–by Nicole Muj, Kultura PR and Dr. Laura Wilhelm, LauraWil Intercultural
West Hollywood, CA (The Hollywood Times) 5/27/19 – The inaugural French Riviera Film Festival (FRFF) celebrating short film and short-form content has announced its 2019 winners. FRFF was produced by Cloud21 International (www.cloud21.com) and Kultura PR International (www.kulturapr.com) and held on May 18th and 19th, 2019 in Cannes, France at Eden Hôtel & Spa. Winners were announced on May 19th at a gala awards ceremony that featured a special Industry Excellence Award presentation to filmfestivals.com founder Bruno Chatelin.
The FRFF 2019 Winners are:
Best Actress: Behdokht Valian, Tattoo (Iran)
Best Actor: Vincent De Paul, Mattyboy (USA)/Gwyr: Reflections (UK)
Best Director: Bertrand Normand, The Photographer (France)
Drama – Tattoo: A young Iranian woman only wanted to renew her driver’s license, but when the officials noticed a scar on her wrist and her tattoo, they began looking at her with suspicion.[Director: Farhad Delaram, Country: Iran, Duration: 15:00]
Comedy – Mis’TIC: A loving father his devoted daughter and his troublesome ‘tic.’ A comedy about misunderstandings and a wonderful heart-warming father / daughter relationship. [Director: Eric Rino, Country: Austria, Duration: 14:00]
Sci-Fi/Horror – The Desolation Prize: The Desolation Prize is a gothic horror that draws its inspiration from old Hammer Films, and the works of Val Lewton, Robert Wise and Jack Layton, combining them all into a sort of John Carpenter aesthetic. [Director: Shane Day, Country: Canada, Duration: 15:00]
Animation – The Tree of Lost Souls: An introverted 11-year-old girl uses her imagination as a refuge from the world around her, a world that has been falling apart around her. [Director: Laura Zamora, Country: Spain, Duration: 15:35]
Documentary -A Grand Journey: Kira, who was born with a disability, embarks on a unique, but incredibly relatable, journey to climb the iconic Grand Teton. [Director: Amon Barker, Country: USA, Duration:15:00]
Experimental – Fictional Characters: Hans is just starting to discover the world. Gretel is a teen, feeling rage to everything. Everyone is in love with the Witch searching for their “virtual I” and trigger for transformation. [Director: Ivana Noa, Country: Belgium, Duration: 10:00]
Music Video – Red Lion: A numinous Red Lion illuminates the path the warrior goddess Metallia must take to align her fragmented selves and restore an ever-present multidimensional vision long lost to humanity. [Director: Olivia Hadjiioannou, Country: Greece, Duration: 5:22]
Fashion – Levi’s Film: Film about iconic Levi brand. [Director: Ali Murtaza, Country: USA, Duration: 2:25]
Lifestyle – Be Your Own Kind: A young man meets a woman with an abusive past. They fall in love at first sight. [Directors: Amir Zargara, Christian Lat, Country: Canada, Duration: 9:58]
FRFF recognizes and celebrates short-form content created for film, television, Web, and all digital platforms. Scheduled during the time period of the Festival de Cannes, FRFF invites filmmakers from around the globe to participate in the two-day event that includes screenings, an awards ceremony, and a closing gala reception.
FRFF welcomed filmmakers, industry executives, celebrities, media, and influencers as attendees and participants.
A special highlight of the 2019 event included an out-of-competition screening of the Oscar-winning short “Skin” in association with Salaud Morisset.
Co-founder, Nicole Muj adds, “We sincerely could not have wished for a better turnout by the global film community as we celebrated short film and short form content on the French Riviera during Cannes. We look forward to our second year that is sure to be even bigger and better.”
Event sponsors included Bodvar House of Roses, My Power of One, Naturalina.ru, The Good Gin, Theta Cameras, Ultimate Provence, and Yuzzl.com.
FRFF’s jury members include Michael Benoraya, Bruno Chatelin, and Ana B. Remos as well as Monica Baca, founder/CEO, B Team Media Group Corp.; Lena Bass, journalist, Hollywood Foreign Press Association;
Claude Brickell, filmmaker, screenwriter and educator; Anna Marie de la Fuente, journalist,Variety; Mick Garris, screenwriter/filmmaker; Laura Powers, host/producer, Healing Powers; Eileen Tasca, Managing Director, Alien Films & Task Films; Sue Vicory, founder, Heartland Films,www.womendocumentaryfilmmakers.com; and Dr. Laura Wilhelm, journalist, The Hollywood Times.
This reporter was pleased and proud to judge the FRFF Drama category. This year’s winning drama short, Tattoo, reminds one of well-known Kafka works such as THE TRIAL and “In the Penal Colony” that pit the individual against an absurdly punitive state in an intensely riveting agon. Tattoo and the other winning FRFF entries set the bar very high for the future!
The goals of FRFF were well summarized by awardee Olivia Hadjiioannou: “I am grateful to film festivals like FRFF, which welcome new works, celebrate originality, and promote creative freedom.” For more information, please see the following link: http://frenchrivierafilmfestival.com/
