value of the event itself, which induces spectators to reflect upon man´s ethical values and pushes them to measure themselves against their true nature. The story is impeccable and full of wonderful twists. A wonderful and persistent story that keeps spectators glued to their seats".

L.A.R.A. Award for Best Italian Performer (of the Libera Associazione Rappresentanti Artisti, presided over by Moira Mazzantini), chosen from among the Italian films of all the festival sections:
Ninetto Davoli in Uno su due by Eugenio Cappuccio
The jury was presided over Carol Levi and award was presented by Ornella Muti, with the following motivation: "For his ability to reinvent himself, for the sensitivity and truth that instilled in the character of Giovanni".

Blockbuster Award for the Première section:
La sconosciuta (The Unknown) by Giuseppe Tornatore
awarded by a jury of Blockbuster film renters presided over by Giovanni Veronesi