The two First Cut Lab films at Venice did not leave the festival empty handed! Listen by Ana Rocha de Sousa (prod. Paula Vaccaro & Rodrigo Areias) won no less than two lions and 4 Independent Awards: Best Debut Film and Special Jury Prize Lions, Best Film Sorriso Diverso, Best Film for social impact; Bisato D’Oro, Best Film by Independent film critics; ARCA Cinema Giovani Award for Best Opera Prima Casa Wabi – Mantarraya, and Orizzonti Hollywood Foreign Press Association Award. Oasis by Ivan Ikić (prod. Milan Stojanović) won the Europa Cinemas Label as Best European Film in the Giornate degli Autori section of the Festival. In receiving the Label, Oasis will benefit from promotional support from Europa Cinemas and better exhibition thanks to a financial incentive for network cinemas to include it in their programming schedule.

Read the statement of the jury:

“This is a beautifully made and poetic film, the stand out film in the Giornate this year, and our unanimous choice as winner of the Europa Cinemas Label here in Venice. Ivan Ikić’s OAZA/OASIS is tender and deeply moving but also a raw and brutal look at the lives and loves of a group of young people with disabilities in a state run home in Serbia.  The director treats his amateur actors with delicacy and total respect. They reward him with remarkably strong naturalistic performances. The screenplay is perfectly structured and the cinematography provides beautiful, memorable images.  This is a film that needs to be seen on the big screen. Perhaps the best endorsement from us is that we are all looking forward to seeing the film again as soon as possible.”

Congratulations to both film teams!!