“The Artist,” which received a Best Picture PGA nomination today, was the hit of Capri, Hollywood – The Smart International Film Festival, winning Film of the Year for its Golden Globe nominated director Michel Hazanavicius and the Best Actress nod for its female lead, Bérénice Bejo. Michael Fassbender was named Best Actor for his performance in “Shame,” and Sir Ben Kingsley received the Fest’s 2011 Legend Award, a career honor.
The Fest’s 16th edition, which was directed by Pascal Vicedomini and chaired by Melissa Leo concluded here yesterday.
“My Week With Marilyn,” which had its Italian premiere here, was singled out by the festival's honorary chair, Lina Wertmueller, who declared the film had the best overall cast of any film that screened at the festival. And Emanuele Crialese, was given the Capri Peace prize for his work as the director of “Terrafirma,” Italy's candidate for the foreign language Oscar this year
In addition to their Golden Globe nominations, both Bejo and Fassbender have been garnering critical and audience acclaim for their respective performances and are being highly touted as front runners in the year-end awards races. Recently Fassbinder was named Best Actor by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association for his 2011 performances in "A Dangerous Method", "Jane Eyre", "Shame” and "X-Men: First Class,” and Bejo received a Best Actress in a Supporting Role nomination for “The Artist” from the Screen Actors Guild (SAG).
Kingsley, who is currently receiving rave notices for his performance as Georges Melies in Martin Scorsese’s “Hugo,” joined a list of international entertainment icons that have previously received the Capri Legend Award including Dennis Hopper, Vanessa Redgrave, Helen Mirren, Claude Lelouch, Luciano Pavarotti, Samuel L. Jackson, Steven Zaillian, Andrei Konchalovsky, Giancarlo Giannini and Baz Luhrmann, amongst others.


Hazanavicius, Bejo, Fassbender, Kingsley and Crialese were all on hand in Capri to receive their awards. Other notable Festival attendees included French actor Vincent Perez and his wife Karine Silla, Italian actress Valeria Golino, Academy Award-winners Forest Whitaker and Melissa Leo, producer-director Lee Daniels, and super-model/actress Madalina Ghenea.
Capri, Hollywood – The Smart International Film Festival 2011 was directed by Pascal Vicedomini and produced by the Capri in the World Institute. Gino Paoli, the poet of Italian music, and the Italian-American actress Melissa Leo (Oscar winner in 2011 for “The Fighter”) chaired the 16th annual event. The Fest also featured a tribute to the legendary Grace Kelly, the late beloved Princess of Monaco and a tribute to the British choreographer and filmmaker Lindsay Kemp. With regard to socially relevant activities, Capri, Hollywood hosted the International symposium against discrimination and racism presented in association with UNICEF. 


The Fest was presented with the support of the General Directorate of Cinema of the Ministry of Culture, the Campania Region and the Chamber of Commerce of Naples, in cooperation with Hogan, Alitalia and Planter’s. With the additional support of the City of Capri and the Municipality of Anacapri, the great celebration of International cinema included many film premieres, a retrospective of the most remarkable films of the past season as well as the ceremonies for the much sought-after Capri Awards that went to actors, writers and filmmakers.


pictured: Michel Hazanavicius, Pascal Vicedomini and Sir Ben Kingsley.