A First Farewell Flash Forward

Source: Flash Forward

‘A First Farewell’

Lina Wang’s A First Farewell and Ivan Salatic’s You Have The Night took the top prizes at this year’s Firebird Awards at the Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF).

A First Farewell won the Firebird Award in the first ever Chinese-language Young Cinema Competition, while You Have The Night was presented with the same prize in the ‘World’ category of the awards.

Xu Zhenhao’s Give Me A Ride won two awards in the Chinese-language competition, for best director and best actor for Dang Yu’s performance, while Huang Yao won best actress for The Crossing.

Best director in the World competition went to Bas Devos for Hellhole, while Gustav Lindh took best actor for Queen Of Hearts and Martina Apostolova won best actress for Irina. 

Chinese filmmaker Jiang Wen headed the jury for the Chinese-language competition, while French critic Michel Ciment presided over the World competition jury.

This year’s FIPRESCI Prize went to Indian director Ridham Janve’s The Golden-Laden Sheep And The Sacred Mountain, which was filmed in the Gaddi language using non-professional actors.

HKIFF 2019 FIREBIRD AWARDS:

Young Cinema Competition (Chinese-language)

  • Firebird Award: A First Farewell, dir: Lina Wang
  • Best Director: Give Me A Ride, Xu Zhenhao
  • Best Actor: Give Me A Ride, Deng Yu
  • Best Actress: The Crossing, Huang Yao

Young Cinema Competition (World)

  • Firebird Award: You Have The Night, dir: Ivan Salatic
  • Best Director: Hellhole, Bas Devos
  • Best Actor: Queen Of Hearts, Gustav Lindh
  • Best Actress: Irina, Martina Apostolova

Documentary Competition

  • Firebird Award: Midnight Family, dir: Luke Lorentzen
  • Jury Prize: Advocate, Rachel Leah JONES, Philippe Bellaiche

Short Film Competition

  • Firebird Award: All These Creatures, Charles Williams
  • Jury Prize: The Call, Anca Damian

FIPRESCI Prize

  • The Golden-Laden Sheep And The Sacred Mountain, dir: Ridham Janve