'LOURDES' WINS THE GOLD GIRALDILLO FOR BEST FILM

The jury emphasized the sensation of uncertainty given by Jessica Hausner's film and its ability to capture the audience's attention

The film 'Lourdes', by the Austrian director Jessica Hausner, has won the Gold Giraldillo for Best Film at the Seville Festival. The film tells the story of a young girl who, after spending almost all her life in a wheelchair, decides to travel to the French shrine with a group of pilgrims. Her sudden cure provokes the envy of some, the admiration of others and the growing love of one of her travelling companions.

The award has a cash prize of 50,000 euros, intended for the film's distribution in Spain. That amount will be given to the company which has the distribution rights of the film, which must be opened in Spain during the twelve months following the granting of the award.

The Silver Giraldillo has gone to the production "Nothing Personal", by the director Urszula Antoniak. The award has a cash prize of 25,000 euros, also intended for the distribution in Spain of this film, which tells the story of a young Dutch girl who travels through Ireland enjoying her solitude. There she meets a solitary man who offers her a job and takes her into his house with just one condition: that there will be nothing personal between them.

The final award of the Official Section, the Special Jury Prize, with a cash prize of 25,000 euros for the film's distribution in Spain, has gone to the British production '44 Inch Chest', directed by Malcolm Venville. The film tells the story of a group of friends who kidnap the lover of the wife of one of them in order to teach him a lesson. However, once they have captured him doubts arise about what to do with him.

The Award for Best Direction, which was open to all the films in the competitive sections, has gone to the Hungarian director Roland Branik for his film 'Transmission'. The award, with a cash prize of 15,000 euros, recognised the director's work in this story of a world in which every screen has gone blank.

The Gold Giraldillo for Best Documentary Film, open to participants in the Eurodoc section and with a cash award of 20,000 euros for the documentary's distribution in Spain, was given to the Spanish production 'Garbo, the man who saved the world', the first film directed by producer Edmon Roch. The film recalls the figures of a Spaniard who acted as a double agent in World War II and whose main mission was carried out in the hours prior to the Normandy landings.

The Eurimages Award, with a cash prize of 30,000 euros, has gone to 'Tears of April', directed by Aku Louhimies. The film, set during the Finnish civil war in 1918, tells the story of a man and a woman on opposite sides whose lives cross, lighting the spark of a tense love amidst the horrors of the conflict.

The Grand Audience Award, with a cash prize of 50,000 euros for the film's distribution in Spain, and which was open to films participating in the EFA Selection, was for the French film 'A Prophet', from the director Jacques Audiard. The votes by the spectators of the Seville Festival gave the award to this prison story that shows the coexistence of a young prisoner with the different gangs in the prison where he is being held.

Finally, the Swiss video artist, Pipilotti Rist, who presented her first work as a film director, 'Pepperminta' at the Seville Festival, has received the Extraordinary Award from the Jury President. The award 'recognises her singular creative approach to the world of image'.

The Youth Jury Prize, given by a special jury made up of students from Seville University as part of the Festival Camp_US, has gone to the film 'Transmission'.