Luna Carmoon's ‘Hoard’ takes three prizes including audience award at Venice Critics’ Week

Luna Carmoon’s debut feature Hoard led the winners of the 38^th Venice Critics’ Week, taking three prizes including the audience award.

The UK film, about a young girl living with her hoarder mother who then reconsiders her youth when a teenager, also won the prize for most innovative film. Lead actress Saura Lightfoot Leon shared a special mention for the grand prize with actress Ariane Labed for The Vourdalak.

Scroll down for the full list of winners

The main grand prize went to Tana Gilbert’s Malqueridas, selected by a jury of Belgian musician Baloji, Cannes Critics’ Week head Ava Cahen and Romanian producer Bianca Oana.

Malqueridas also won the award for best technical contribution.

Hoard unites several Screen Stars of Tomorrow, including Carmoon (2022), producers Loran Dunn (2017) and Helen Simmons, actor Joseph Quinn (2018) and casting director Heather Basten (2021). Alpha Violet handles world sales on the film. Carmoon’s film was developed with BBC Film, which backed the film alongside the BFI.

Also today (September 8) in Venice, the inaugural Venice Biennale Impact award went to Matteo Garrone’s Competition title Io Capitano.

The award was given by a jury of Nadine Labaki (who is now in Toronto), Elsa Zylberstein, Yalitza Aparicio, Stefano Savona and Misan Sagay. The jury chose Io Capitano ‘for its artistic excellence, its relevance and need in society today and its potential to inspire audiences to change-making impact.’

Io Capitano will now work with Think-Film Impact Production, the impact production company led by Danielle Turkov Wilson, to develop an impact strategy for the film. Think-Film Impact Production held a panel earier this week at the Biennale convened by The Human Safety Net Foundation, in which the award jurors discussed why they have chosen to focus on impactful storytelling in their work.

Venice Film Festival closes tomorrow (Saturday 9), with the awards ceremony beginning at 19.00 CET.

Venice Critics’ Week 2023 winners 

Grand prize – Malqueridas, dir. Tana Gilbert
Special mentions – Saura Lightfoot Leon, Hoard; Ariane Labed, The Vourdalak

Audience award – Hoard, dir. Luna Carmoon

Most innovative film – Hoard, dir. Luna Carmoon

Best technical contribution – Malqueridas, dir. Tana Gilbert

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