Category: City of Latina Award
LA FAIM VA TOUT DROIT by Giulia Canella
Charles is a complex boy. He feels so much lonely that every night he calls an erotic line, asking for just one person: Bijou. The woman helps him to forget his loneliness for a few minutes, but one day the boy wants more and invites her to come out. Even if Bijou does not say yes, Charles prepares for this unusual date. In the end, Charles’s uncertainties will bring to light the complicated relationship the boy has with his body and with the food.
Category: Special jury Award
ARI by Alex Murawski
Being a kid is tough. Being yourself is even harder. Overweight, shy and introverted, Ari wants nothing more than to fit in. He develops a crush on his fellow student, Jess, and attempts to lose weight and become more outgoing in his quest to belong. But his efforts only cause him more humiliation and pain, making him feel even lonelier and sadder. Finally, he makes a public declaration of his own self-acceptance — and discovers his own value. This touching coming-of-age short touches on universal themes and common experiences that have been mined before, but director Alex Murawski offers a fresh, engaging take on the genre, capturing Ari’s story with beautifully precise camerawork and well-honed performances. They bring to life a well-crafted script that underplays the emotions without ever undercutting them, and the result is a film that is still sensitive and avoids melodrama. “Ari” immerses the viewer in the main character’s inner life, truly allowing audiences to inhabit his existence and open up a wellspring of compassion. Self-acceptance and the courage to be yourself are universal themes, but Ari’s final actions in the film are surprisingly thought-provoking and heart-warming — and will have you smiling to yourself at the end.
Category: Special Mention
FOOD FOR THOUGHTS by Davide Gentile
This short film comes from a social advertising storyline. Physical laziness and comfort food are pleasant but make our lifestyle inevitably unhealthy. Many die each year because of poor eating habits, but this does not make the news. The characters sketched by Davide’s work reflect fragments of everyday life and capture their irony. Food for Thoughts is his second internationally awarded work.