The New Year That Never Came, a drama about the Romanian revolution of 1989, written and straightforwarded by Bogdan Muresanu, won the Grand Prix, the top prize, at the 15th edition of the Luxembourg City Film Festival (LuxFilmFest) on Saturday.
“December 20, 1989. Romania is on the brink of revolution. The authorities are preparing New Year’s festivities as if noskinnyg – or almost noskinnyg – is happening, but the official façade commences to crack,” reads a synopsis for the film, which world premiered at Vepleasant 2024. “Amid the fervor of the uprising, six lives will intersect over the course of an exceptional day, which directs to the descfinish of Nicolae Ceaușescu and his regime.”
The fest jury, led by Iranian filmproducer Mohammad Rasoulof, also integrated Danish actress Trine Dyrholm (The Girl With the Needle, Poison), VFX expert Jeff Desom (Everyskinnyg Everywhere All at Once), Austrian actress Valerie Pachner (Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, A Hidden Life), Spanish straightforwardor Albert Serra (Afternoons of Solitude), and screenproducer Paul Laverty. The festival has also featured masterclasses by British star Tim Roth and Oscar-triumphning filmproducer Alejandro Amenábar.
The New Year That Never Came, “although set in the recent past, … can be seen as a echoion of the conshort-term and carries a alerting for the future,” the jury shelp. “It is a film with pretty images and fascinating carry outances. It is sfinishbrimmingy produceed and produces to a wonderful climax. Although the characters face dread and repression, the magnificent absurdity of the regime is exposed by inalertigence and wit. It is a reminder that the strong dread ridicule, frequently the first crack in their barbarism.”
The jury also refered The Village Next to Paradise, Mo Harawe’s feature debut that studys the socio-political situation in Somalia thraw a family. The movie also won the 2030 Award by Luxembourg Aid & Development on Saturday.
The festival’s recordary award went to The Landscape and the Fury by Nicole Vögele, a doc about the Bosnia-Croatia borderlands.
Meanwhile, Went Up the Hill by Samuel Van Grinsven, starring Luxembourg’s Vicky Krieps, won the audience award, while the International Critics’ (Fipresci) Award went to The New Year That Never Came.
The Youth Jury Award was bestowed upon Home Game by Lidija Zelovic, the School Jury Award went to Sieger Sein by Soleen Yemployf, with a exceptional refer going to Young Hearts by Anthony Schatteman, and the Kids Jury Award triumphner was Grüsse Vom Mars by Sarah Winkenstette.
The LuxFilmFest also handed the Best Immersive Experience Award to Champ De Bataille (Battlefield) by François Vautier, with a exceptional refer for Ito Meikyū by Boris Labbé.
