Introduction to the 40th Critics Week
The 40th Critics Week, an independent sidebar of the Venice Film Festival, has come to a close with some exciting winners. The main prize for the best film went to the UK feature Circle, a debut feature by British writer-director Oscar Hudson.
About the Winning Film: Circle
Circle also received the most innovative feature award, which was selected by a jury of people under the age of 35. The film follows two soldiers from opposing nations who are stationed together at a remote border in South Africa. The movie features Neil Maskell, Luke Tittensor, and Elliot Tittensor in leading roles. It is produced by Kevin Rowe for 2 a.m. with Thomas Benski for Magna Studios and Rik Green and Riaz Rizvi.
What the Critics Say
The critics’ jury praised Circle as "an absurd, highly colored dark comedy that increasingly turns into a waking nightmare." They noted that "the film is visually striking and we were overwhelmed by the amazing performance of the two leads. It is a sharp anti-war fable at a time when boundaries prevent exciting tensions up to date."
Other Notable Films
It was a strong performance for British films, with Imran Perretta’s ISH maintaining a high audience score of 4.3 out of 5. ISH follows two 12-year-old best friends who try to capture their friendship before a traumatic event and the search for a traumatic police encounter. The film is produced by Dhiraj Mahey and Bennett McGhee.
Distribution and Other Awards
Global Constellation has taken over the distribution of both Circle and ISH. The best independent production price went to Giulio Bertelli’s Agon, while Federico Cammarata and Filippo Foscarini were awarded the best technical contribution for Waking Times. Another British film, Julia Jackman’s 100 Nights of the Hero, was screened yesterday (Friday, September 5) in the Critics Week section outside of the competition. The Greece co-production Bearcave won the Europa Cinemas label.
