Sofia Exarchou’s ‘Animal’ receives Best Feature Film at Thessaloniki Film Festival
This was the first time in 30 years that a Greek film took home the top honors at the country’s longest-running film festival.
In a warm, convivial and intimate atmosphere, the 64th Thessaloniki Film Festival awards were bestowed on Sunday afternoon in one of the port’s scenic warehouses.
Four Golden Alexander Awards were bestowed as part of the four main competition categories.
Sofia Exarchou’s “Animal” was bestowed the International Competition’s Best Feature Film Golden Alexander “Theo Angelopoulos”, the festival’s most esteemed award, while Dimitra Vlagopoulou, who played Kalia in the film, received the Best Actress Award ex aequo with Joanna Arnow from the film “The Feeling that the Time for Doing Something has Passed.” Joanna Arnow, who wrote, directed, and starred in the film, also received the Silver Alexander Best Direction Award.
Head producer of the film “Animal,” Maria Dandraki (left) received the Best Feature Film Golden Alexander award, along with director Sofia Exarchou and actress Flomaria Papadaki (right), who played Eva in the film. [Giorgos Papadimitriou]
The second Golden Alexander “Michel Dimopoulos” award was bestowed to Marie Amachoukeli’s “Àma Gloria,” which took part in the Meet the Neighbors+ competition section which consists of debut or sophomore films of upcoming film directors that intend to offer a deeper understanding of the human condition and the state of things in our wider geographical region.
As part of the Film Forward competition section, which includes bold film directors who question the conventions of filmmaking, the Golden Alexander was bestowed to Lois Patiño’s “SAMSARA.”
Marcio Sal’s “Finally Me” received the fourth Golden Alexander award in the ceremony for Best Immersive Film. The Immersive competition section embraces films that make use of the latest technologies, proving that this new medium paves new ways for cinematic art and experience.
To view the rest of the award winners, visit filmfestival.gr.
