L'Alternativa
Prizewinners 2018
Festival Prize for Best Feature Film in l’Alternativa Official
The jury for Best Feature Film in the Official Section at the 25th edition of the Barcelona Independent Film Festival, l’Alternativa, made up of Santiago Fillol, Eugenia Mumenthaler and Marc Sempere Moya, met on 16 November 2018 and agreed unanimously to award the Festival Prize for Best Feature Film to El silencio es un cuerpo que cae, by Agustina Comedi (Argentina). This film explores the complexities of a different age by telling a very private story and inviting us to share the silences that bound the characters’ lives together.
The jury also awarded a Special Mention to The Image You Missed, by Donal Foreman (United States).
Festival Prize for Best Short Film in l’Alternativa Official
The jury for Best Short Film in the Official Section at the 25th edition of the Barcelona Independent Film Festival, l’Alternativa, made up of Daniel Ebner, Maider Fernández Iriarte and Cloe Masotta, met on 16 November 2018 and agreed unanimously to award the Festival Prize for Best Short Film to Optimism, by Deborah Stratman (United States / Canada). The jury valued Deborah Stratman’s intuitive, poetic approach and her use of images and, above all, sound to express human optimism in a wild and open landscape through the medium of film.
The jury also awarded a Special Mention to Mon amour, mon ami, by Adriano Valerio (Italy / France), for the skilful way in which it tells a very powerful story of love and friendship, just as the title suggests.
Critics Award for Best Feature Film in l’Alternativa Official
The jury for the Critics Award for Best Feature Film in the Official Section at the 25th edition of the Barcelona Independent Film Festival, l’Alternativa, made up of Vanessa Agudo, Laura Blanco and Aarón Cabañas, met on 16 November 2018 and agreed unanimously to award the Critics Award to Black Mother, by Khalik Allah (United States). This highly expressive film combines analogue and digital formats to express a richly interwoven narrative.
The jury also awarded a Special Mention to La casa lobo, by Joaquín Cociña and Cristóbal León (Chile), for its strikingly original idea deftly accomplished by setting stop-motion action against the backdrop of dark fairytales to tell a story rooted in real life.
Don Quixote Prize for Best Feature Film in l'Alternativa Official
The jury for the Don Quixote Prize for Best Feature Film in the Official Section at the 25th edition of the Barcelona Independent Film Festival, l’Alternativa, made up of Madhurima Barua Sen, Eva Campos Suárez and Øyvind Hellenes, met on 16 November 2018 and agreed unanimously to award Don Quijote Prize to América, by Erick Stoll and Chase Whiteside (United States). This highly moving and overwhelmingly positive film explores brotherly and intergenerational love as three brothers take care of their elderly grandmother.
GAC Award for Best Screenplay in l'Alternativa Panorama
The jury for the GAC Award for Best Screenplay in l'Alternativa Panorama at the 25th edition of the Barcelona Independent Film Festival, l’Alternativa, made up of Kike Barberà, David Ordinas and Júlia Martín, met on 16 November 2018 and agreed unanimously to award the GAC Award for Best Feature Film Screenplay to La grieta, by Irene Yagüe and Alberto García Ortiz (Spain). A painstakingly shot film whose screenplay keeps up the tension without ever taking a simplistic view of events.
The jury also agreed unanimously to award the GAC Award for Best Short Film Screenplay to Galatée à l’infini, by J. Maura, M. Pluchino, A. Reijnen, M. Chatzi and F. Flores (Spain), for its solid screenplay and cinematography. A sharp-minded look at the objectification of women.
The jury also awarded a Special Mention to Mi madre no me entiende, by Álvaro de Miguel (Spain).
Residency Award in l'Alternativa Panorama
The jury for the Residency Award in l'Alternativa Panorama at the 25th edition of the Barcelona Independent Film Festival, l’Alternativa, made up of Sesi Bergeret, Pere Ginard and Tess Renaudo, met on 16 November 2018 and agreed unanimously to award the Residency Award to Lo que dirán, by Nila Núñez Urgell (Spain).
Audience Award for Best Short Film in l’Alternativa Official
The Audience Award at the 25th edition of the Barcelona Independent Film Festival, l’Alternativa, goes to the film Porque la sal, by Cardozo Basteiro (Spain).
Antaviana–Mentoring Projects Prize in l’Alternativa Professionals
The postproduction and digital effects company Antaviana Films has awarded the Antaviana Prize in Mentoring Projects to the project H, by Carlos Pardo.
Kinolux–Mentoring Projects Prize in l’Alternativa Professionals
The professional film-lighting hire company Kinolux has awarded the Kinolux Prize in Mentoring Projects to the project Cantando en las azoteas, by Enric Ribes.
Primer Test del REC
L’Alternativa Professionals, in collaboration with REC, Tarragona International Film Festival, has chosen the project The placer es mío, by Aurora D'Errico and Beatriz Pérez, to take part in Primer Test.