LONDON — Jonathan Cenzual Burley’s “The Shepherd” hooked awards for film, director and actor at the 24th Raindance Film Festival, which wraps Sunday. The Spain/U.K. co-production is about a small-time farmer facing a land grab by a major construction firm.
The actress prize went to Camila Romagnolo for Argentina’s “Hortensia.” directed by Diego Lublinsky and Alvaro Urtizberea. The film’s magical realism and quirky humor is reminiscent of “Amelie.” It centers on Hortensia, whose father was recently electrocuted by their faulty fridge. She sets out to achieve her childhood goals: to create the most beautiful pair of shoes in the world, and to marry a man who is blonde like her father.
Rick Darge’s “Zen Dog,” a U.S. road movie about a man who discovers the art of lucid dreaming, received a special award for Film of the Festival. Raindance founder Elliot Grove said: “We chose ‘Zen Dog’ because of the spirit in which it was made. It takes on a meditative magic-carpet ride of the dreamworld and looks at how we can influence both our dreams and waking life. The film cleverly weaves in the spiritual with the philosophical.”
The jury included Stephen Fry, Anna Friel, Joanna Lumley, Imelda Staunton and Olivia Colman.
THE WINNERS
Film: “The Shepherd”
Director: Jonathan Cenzual Burley (“The Shepherd”)
Actor: Miguel Martin (“The Shepherd”)
Actress: Camila Romagnolo (“Hortensia”)
Screenplay: Joaquin del Paso and Lucy Pawlak (“Panamerican Machinery”)
U.K. Feature: “Gozo”
Documentary Feature: “Growing Up Coy”
Discovery Award (Debut feature): “Kamper”
Indie Award: “Selling Isobel”
Film of the Festival Award: “Zen Dog”
Short Film – “A l’Arrache” (“Snatched”)
U.K. Short Film: “Healey’s House”
Music Video: “Joy”
