Dido dela Paz (center) in “Alipato: The Very Brief Life of an Ember”
Khavn dela Cruz’s “Alipato: The Very Brief Life of an Ember” won the Special Jury Mention honor at the 22nd Geneva International Film Festival, held in Switzerland from Nov. 4 to 12.
The jury describes the Filipino movie as a “crazy film in every sense of the word. A violent statement. Madness and freedom that rock from the start.”
The jury says that the film relates “the life of a gang living in Mondomanila in 2052.”
The jury consists of producer Michel Merkt (“Map to the Stars,” “Elle”), actor Slimane Dazi (“Un prophète”), actor Denis Lavant (“Holy Motors”), burlesque dancer Miss Dirty Martini (“On Tour”) and filmmaker Danielle Arbid (“Parisienne”).
Saeid Rustai’s “Life+1 Day,” from Iran, brought home the best film prize, while Sofia Exarchou’s “Park,” a Greek-Polish production, shared the special jury mention award with the Philippines.
According to its website, the Geneva fest “fosters an attitude of celebration and experimentation … seeks to discover new talents [and] promote the diversity and wealth of the audio-visual arts.” —BAYANI SAN DIEGO JR.