Italian film honour for Meadows

BBC News, UK
Oct 21 2006

Meadows’ previous films include A Room for Romeo Brass Director Shane
Meadows has picked up the special jury prize at the inaugural Rome
Film Festival for This Is England. The film, set in 1983, is about an
impressionable young boy who becomes involved with a gang of skinheads.

"I thank the jury because the subject matter of the film is not
something easy to vote for," Meadows told the AFP news agency.

Russian film Playing The Victim, a modern-day version of Shakespeare’s
Hamlet, won the best film prize.

Emotional

The films were judged by a popular jury of 50 film fans chosen from
the public.

The director of Playing the Victim, Kirill Serebrennikov, gave an
emotional speech after the winner was announced.

"This film is a film for Russia and for Russians. Because we
still believe that cinema can change people’s way of thinking and
consciences," he said.

France’s Ariane Ascaride was named best actress for her role in Robert
Guediguian’s poignant drama Armenia.

Italy’s Giorgio Colangeli was judged best actor in the film L’Aria
Salata (The Salt Air) by Alessandro Angelini.

The film follows the story of a father and son who are reunited in
unusual circumstances after years of estrangement.

Sir Sean Connery was honoured with a lifetime achievement award on
the eve of the festival earlier this month.