The Festival Internacional de Cine de Cartagena de Indias (FICCI) has announced the winners of its 53rd edition, which ran February 27, with Portuguese-Brazilian co-production Tabu (pictured) by Miguel Gomes selected for Best Film.
The jury comprised of Nancy Gerstman co-founder of Zeitgeist Films, Paul Schrader, film director and screenwriter, and Raoul Peck, filmmaker, were given the task of choosing winners from a varied selection of films, awarding with the Best Director and Best Screenplay prizes to Paraguay's Juan Carlos Maneglia and Tana Schembori for the film 7 cajas / 7 Boxes, the story of a man offered the chance to deliver 7 boxes with unknown contents in exchange for $100.
In the documentary competition, the Best Film award went to the Mexican production The Mayor / El alcalde, directed by Emiliano Altuna. Carlos Rossini and Diego Osorno. Alejo Hoijman was chosen as Best Director for the film The Shark's Eye / El ojo del tiburon. Teresa Arredondo's Sibila was given special mention.
Winners of the Colombia al 100% competition, specializing in local films, were the animated feature Anina (pictured right) directed by Alfredo Soderguit, who won for Best Film and Best Director. The Best Actor prize was Alejandro Buitargo for the Deshora. The Special Jury prize was given to Priscila Padilla's The Eternal Night of Twelve Moons / La eterna noche de las doce lunas.
This year's festival saw the inclusion of special guests such as Harvey Keitel, artist Bel Borba and Julio Medem as well as a strong incentive for funding of local films and talent.
