RIFF, Roma Independent Film Festival, the cinematic international popular event has ended with the participation, during the seven days screenings of about 20.000 people and with 80 competing works – among feature films, short films and documentaries – coming from over 30 countries.
During the prize-giving night, presented by Sabrina Merolla, the RIFF Awards 2008 have been assigned by a jury composed, among the others, by Andrea Osvart, Libero De Rienzo, Francesca Inaudi, Paul Zonderland, Umberto Massa, Laura Muscardin, Rudolph Gentile:
Best Feature film: The Class by Imar Raag (Estonia);
Best First Feature film: The Paper Prince by Marko Kostic (Serbia);
New Vision 2008 award: Chi nasce tondo by director Alessandro Valori (Italy);
Best Documentary: The Greatest Silence: Rape In The Congo by Lisa F. Jackson (USA)
Best Italian Short film: L’Oro Rosso by Cesare Fragnelli

Special Mention Italian Shorts: La strana infedeltà by Livio Rositani and La Moglie by Andrea Zaccariello, for their ability to explore the difficulties of modern interpersonal and couple relations with an ironic, deep and intelligent touch.

Best Foreign Short: Bathing by Philipp Batereau (Germany)
Best Short for “Students short” section: The Simple Life by Christina Schiewe (Germany)
Best Animation Short: Standby di Jannis Walz (Germany)
Best Feature film screenplay: La Sirena by Ezio Maisto and Maria Cristina Di Meo
Best Short film screenplay: La Badante by Erica Liffredo

Among the prestigious foreign guests during the Festival week we remember: Giulia Rodano (Town Councillor for the Lazio Region District), Alessandro Haber, Valeria Solarino, Alex Tossenberger, Alessandro Valori, Annette K. Olesen, Lisa F. Jackson (awarded at Sundance), Paul Zinder, Silvana Ceschi, Reto Stamm, Raúl de la Fuente, Inigo Weistmeier, Beshnik Bisha, Ifigeneia Makri, Anna Garneta, Nadia Zavarova, Marga Gutiérrez, Eva Neymann, Olga Neverko, Marko Kostic, Roman Bondarchuk, Cuca Roseta as well as all directors of the competing works.
RIFF wishes to thank the Ministry for Culture and Heritage (Direction for Cinema), the Local Authority for Culture, Entertainment and Sport for the Lazio Region District and Rome Province, Rome Municipality, SIAE and IMAIE and all sponsors who have supported and contributed to the fulfilment of the VII edition of the Festival.