It's a wrap for film festival

By Xu Wei  |   2008-6-23  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

Ma Guowei (right), accompanied by director Gao Qunshu, walk onto the stage to receive best actor award for his performance in the film "Old Fish" last night at the closing ceremony of the 11th Shanghai International Film Festival. The film also earned the Jury Grand Prix. More in photo gallery

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RUSSIAN movie "Mukha" won the top Golden Goblet award for best feature film as the curtain fell on the 11th Shanghai International Film Festival at the Shanghai Grand Theater last night.

The Russian production depicts a difficult relationship between a father and his 16-year-old daughter called Mukha, who has lived alone since her mother died.

She takes up boxing and never asks anyone for help ?? until one day a stranger appears and tells her that he is her father.

"This is my feature debut," said director Vladimir Kott, 35. "I didn't expect this award."

Non-professional actor Ma Guowei was named best actor for his impressive performance in Gao Qunshu's black-comedy police film "Old Fish." Ma, who is a policeman, brought his own experience to the character, and the film also earned the Jury Grand Prix.

Czech actress Emilia Vasaryova, who plays a widowed mother devoting all her love to her son in the movie "Vaclav," earned the best actress award. The best screenplay was given to Marek Epstein, the movie's script writer.

Acclaimed Latvian film maker Maris Martinsons took the best director award for his powerful and poetic storytelling in the emotional film "Loss," about a woman who fights for the custody of a child.

"This is the most wonderful evening of my life," said Martinsons. "I would like to thank the team for their hard work." The film's score also won composer Andrius Mamontovas the best music award.

Best cinematography went to German cameraman Florian Schilling, who shot "My Mother's Tears."

This year 16 films from more than 10 countries were in the running for Golden Goblet Awards during the nine-day event.

Director Wong Kar-wai, president of the jury panel, said that many entries this year conveyed common themes of love, hope and the human spirit.

During the ceremony, the festival also donated 35 sets of digital screening devices and radio broadcast equipment to the quake-stricken Dujiangyan City in Sichuan Province.

French film "Joyeux Noel" ("Merry Christmas"), which shows WWI's Christmas truce in 1914, was the festival's closing film.