The Turin International Film Festival has given its awards for 2008, with the best film prize going to “Tony Manero”, from Chilean director Pablo Larrain.
The film is set in the times of the Pinochet dictatorship, and narrates the story of a middle age man who wants to enter the show-biz world as the double of the main character in the film “Saturday Night Fever”.
It’s a film he watches constantly at the cinema and to reach his objective, he’s prepared even to kill.
The judging panel award went to US film “Prince of Broadway”, directed by Sean Baker.
It’s a film that cost only 40,000 euros to make, and is based on the improvisation and poverty of transport, which becomes a way of telling the story of an illegal immigrant on the trail of a son he didn’t know he had, in the New York’s fashion district.
Best actress award went to Emmanuele Davos for her role in Belgian film Non-Dit, by Fien Troch.
The favourite for the award was actually Irene Azuela for her role in Quemar las naves, and in the running was also Anjorka Strechel from Mein freund aus Faro.
The best actor award went to Alfredo Castro for his role in the aforementioned Tony Manero.
International critics gave the Fipresci award to the same Chilean film.
The best Italian documentary went to “Napoli Piazza Municipio” (Municiple Square, Naples) by Bruno Olivero and the special award went to Rata nece biti (Non ci sarà la guerra) by Daniele Gaglianone.
Short films awarded included: best short film “A chi è già morto a chi sta per morire” (For who’s already dead and who’s about to die) by Fulvio Pepe, special award to “Ottana” by Pietro Mele and special mention to “La nonna” by Massimo Alìm Mohammad.