The diagonal in Graz comes to an end with the main prizes for Ulrich Seidl and Sabine Derflinger. The Austrian film showed its strengths in all categories.
Ulrich Seidl’s new film “Rimini” was awarded the Grand Diagonale Prize of the State of Styria (19,000 euros) for best feature film at Diagonale ’22 on Sunday evening. “Rimini” gives insights into the life of the aging (fictitious) ex-pop star Richie Bravo, played by Michael Thomas. Seidl’s film, which captures winter moods in the Italian seaside resort of Rimini, is a eulogy to those who have been broken and failed. Bravo has alcohol, money and family problems: Despite everything, his fans listen to the promise of a more beautiful world. Wolfgang Thaler’s camera provided the concise, clear images typical of Seidl.
Sabine Derflinger’s documentary about the journalist and publicist Alice Schwarzer was voted best documentary. This award is also endowed with 19,000 euros. The film “Alice Schwarzer” begins with a polarizing TV appearance by the feminist 1975: Schwarzer in a verbal duel with the author Esther Vilar. In her documentary, Derflinger lets time levels collide and also includes very private shots – Schwarzer with her wife Bettina Flitner.
Acting awards for Windischbauer and Friedric
The acting prizes for the best performance by an Austrian actress and an actor in a competition film went to Julia Windischbauer for “Para:dies” and Georg Friedrich for “Große Freiheit”.
This year’s edition of the festival for Austrian film came to an end on Sunday evening with the award ceremony in Graz’s Orpheum. Valentin Stejskal’s “5pm Seaside” won the award for best short film. The prize is endowed with 8500 euros. “Cereal. Soy Claudia, soy Esther y soy Teresa. Soy Ingrid, soy Fabiola y soy Valeria” by Anna Spanlang received the Diagonale Prize for Innovative Cinema of the City of Graz (8,500 euros). The youth jury of the province of Styria awarded Jan Prazak (“Alles ist hin”) the prize for the best newcomer film (worth 5,500 euros). For her film “August’s Places” Valérie Pelet received the Kultum Prize for the best short documentary (6000 euros).
Excellent montage and framing
Joana Scrinzi (“Great Freedom”) received 3,000 euros for the best artistic montage feature film, and Dieter Pichler (“For the Many”) won in the documentary segment. Crystel Fournier (“Great Freedom”) won the best image design for a feature film, while Judith Benedikt, Thomas Fürhapter and Klemens Koscher (“Living Together”) received awards in the documentary film category. Also endowed with 3000 euros are the prizes for the best sound design, which Manuel Grandpierre received for the feature film (“Luzifer”) and Andreas Hamza (“For the Many”) for the documentary film.
The award for the best production design (3000 euros) went to Oleg Prodeus, Andreas Sobotka and Martin Reiter for “Hinterland”. Tanja Hausner (“Rimini”) was awarded for the best costume design. The prize for exceptional production achievements was shared and went ex aequo to FreibeuterFilm for “Hinterland” and “Große Freiheit” and to WILDART FILM for “WOOD – Der geraubte Wald”
All prices the diagonal ’22 on the internet: www.diagonale.at
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