lav diaz of the philippines wins orrizonti prize (grand prize) at the 2008 venice film festival

Director Lav Diaz poses with the Orrizonti Prize for his film Melancholia during the Orizzonti Awards Photocall at the at the Piazzale del Casino during the 65th Venice Film Festival on September 6, 2008 in Venice, Italy.

(Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Europe)

Director Lav Diaz poses with members of his cast and the Orrizonti Prize for his film Melancholia during the Orizzonti Awards Photocall at the at the Piazzale del Casino during the 65th Venice Film Festival on September 6, 2008 in Venice, Italy.

(Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Europe)

Biennale Cinema 65th Venice Film Festival Official Orizzonti Awards

6 September 2008

The Orizzonti Jury at the 65th Venice Film Festival, comprised of Chantal Akerman (President), Nicole Brenez, Barbara Cupisti, Jose Luis Guerin, and Veiko Õunpuu, has unanimously decided to award the following prizes:

ORIZZONTI PRIZE to:

Melancholia by Lav DIAZ (Philippines)

ORIZZONTI DOC PRIZE to:

Below Sea Level by Gianfranco ROSI (Italy / USA)

SPECIAL MENTION to:

Un Lac by Philippe GRANDRIEUX (France)

SPECIAL MENTION to:

Wo men (We) by HUANG Wenhai (China / Switzerland)

Biennale Cinema 65th Venice Film Festival Official Venezia 65 Awards

Venice, 6th September 2008

The Venezia 65 Jury, chaired by Wim Wenders and comprised of Juriy Arabov, Valeria Golino, Douglas Gordon, Lucrecia Martel, John Landis, and Johnnie To, having viewed all twenty-one films in competition, has decided as follows:

GOLDEN LION for Best Film:

The Wrestler by Darren Aronofsky (USA)

SILVER LION for Best Director to:

Aleksey German Jr. for Bumažnyj Soldat (Paper Soldier) (Russia)

SPECIAL JURY PRIZE to:

Teza by Haile Gerima (Ethiopia, Germany, France)

COPPA VOLPI for Best Actor:

Silvio Orlando for Il papà di Giovanna by Pupi Avati (Italy)

COPPA VOLPI for Best Actress:

Dominique Blanc for L’autre by Patrick Mario Bernard and Pierre Trividic (France)

MARCELLO MASTROIANNI AWARD for Best Young Actor or Actress:

Jennifer Lawrence for The Burning Plain by Guillermo Arriaga (USA)

OSELLA for Best Cinematography to:

Alisher Khamidhodjaev and Maxim Drozdov for Bumažnyj Soldat (Paper Soldier) by Aleksey German Jr. (Russia)

OSELLA for Best Screenplay to:

Haile Gerima for Teza by Haile Gerima (Ethiopia, Germany, France)

SPECIAL LION for Overall Work to:

Werner Schroeter

The Jury decided to award a Special Lion for his uncompromising and relentlessly innovative work over a period of 40 years to Werner Schroeter.

“LUIGI DE LAURENTIIS” AWARD FOR A DEBUT FILM

The “Luigi De Laurentiis” Award for a Debut Film Jury at the 65th Venice Film Festival, comprised of Abdellatif Kechiche (President), Alice Braga, Gregory Jacobs, Donald Ranvaud, and Heidrun Schleef, has unanimously decided to award the

“LUIGI DE LAURENTIIS” AWARD FOR A DEBUT FILM to:

Pranzo Di Ferragosto by Gianni Di Gregorio (SIC - International Critics’ Week, Italy)

Aurelio De Laurentiis and Filmauro award a cash prize, of 100,000 USD, to the winning first film (50,000 to the director, 50,000 to the producer). To the director, an additional film voucher for 40,000 Euro will also be awarded, offered by Kodak.