10th Grossmann Festival awarded Heavenly Shift and honoured Djordje Kadijević

On Saturday, the 19th of July, the jubilee 10th edition of Grossmann Fantastic Film and Wine Festival came to a conclusion with a magnificent closing ceremony.

The following awards were given:

Honorary Vicious Cat, given to Serbian director Djordje Kadijević, author of numerous cinematic masterpieces, to celebrate his brilliant pioneering work in the field of fantastic film in Yugoslavia.

Vicious Cat award for best Best Feature Film was given to HEAVENLY SHIFT (Isteni műszak; Hungary; 2013; directed by Márk Bodzsár) by the jury consisting of Michael Sarne, Igor Koršič and Dejan Ognjanović.

»A thunderous journey on the dark side of humanity where only through black humor one can face the most tragic circumstances of the Eastern block countries in transition.«

Special Mention:

ASMODEXIA (Spain; 2014; directed by Marc Carreté)

»For a powerful, imaginative and exciting use of religious iconography and inventive reversal of generic conventions and the dark side of religion where Catholicism meets Satanism.«

Slak's Vicious Cat, Best Short Film Award, went to UNDERGROUND (Subterraneo; Spain; 2013; directed by Miguel A. Carmona). The jury consisted of Zoran Smiljanić, Ludvik Bagari and Aleš Pavlin.

»In just a few steps, the film goes from sexual lust through mortal fear to a fatal decision. Heroes caught in a subjective conflict and objective drama experience primal horror in this claustrophobic thriller where mere survival does not bring deliverance, but is only a prelude to a long, unhappy and doomed future. A film, worthy of Hitchcock!«

Special mention:

EPHEMERAL (Efímera; Spain; 2013; directed by Diego Modino)

»A successful marriage of fairytale-like poetic and brutal realism.«

Melies d'Argent, the European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation award, was given to short film 24 HOURS WITH LUCIA (24 horas con Lucia; Spain; 2013; directed by Marcos Cabotá). The jury was comprised of Zoran Smiljanić, Ludvik Bagari and Aleš Pavlin.

»A film that says - in a darkly humorous, montypythonesque way - that Satanic possesion is a welcome refreshment of a troubled marriage. Or: if you want to face the devil, you have to love him first.«

Special mention:

MOCKING DEATH - THE TUTORIAL (France; 2013; directed by Victor Druillet, Norman Jangot)

»A bizarre guide how to react when the Grim Reaper knocks on your door.«

Noisy Cat for the Best Music Documentary went to THE RIGHT MAN FOR CAPITALISM (Pravi človek za kapitalizem; Slovenia; 2013; directed by Dušan Moravec).

The jury consisted of Igor Vidmar, Igor Bašin and Jernej Šavel.

»Those of us who know Damir Avdić watch him as he is. In first person. With his film, Dušan Moravec portrayed his minimalism of power just as straightforward as Damir Avdić himself is. A rocker, poet, guitar player, performer, writer, artist, a man. Portrait of a wholesome person.«

Vicious Cat Wine Champion, Award for Best Wine as chosen by our film guests, went to Šipon 2012 (Vinogradništvo družina Kos).

In our Little Workshop of Horrors, the following short films were made:

HORROR FARM (Farma grozze, Slovenija, 2014, directed by: Gregor Gašperin, Rok Mencin, Aleksander Polanko, Irena Žugič, Miha Mally)

PHASE V (Faza V, Slovenija, 2014, directed by: Antonio Vonde)

SNAKE BLOOD (Kačja kri, Slovenija, 2014, directed by: Aaron Horvath)

The winner:

FAZA V (Faza V, Slovenija, 2014, directed by: Antonio Vonde)

The Cat now retreats to its vicious lair, it shall return again in a year!