Elena wins Grand Prix for Best Film at the 38th Ghent Film Festival

This year's international jury was made up of jury president, Jessica Woodworth (director, Belgium), Erik Poppe (director, Norway), Nathan Larson (composer, USA), Marion Döring (executive producer of the European Film Academy (EFA), Germany) and Eran Riklis (director, Israel). THE RESULTS The Grand Prix for Best Film: ELENA by Andrei Zvyagintsev - Distributor: Imagine Film Distribution This prize is worth a total of € 43,000: support for the release of the film in Flanders and Brussels (in at least five cinemas) to the value of € 20,000 + a media campaign to the value of € 23,000. The Georges Delerue Award for Best Music/Sound Design: SACHA GALPERINE & EVGUENI GALPERINE and SENJAN JANSEN for the music and sound design of Nicolas Provost's THE INVADER - Distributor: O'Brother Distribution This prize is worth a total of € 25,000: support for the release of the film in Flanders and Brussels (in at least five cinemas) to the value of € 10,000 + a media campaign to the value of € 15,000. Special mentions: BLUE BIRD by Gust Van den Berghe Best Actor: ISSAKA SAWADOGO (Nicolas Provost's The Invader) Best actress: ELIZABETH OLSEN (Sean Durkin's Martha Marcy May Marlene) EFA Short Film Award Ghent: DEMAIN, CA SERA BIEN by Pauline Gay (FR, 2011) As a consequence this film has been nominated for the 2012 European Film Academy's Short Film Award. National Lottery Award for Best Belgian Short Film A Belgian jury screened 10 short films, which were all created at Belgian film schools. One film earned a special mention, while another received the award for best Belgian short film. Jury: actresses Chris Lomme (jury president) and Barbara Sarafian, animation filmmaker Raoul Servais, Wallimage director Philippe Reynaert, distributor and operator Chantal Krakowski and professor of film history Johan Swinnen. BROEDERS (Brothers) by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (Sint-Lukas, Brussels) The laureates are Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, for their fascinating parable, 'Broeders' (Brothers). At times the story is oversimplified but their short film is a good example of real cinema with astounding visual flair. The compact storyline draws you in, managing to capture your attention thanks to a good mix of toughness and humour, glamour and reality. After last year's special mention with Astaghfiro, this twosome has proved that we should definitely keep an eye on them. Special mention: COCKAIGNE van Emilie Verhamme (Sint-Lukas, Brussels) Emilie Verhamme's Cockaigne earned a special mention from the jury for her consistent style and her honest portrayal of an unforgiving atmosphere (a similar approach to that of the Dardenne Brothers). Her characters are real people, whom she portrays without using excessive emotion and without magnifying their personalities to the extreme. These are flesh-and-blood people who are completely credible and with whom you immediately sympathise. The Port of Ghent and Canvas Audience Awards will be announced on Monday, October 24th.