Over the weekend Shopping, the Kiwi drama directed by Mark Albiston and Louis Sutherland, won the Grand Prix prize at the prestigeous Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) in the Generation 14Plus section. Along with the award, the team netted themselves 7,500 Euro – nice work! The Berlinale is one of the oldest and most respected festivals, selling over 300,000 tickets each year and attended by almost 20,000 industry professionals from 130 countries.
The festival jury described the film as “An extremely compelling first film with a fantastic lead actor. We loved watching him on screen and felt a deep empathy with him. Sharp editing, strong visual choices and a complex, painful and loving portrayal of family. We appreciated the specificity of the world you brought us into. Your dedication to your vision is palpable.”
Shopping is “set in 1981 in a world of muscle cars, racial tensions and a thieving bird, all of which inform the small town life of brothers Willie and Solomon. After a chance encounter with charismatic thief Bennie and his close-knit gang of ‘shoppers’, Willie is seduced into a criminal world that allows him to escape mounting tensions with his volatile father. But as Bennie’s hold over him grows Willie finds himself in over his head; and when Solomon is left to fend for himself at home, Willie’s two worlds collide with shattering consequences.”
The film stars Jacek Koman (Defiance, The Hunter) as Bennie, Alistair Browning (Rain) as Terry, and introduces Kevin Paulo as Willie and Julian Dennison as Soloman. Shot on the Kapiti Coast and in Wellington, Shopping is the feature debut for directors Albiston and Sutherland, whose short films Six Dollar Fifty Man and Run have received worldwide recognition. The film was produced by Warp Films Australia’s Anna McLeish and Sarah Shaw (producers of Cannes-awarded Snowtown), and was financed by the New Zealand Film Commission with support from Fulcrum Media Finance.
Congratulations to everyone who worked on Shopping. Can’t wait see it in theatres here – a NZ release date will be announced soon and the film will be distributed here by Madman Entertainment.
Here’s the list of winners from the Berlin International Film Festival:
Prizes of the International Jury
Golden Bear for the Best Film
Poziţia Copilului (Child’s Pose) – Călin Peter Netzer
Jury Grand Prix (Silver Bear)
Epizoda u životu berača željeza (An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker) – Danis Tanović
Alfred Bauer Prize (Silver Bear)
Vic et Flo ont vu un ours (Vic & Flo Saw a Bear) – von Denis Côté
Awards for Best Director (Silver Bear)
David Gordon Green – Prince Avalanche
Award for Best Actress (Silver Bear)
Paulina García – Gloria
Award for Best Actor (Silver Bear)
Nazif Mujić – Epizoda u životu berača željeza (An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker)
Award for Best Script (Silver Bear)
Jafar Panahi – Pardé (Closed Curtain)
Award for an Outstanding Artistic Contribution in the Categories of Camera, Editing, Music Score, Costume Design or Set Design (Silver Bear)
Aziz Zhambakiyev for the camera in Uroki Garmonii (Harmony Lessons)
Special Mentions
Promised Land – Gus Van Sant
Layla Fourie – Pia Marais
Prizes of the Children’s Jury in the Competition Generation Kplus
Crystal Bear for the Best Film
The Rocket – Kim Mordaunt
Special Mention
Satellite Boy – Catriona McKenzie
Crystal Bear for the Best Short Film
The Amber Amulet – Matthew Moore
Special Mention
Ezi un lielpilseta (Hedgehogs and the City) – Ēvalds Lācis
Prizes of the International Jury in the Competition Generation Kplus
The Grand Prix for the Best Feature Film
Mammu, es Tevi mīlu (Mother, I Love You) – Jānis Nords
Special Mention
Satellite Boy – Catriona McKenzie
The Special Prize for the Best Short Film
Cheong – Kim Jung-in
Special Mention
Ezi un lielpilseta (Hedgehogs and the City) – Ēvalds Lācis
Prizes of the Youth Jury in the Competition Generation 14plus
Crystal Bear for the Best Film
Baby Blues – Kasia Rosłaniec
Special Mention
Pluto – Shin Su-won
Crystal Bear for the Best Short Film
Rabbitland – Ana Nedeljković and Nikola Majdak
Special Mention
Treffit (The Date) – Jenni Toivoniemi
Prizes of the International Jury in the Competition Generation 14plus
The Grand Prix for the Best Feature Film
Shopping – Mark Albiston and Louis Sutherland
Special Mention
Baby Blues – Kasia Rosłaniec
The Special Prize for the Best Short Film
Första gången (The First Time) – Anders Hazelius
Special Mention
Barefoot – Danis Goulet
Prizes of the International Short Film Jury
Golden Bear for the Best Short Film
La Fugue (The Runaway) – Jean-Bernard Marlin
The Jury Prize (Silver Bear)
die ruhe bleibt (Remains Quiet) – Stefan Kriekhaus
Berlin Short Film Nominee for the European Film Awards 2013
Misterio (Mystery) – Chema García Ibarra
Best First Feature Award
Best First Feature
The Rocket – Kim Mordaunt
Special Mention
A batalha de Tabatô (The Battle of Tabatô) – João Viana
