34. World Film Festival Montréal
26.08.-06.09.2010

www.ffm-montreal.org/ | http://www.officecom.qc.ca/

The Ecumenical Jury of SIGNIS and INTERFILM at the 34th Montreal World Film Festival 2010 awards its Prize in the international competition program to the film

Adem / Oxygène / Oxigen
directed by Hans Van Nuffel, Belgium/Netherlands, 2010

Adem means “breath”. Tom, a young man who has cystic fibrosis, is struggling to cope with his short life expectancy. He crosses paths with Xavier who also has the lung disease. Xavier helps him to abandon his fatalism and say yes to life. This original and luminous film highlights the fragility and value of life, and explores the search for meaning and happiness, a search common to all people.

The jury awards a commendation to the film

Das Lied in mir / The Day I Was Not Born
directed by Florian Cossen, Germany/Argentina 2010

31 year old Maria grew up in Germany.  An unexpected childhood memory during a stopover in Buenos Aires leads to the discovery that she is not who she thinks she is – the life she knows is based on a lie. She begins a search for her true identify that will require her and her family to choose between family love, loyalty and justice.  The film dramatizes the importance of memory, and the strength of family bonds.

The film "Adem” also won the Grand Prix des Amériques. The film “Das Lied in mir” was also the winner of the Fipresci Prize and the „Prix du Public".

Read also the festival report by jury member John P. Ferré:
  Download PDF file (© WACC/Media Development)

Members of the Ecumenical Jury:

John P. Ferré, United States (University of Louisville)
Jean-Yves Fischbach, France, (Filmmaker)
Louise Fleischmann, Canada (Advertising and Communication)
Daniel Grivel, Switzerland (Editor of CinéFeuilles)
Father Richard Leonard, Australia
Lavinia Mohr, Canada (WACC), President