Seminci 2022 Awards: ‘Return to Dust’, by Chinese director Li Ruijun, wins the Golden Spike

‘Return to Dust’, by Chinese director Li Ruijun, won the Golden Spike at the 67th Valladolid International Film Week, the Seminci. Sixth feature by the director born in the Chinese province of Gansu, the film is about the humble and simple Ma and the shy Cao, expelled from their families and forced into an arranged marriage. The Silver Spike went to Ireland’s ‘The Quiet Girl’, Colm Bairéad’s first feature film, which also won the FIPRESCI and the Audience Award. The awards were handed out in a gala presented by Elena S. Sánchez and Eva Marciel and in which actor Antonio Resines received a Spike of Honor.

The jury composed of Kate O’Toole, Jorge Arriagada, Pablo de Vita, Patricia Ferreria, Martín Hernández, Gracia Querejeta and Marie-Pierre Richard notes that “You found it difficult to describe this film because it covers a multitude of fundamental human issues. What does it mean to ‘have a place on Earth’? The film is a hymn to the idea of ​​surviving with dignity and shows the importance of Nature in our lives and how we discriminate against the marginalized. Does it matter if we’re just dust to dust? “. The film already had a distributor before being screened in the competition ever since BTeam Pictures will handle the commercial distribution of the film.

Valladolid became the capital of cinema for one night last October 29, a closing gala that returned the festival to its maximum splendor, after two years marked by restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the audience standing, she dances and applauds to the rhythm of Jeanette’s famous theme song Why do you go?, Performed by the singer herself. So, as if a fantastic edition of the Seminci that starts were already missing, The closing gala, conducted in unison by actress Eva Marciel and journalist and presenter Elena S. Sánchez, culminated.

Spike of Honor for Antonio Resines, absent due to COVID-19

After 273 cinema films, good cinema, that cinema on the move, auteur cinema, of prestigious directors and even newcomers, the festival was greeted with a gala that saw the participation of several well-known faces to award the prizes, such as Julieta Serrano, Rubén Ochandiano, Laura Rozalén, Mabel Lozano, former member of the Tequila Alejo Stivel or Gonzalo Miró group. Although he had already been awarded the Golden Spike when he held his master class at the festival, the gala served as an official act to award this accolade to Jim Sheridan, who collected it from his compatriot and president of the international jury for this edition, Kate O’Toole.

Who He could not go to collect his honorary award was Antonio Resines, for having been infected again by the covid. However, that didn’t stop him from starring in one of the most exciting moments of the act. It was his friend, director Fernando Colomo, who took the stage to receive the award on his behalf.

Applause for Karra Elejalde and the Irish ‘The Quiet Girl’ wins three awards

Another of the moments that attracted the most applause at the Calderón Theater was when Karra Elejalde and Ivan Barnev went to collect their respective awards for best actor, an ex aequo award.for his brilliant interpretations in the delicate ‘Vasil’, Avelina Prat’s first feature film. “I feel very happy, very happy, very grateful, thank you Valladolid, thank you citizens of Valladolid […] Ribera del Duero you gave me my weight in wine. I can’t say I carry you in my heart, but I will take you in my liver “said the Basque actor before unleashing the laughter of the audience and handing over the baton to his shooting partner.

The Best Actress Award went to Lubna Azabal, for a fascinating work in the intimate ‘El caftán azul’. The Franco-Moroccan interpreter appeared virtually at the gala. The same thing happened with the Polish Jerzy Skolimowski, who won the prize for best director. With a video also Mikhaël Hers, winner of the best screenplay for ‘The Night Passengers’ or Kristoffer Borgli, director of ‘Sick of Myself’, thanked their awardsconsidered the best film in the Meeting Point section.

Another protagonist was ‘The Quiet Girl’, which won three awards. Colm Bairéad attended the gala and thanked the Festival, the audience, his wife and producer of the film, the team, the author of the literary work on which his film is based and, finally, all those who, “with their support, they have secured the future of Gaelic cinema in Ireland”.

Complete record

Official Section:

Golden Spike for Best Picture: ‘Return to the dust’, by Li Ruijun (China).

Silver tip: ‘The Quiet Girl’, by Colm Bairéad (Ireland).

Best address: Jerzy Skolimowski, for ‘EO’ (Poland, Italy).

Best Screenplay: ‘The Night Passengers’, by Mikhaël Hers, Maud Ameline and Marlène Désert (France).

Best New Director: Cristèle Alves Meira, for ‘Alma viva’ (Portugal, France, Belgium).

Best Actor: Karra Elejalde and Ivan Barnev, for ‘Vasil’ (Spain, Bulgaria). Ex fair.

Best Actress: Lubna Azabal for ‘The Blue Kaftan’ (Morocco, France, Belgium, Denmark).

Best Photograph: Rubens Impens for ‘The Eight Mountains’ (Italy, Belgium, France).

Best editing: Kim Sang-bum, for ‘Decision to leave’ (South Korea).

Best Ibero-American Film: ‘Don’t look in the eyes’, by Félix Viscarret (Spain).

Audience Award: ‘The Quiet Girl’, by Colm Bairéad (Ireland).

Youth Jury Award: ‘Beautiful Beings’, by Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson (Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands, Czech Republic).

FIPRESCI Award: ‘The Quiet Girl’, by Colm Bairéad (Ireland).

Golden Spike for Best Short Film: ‘Emotional architecture 1959’, by León Simminiani (Spain).

Silver Spike (short film): ‘Ice Merchants’, by João Gonzalez (Portugal).

Candidate for the short film EFA Valladolid 2023: ‘Emotional architecture 1959’, by León Simminiani (Spain).

Meeting point:

Best Feature Film: ‘Sick of Myself’, by Kristoffer Borgli (Norway, Sweden) and ‘War Pony’, by Gina Gammell and Riley Keough (United States). Ex fair.

Audience Award: ‘Joyland’, by Saim Sadiq (Pakistan) and ‘The Sparrow’, by Michael Kinirons (Ireland). Ex fair.

Best Spanish Short: ‘The future’, by Santiago Ráfales (Spain).

Best foreign short film: ‘O Homen do Lixo’, by Laura Gonçalves (Portugal).

Special Mention (Best European Short): ‘Happy New Year, Jim’, by Andrea Gatopoulos (Italy).

Youth Jury Award: “Palm trees and power lines”, by Jamie Dack (United States).

Special Mention (Youth Award): ‘Sick of Myself’, by Kristoffer Borgli (Norway, Sweden).

Story time:

Best Film: ‘All That Breathes’, by Shaunak Sen (India, United States, United Kingdom).

Second prize: ‘Rojek’, by Zaynê Akyol (Canada).

Best Short Film: ‘La Mécanique des fluides’, by Gala Hernández López (France).

Audience Award: ‘Afghan Dreamers’, by David Greenwald (Afghanistan).

Spain document:

Best Film: ‘Hafreiat’, by Álex Sardá (Spain, Jordan).

Other awards:

Award for the short film Castilla and León: ‘Plein Air’, by Raúl Herrera (Spain).

Funds Award: ‘All that Breathes’, by Shaunak Sen (India, United States, United Kingdom).

Young Seminci Award: ‘Oliver’s universe’, by Alexis Morantes (Spain).

Rainbow tip: ‘Warsha’, by Dania Bdeir (France, Lebanon).

Green tip: ‘Delikado’, by Karl Malakunas (Australia, Hong Kong, United States, Philippines, United Kingdom).

Special mention (green tip): ‘Ice Merchants’, by João Gonzalez (Portugal).

Golden blog award: ‘The Eight Mountains’, by Felix van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeerschn (Italy, Belgium, France).