The 14th edition of the international documentary film festival DocsBarcelona closes its curtains and ‘Foreign Parts’ is awarded best film

Barcelona (ACN).- After six intense days, the international film festival, DocsBarcelona has come to an end.  From the first to the sixth of February, 42 different movies, short and long were screening in auditoriums all around the city.  The American documentary 'Foreign Parts', directed by Verena Paravel and Paul Sniadecki picked up the award for best film this year. The film, which wins 6,000 euros, captures daily life in the Willett Point neighbourhood in New York. The dilapidated industrial area is still inhabited by local illegal residents even though it is demolished and full of dirty sewers, old trash and old car parts. The TV3 Human Rights Prize (from the Catalan Public Television), worth 4,500 euros, went to ‘Enemies of the People '. Directed by Rob Lemkin and Thet Sambath, the movie captures the horrific genocide of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia in 1970.

The film is a profound reflection on the definition of good and evil. It is a personal journey into the dark heart of the journalist and filmmaker Thet Sambath, whose family was annihilated in the killing fields. Her patience and discipline ensured that unknown perpetrators confessed their behaviour during the Khmer Rouge regime in front of the camera.

The TV3 New Talent Prize, worth 2,000 euros, was scooped up by Oliver Laxe for his movie, “Todos vos sodes capitans”. The aesthetic movie shows a young filmmaker facilitating a European audiovisual workshop with foster children in a centre in Tangier, Morocco. During filming, the director's unorthodox working methods destroyed his relationship with the children, to a point that transformed the whole development of the project.

Macarena Aguilo and Susana Foxley picked up the Docs & Teens Prize, worth 1,500 euros for their movie 'El Edificio de los chilenos’ (‘The Chilean’s Building). The Kids& Docs, worth 1,000 euros, was awarded to ‘L'últim vestit de la Júlia’ (Julia’s last dress), a Xavier Artigas and Diethield Meier movie. 'El ambulante d'Eduardo de la Serna', a movie by Lucas Marcheggiano and Adriana Yurcovich won the best audience prize and the Spanair ShortDocs prize was granted to Noemi Sjöberg for her short documentary ‘Liv’. Internet users had to choose the winner from the 30 entrants.

Peter Greenaway

The director of DocsBarcelona John Gonzalez thanked all the different organizations and institutions for their "support and confidence” each year. Gonzalez also made reference to the importance of being able to invite a personality like Peter Greenaway, 'who generated huge excitement’ and highlighted the fact that a ‘stable bridge’ need to be created with Latin America. Before the award ceremony, the movie '’Empleadas y Patrones (Employers and Maids)' was screened, a movie by Abner Benaim about the peculiar relationship of home workers with their employers.

The filmmaker Peter Greenaway is internationally known for films which focus on changes in the world of cinema. He directed movies like 'The draughtman's Contract’ and ‘Rembrandt's J'Accuse’. He als worked on movies like ‘The Last Supper’. This week, at the 14th edition of DocsBarcelona, the renowned directed gave a master class and a lecture about his personal vision of cinema.

The closing ceremony was presented by the Catalan journalist Bibiana Ballbé and was attended by the Minister of Culture, Ferdinand Mascarell, the local Counciller from the Gracia district of Barcelona City Council, Guillem Espriu, the director of TV3, Monica Terribas, and the director of the Filmoteca, Esteve Riambau.

The ICIC is supporting the festival

Although the festival had a budget of 400,000 euros, it could not be possible without its loyal sponsors and partners. This year, the Catalan Institute of Cultural Industries (ICIC) participated financially in the organization of this festival. The newly appointed director of ICIC, Felix Riera, said to be careful resource for the 'creation' documentary, a genre rooted in Catalonia, and that despite being aware that this event will never have the impact of general festivals, which have other routes. For Riera, 'interesting' place emphasis on the creation, production and exhibition, and the public can receive.

According to Felix Riera, this festival is important because "to put a value approach and a genre 'which in Europe has a lot of television and film projection. Riera has argued that as the new director of ICIC is already working and listening to the industry 'and' see major emergencies. The goal is to make a radiograph of the audiovisual sector at a time of crisis and economic difficulties, and try to 'give the best possible service' to their needs.