Russian film wins Rome’s first film festival
Sat Oct 21, 2006 10:11 PM IST
By Valentina Consiglio and Nicola Scevola

Reuters, UK
Oct 21 2006

ROME (Reuters) – A modern-day Russian film, based on Shakespeare’s
Hamlet, won top prize at Rome’s first international film festival as
the nine-day marathon wrapped up on Saturday.

"Playing the Victim" by Kirill Serebrennikov, a critically acclaimed
theatre director in his native Russia, was named best film among
the 16 movies in competition. They were mostly art-house titles by
new directors.

Serebrennikov’s film is a family drama centred on a young student
who uncovers the mystery surrounding his father’s death.

The jury also gave a special prize to "This is England", British
director Shane Meadows’ story of a 12-year-old boy befriending a
group of skinheads in the early 1980s.

In different ways, both films explore the confusion and disillusionment
of younger generations. They were chosen by a 50-member jury made up
of ordinary film-goers and supervised by Italian director Ettore Scola.

"Neither of these two very beautiful films is commercial but I hope
both will reach the big audiences," Scola said at the award ceremony.

Serebrennikov said his film — adapted from a play by the Presnyakov
brothers — was a film "for Russia and for Russians".

"We still believe that cinema can change people’s way of thinking
and their consciences," he said.

"I think my film is an artistic portrayal of what is passing through
the minds of people in Russia today: terror, hope, insecurity."

Meadows drew on his own experience as a troubled teenager student
who dropped out of school to tell the story of Shaun, an isolated
boy growing up in a grim English coastal town.

He says he found the lead character for the film, 13-year- old Thomas
"Tommo" Turgoose, at a project for disadvantaged children in the town
of Grimsby.

"He had grown up with all the odds stacked up heavily against him,"
Meadows recalls in the film’s production notes.

As he thanked the jury for the prize on Saturday, Meadows said:
"Twelve months ago, the young actor in this film was going through a
dramatic period in his life and had no chances. A year later, he is
getting a prize … that could change his life."

Italy’s Giorgio Colangeli was named best male actor for his role as
a convicted murderer in "L’aria salata", while the best actress award
went to France’s Ariane Ascaride, for her interpretation in "Armenia"
by director Robert Guediguian.

(Additional reporting by Silvia Aloisi)