Jury Unveils First Eight EFA Winners

EUROPEAN CINEMATOGRAPHER 2018 – PRIX CARLO DI PALMA:
Martin Otterbeck for U - JULY 22 (UTØYA 22. JULI)

Martin Otterbeckʼs cinematography masterfully balances an aesthetic concern with the political meaning of the tragedy of Utøya.
With very concentrated one-shot hand-held camera work, the cinematographer had to decide what to follow and what not to follow, thus creating an intense viewing experience as you find yourself on the island with the youngsters.
Right-wing extremism is dangerously rising again: Cinema, in each of its parts, has the overwhelming responsibility to bring light into our dark times.

EUROPEAN EDITOR 2018:
Jarosław Kamiński for COLD WAR (ZIMNA WOJNA)

The cuts in COLD WAR are meaningful and emotional, almost like poetry. This poetic way of editing supports and enhances the sensuality of the story. The editor sensitively leads the heroes through time, emphasizing their isolation from each other in space, the fragmentarity of their relationship and the impossibility of being together.

EUROPEAN PRODUCTION DESIGNER 2018: 
Andrey Ponkratov for THE SUMMER (LETO)

The production design of Andrey Ponkratov makes us really believe and feel like we are in the middle of an early 80s Leningrad summer at the very beginning of major political changes.

The film sets include large open nature locations like a beach, closed flats stuffed with people and things and an almost claustrophobic concert hall. The well-researched work of the whole art department team supports and underlines the authentic atmosphere of that period in a subtle way.

EUROPEAN COSTUME DESIGNER 2018: 
Massimo Cantini Parrini for DOGMAN

Massimo Cantini Parrini's costumes use the style of Italian neo-realism in a very effective and creative manner, applying it to contemporary times, succeeding to create credible characters in this aesthetic convention. The costumes serve the film very well by skilfully merging with photography and production design, creating, altogether, this particular aesthetics. The colour palette was carefully chosen and well balanced, adding a sense of rough poetry to the film.

EUROPEAN HAIR & MAKE-UP ARTIST 2018:
Dalia Colli, Lorenzo Tamburini & Daniela Tartari for DOGMAN

Rather than putting the art on display, the hair & make-up always remains realistic and connected to the story. There are a lot of violent scenes, a lot of fights, and the make-up always is spot on, never overdone and never too much, it is credible right through the movie.

EUROPEAN COMPOSER 2018:
Christoph M. Kaiser & Julian Maas for 3 DAYS IN QUIBERON (3 TAGE IN QUIBERON)

The beautiful score for 3 DAYS IN QUIBERON fulfils the brief of effective film music, both technically and artistically. It serves the film well, working perfectly as a counterpoint to its narrative, and imparts a poetry to the black and white Nouvelle-Vague aesthetic. The main theme is not only touching, but wholly engaging. Nostalgic, romantic, sensual and melancholic, it captures the soul of Romy Schneider. It is rare in contemporary cinema to hear a melodically and harmonically distinguished score of this kind which has also been afforded the space on screen it requires to make a genuine impact.

EUROPEAN SOUND DESIGNER 2018: 
André Bendocchi-Alves & Martin Steyer for THE CAPTAIN (DER HAUPTMANN)

Following the story and the visuals at a perfect pace, the sound designers have created a soundtrack which truly lifts the film to another level. With its technically perfect, fine-tuned, poetic, atmospheric & dynamic approach, the composition adds another layer to the viewing experience.

EUROPEAN VISUAL EFFECTS SUPERVISOR 2018: 
Peter Hjorth for BORDER (GRÄNS)

The visual effects in BORDER are subtle and invisible. They support the narrative without ever imposing themselves upon the film or taking the viewer out of the story. At the emotional high point of the film, visual effects are instrumental in telling the story and making us believe the world that we have been drawn into. As such, the visual effects fulfil the number one goal of artists and artisans in filmmaking; to be in service of the story. In addition to this, they elevate the film and take us to a place that would not be possible without the help of world-class, seamless visual effects.