AFI FEST 2009: PRECIOUS, THE WHITE RIBBON, AJAMI

Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire by Lee Daniels (top); The White Ribbon by Michael Haneke (middle); Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Filippo Timi in Vincere by Marco Bellocchio (bottom)

Among the Sunday, Nov. 1, highlights at the AFI FEST 2009 at the Chinese Theater complex in Hollywood are:

Lu Chuan’s historical drama City of Life and Death, winner of the Golden Shell for best picture at the San Sebastian Film Festival
Claude Chabrol’s psychological mystery-drama Bellamy, his first collaboration with Gérard Depardieu
Lee Daniels‘ Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire, a strong possibility for the Oscar 2010 best picture shortlist and the Sundance 2009 US Narrative Jury Prize winner
Michael Haneke’s Palme d’Or winner and potential Oscar 2010 contender [...]

Chicago Film Festival Awards 2009

2009 Chicago Film Festival Awards
2009 Chicago Film Festival: Oct. 8-22, 2009
 

Tina Mabry’s Mississippi Damned depicts the issues faced by the children of a poor and highly dysfunctional family in rural Mississippi. Earlier this year, the film was given the top prize at Outfest in Los Angeles.
 
International Feature Film Competition

Gold Hugo for Best Film: MISSISSIPPI DAMNED (US)

Silver Hugo for Special Jury Award: FISH TANK (UK)

Silver Hugo for Best Director: Marco Bellocchio for VINCERE (Italy)
Silver Hugo for Best Actress: Giovanna Mezzogiorno of VINCERE (Italy)
Silver Hugo for Best Actor: Filippo Timi of VINCERE (Italy)
Gold Plaque for Best Supporting Actress: Jossie Harris Thacker in MISSISSIPPI DAMNED (US)

Gold Plaque for Best Supporting Actor: Michael Fassbender in FISH TANK (UK) [...]

Cannes 2009: Best Screenplay Favorites

Best Screenplay
Any of those listed for best film, in addition to:
Marco Bellocchio’s Vincere (co-written by Bellocchio and Daniela Ceselli), about how Benito Mussolini mistreated his first wife (Giovanna Mezzogiorno, top photo) and son while millions of Italians thought he was just the greatest guy around.
Ken Loach’s Looking for Eric (written by Paul Laverty), about a postman who gets soccer player Eric Cantona (middle photo) to become his life coach.
Writer-director Xavier Giannoli’s In the Beginning (bottom photo), in which a con man gets a small town to build a highway.
 
Photos: Courtesy Festival de Cannes