French language film Two Days, One Night has taken out the Sydney Film Prize at the closing night gala held yesterday evening at the State Theatre in Sydney.
The film, directed by brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, stars Marion Cotillard as a woman who, with the help of her husband (Fabrizio Rongione) tries to convince her co-workers to forgo their yearly bonus so she may keep her job.
The film is a Belgian production with French and Italian co-producers.
It has very well received critically and currently has a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 92 per cent.
Other prize winners included Janine Hosking’s 35 Letters, which took out the Inaugural Documentary Australia Foundation Award for Australian Documentary, with a special mention going to Tender directed by Lynette Wallworth.
The Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films were also announced, with the Dendy Live Action Short Award going to I Want to Dance Better at Parties, directed and written by Matthew Bate and Gideon Obarzanek.
Alex Grigg’s Phantom Limb took out the The Yoram Gross Animation Award, while The Rouben Mamoulian Award for Best Director was awarded to Eddy Bell for Grey Bull.
A new award – The Event Cinema Australian Short Screenplay Award – went to Dave Wade for his short Welcome to Iron Knob, with a special mention given to Matt Durrant for Pocket Money.
Before the awards were announced, NSW Minister for the Arts, Troy Grant said, “Sydney Film Festival is a highlight of the city’s rich arts calendar and plays an important role in the local and national film industry. The New South Wales Government, through Screen NSW and Destination NSW, is proud to support another successful year for the Festival.”
SFF CEO Leigh Small said, “Our Closing Night Gala marks the end of another successful 12-day Festival, and the seventh consecutive year of growth in attendance. This year we welcomed over 156,000 people to screenings, events and talks.”
SFF Festival Director Nashen Moodley said, “From the unforgettable Opening Night film 20,000 Days on Earth and the star-studded premiere of David Michôd’s The Rover to the emotional standing ovation at Tender and the warmly received 2014 Cannes Palme d’Or winner Winter Sleep, this year’s Festival truly was one to remember.”
After the awards the audience viewed the closing film of the festival, Taika Watiti’s vampire documentary What We Do in the Shadows, before an invitation-only event was held at The Loft at King Street Wharf.