02/09/2024 - The first feature by Louise Courvoisier has taken home the Diamond Valois Award for Best Film, À bicyclette by Mathias Mlekuz received three prizes, including the Audience Award

Unveiled last May in Cannes when it won the Un Certain Regard Youth prize, Holy Cow [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Louise Courvoisier
film profile] by Louise Courvoisier has triumphed at the 17th Angoulême Francophone Film Festival (FFA) by winning the Diamond Valois Award for Best Film. The film will be released in French theatres on 11 December by Pyramide Distribution.

The jury (presided by Kristin Scott Thomas) also distinguished À bicyclette by Mathias Mlekuz by awarding it two prizes: Best Directing and Best Score (Pascal Lengagne). Also crowned with the Audience Award, this debut feature (produced by F comme Film and M.E.S. Productions) stars the director himself as well as Philippe Rebbot (who also co-wrote the script together). The plot centres on Mathias and Philippe, two old friends, who go by bike on the journey from the Atlantic to the Black Sea that Mathias’ son completed before his tragic death. The two men will go through trials with tenderness, humour and emotion.

Also worth noting is that the Best Actor Award went to Marco Luraschi for his turn in Lads [+see also:
film review
film profile] by Julien Menanteau, while Canadian actress Mylène Mackay imposed herself in the Best Actress category for Dis-moi pourquoi ces choses sont si belles by her compatriot Lyne Charlebois. Finally, Laetitia Dosch and Anne-Sophie Bailly won the Best Script Valois Award for Dog on Trial [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Laetitia Dosch
film profile] (appreciated at the latest Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section).

The list of winners:

Diamond Valois Award
Holy Cow [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Louise Courvoisier
film profile] - Louise Courvoisier (France)

Best Direction Valois Award
À bicyclette - Mathias Mlekuz (France)

Best Script Valois Award
Laetitia Dosch and Anne-Sophie Bailly - Dog on Trial [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Laetitia Dosch
film profile] (Switzerland/France)

Best Score Valois Award
Pascal Lengagne - À bicyclette

Best Actor Valois Award
Marco Luraschi - Lads [+see also:
film review
film profile] (France/Belgium)

Best Actress Valois Award
Mylène Mackay - Dis-moi pourquoi ces choses sont si belles (Canada)

Audience Valois Award
À bicyclette - Mathias Mlekuz

French-Speaking Students Valois
Vingt Dieux - Louise Courvoisier

Rothschild Martin Maurel Valois for Best Producer
Julie Salvador (Christmas in July) - The Jolly Forgers [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Yolande Moreau
film profile]

René Laloux Valois for Best Animated Short Film
Les nœuds du destin - Déborah Chang (France)

(Translated from French)