LFF Award winners revealed
The competition sections of the BFI London Film Festival in partnership with American Express are a celebration of the most exciting, innovative new films and cinematic storytelling; creative, beautiful and often provocative, the films showcase an incredible range of talent from across the world.
This year's winning films chosen by four juries - led by jury presidents Alexandre O. Philippe (Official Competition), Dionne Edwards (First Feature Competition), June Givanni, (Documentary Competition) and Chloe Abrahams (Short Film Competition) - explore a fascinating breadth of themes and stories, including an animation stop-motion triumph, a masterful depiction of an immigrant woman’s alienation, an exquisite and powerful documentary on the personal growth and resilience of an Orthodox nun and an urgent and reflective documentary on the experience of growing up deaf in Gaza.
Find out more
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Official Competition (Best Film Award)
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Memoir of a Snail
Directed by Adam Elliot
The Official Competition jury said: “Our jury was incredibly moved by Adam Elliot’s Memoir of a Snail, which is a singular achievement in filmmaking. Emotionally resonant and constantly surprising, Memoir tackles pertinent issues such as bullying, loneliness and grief head-on, creating a crucial and universal dialogue in a way that only animation can. The jury is delighted to recognise an animated film alongside its live-action peers."
Special Mention: On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
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First Feature Competition (Sutherland Award)
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On Falling
Directed by Laura Carreira
The First Feature Jury said: “We would like to give the Sutherland Prize to Laura Carreira‘s On Falling, a richly-layered portrait of a world governed by corporate profit motive, as seen through the story of an immigrant woman whose alienation we feel deeply, told with masterful cinematic precision and understated, lived in performances. A powerful, mesmerising and bold first feature. Congratulations to Carreira, we look forward to seeing where her cinematic journey goes next."
Special Mention: Olivia & the Clouds
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Documentary Competition (Grierson Award)
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Mother Vera
Directed by Cécile Embleton & Alys Tomlinson
The Documentary Competition Jury said: “This exquisite film masterfully captures the inner transformation of its central character using evocative visuals that mirror her emotional journey. Each frame is rich with detail, and the directors’ sensitive approach allows the audience to intimately experience Vera’s perspective as her story evolves. The balance of aesthetic beauty and emotional depth makes Mother Vera a powerful meditation on personal growth and resilience, and the delicate treatment of momentous issues such as addiction, lost love and faith is executed with profound potency."
Special Mention: The Shadow Scholars
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Short Film Competition
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Vibrations from Gaza
Directed by Rehab Nazzal
The Short Film Competition Jury said: “We were astonished by the calibre of films in this competition and struggled to only award one film. Our winner is a film that used sound to send reverberations through our bodies and souls. Through its simplicity of storytelling, Vibrations from Gaza demands our presence, urging us not only to bear witness but to deeply reflect on the impact of growing up deaf in Gaza — a reality that many of us could never fully comprehend.”
Special Mention: Dragfox
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