The feature films Rara by Pepa San Martín and Much Ado About Nothing / Aquí no ha pasado nada by Alejandro Fernández Almendras were both the winners of the Pedro Sienna Award for Best Chilean Film, it was announced over the weekend at a ceremony in Chillán. In its 11th annual edition, the Pedro Sienna Awards—named after the pioneering filmmaker and actor—are presented by Chile's National Council for the Arts and Culture and honor the best of Chilean cinema of the year.
Fernández Almendras' fourth feature film which is based on a on a real life scandal in which the son of a right-wing senator found his way out of a drunk-driving fatality while his friends took the fall, was also awarded for Best Screenplay and for Best Editing. San Martín's debut feature about a 13-year-old girl living with her mother and her new girlfriend who has to deal with family problems while being preoccupied with her own adolescent issues, won a second award for Best Supporting Actress.
The big winner of the evening was Pablo Larraín's Neruda which won the most awards, with five wins out of six nominations, mostly in the technical categories, including for Best Supporting Actor and Best Cinematography.
Jorge Riquelme's debut feature Camaleón was the winner of three Pedro Sienna Awards including for Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Original Music. Jorge Leiva's Quilapayún, Beyond the Song / Quilapayún, más allá de la canción was the winner of the Pedro Sienna Award for Best Documentary Feature.
