“We need to talk about Kevin” named best picture at BFI Awards

The 55th BFI London Film Festival announced its award winners yesterday night revealing Lynne Ramsay’s harsh adaptation of Lionel Shriver's bestseller “We Need to talk about Kevin” as this year’s best film.

The award, in partnership with American Express, was chaired by John Madden who presented it with fellow judge Gillian Anderson.

On behalf of the jury Chair, John Madden, said: “This year’s shortlist for Best Film comprises work that is outstanding in terms of its originality and its stylistic reach. It is an international group, one united by a common sense of unflinching human enquiry and we were struck by the sheer panache displayed by these great storytellers. In the end, we were simply bowled over by one film, a sublime, uncompromising tale of the torment that can stand in the place of love. “We Need to Talk About Kevin” is made with the kind of singular vision that links great directors across all the traditions of cinema.”

The ceremony, hosted by Marcus Brigstocke, saw actress Candese Reid achieving the Best British Newcomer prize for “Junkhearts”, a sophisticated, social drama about hope and the search for redemption. The award, in partnership with Swarovski honouring new and emerging film talent, was presented by Edgar Wright and Minnie Driver.

Starting acting at the age of nine, Reid joined Nottingham’s prestigious Television Workshop, and her role in “Junkhearts”, at the age of 18, was her first professional acting role. She also received a bursary of £5,000 courtesy of Swarovski.

Chair of the Best British Newcomer jury, Andy Harries, said, “Candese is a fresh, brilliant and exciting new talent. Every moment she was on screen was compelling.”

Pablo Giorgelli, director of “Las Acacias”- a slow-burning, uplifting and enchanting story of a truck driver and his passengers.-, won the long-standing Sutherland Award for the most original and imaginative feature debut in the Festival. The Argentinian  received his Star of London from film director Terry Gilliam.

The jury commented: “In a lively and thoughtful jury room debate, Las Acacias emerged as a worthy winner, largely because of the originality of its conception. Finely judged performances and a palpable sympathy for his characters makes this a hugely impressive debut for director Pablo Giorgelli.”

As previously announced Ralph Fiennes and David Cronenberg were awarded with BFI Fellowship prize. Aimed to an individual whose body of work has made an outstanding contribution to film culture, the Fellowship is the highest accolade that the British Film Institute bestows. The Canadian auteur received the award for his film “A Dangerous Method” premiered at the Festival on Monday. The Fellowship was presented by Jeremy Thomas and Michael Fassbender.

Ralph Fiennes, one of Britain’s pre-eminent actors, who has just made a bold and critically well received transition to film directing with his festival film “Coriolanus”, was also presented with a Fellowship, this time from fellow actor and personal friend Liam Neeson.

The panel of jurors attending the ceremony included: Best Film jurors John Madden, Andrew O’Hagan. Gillian Anderson, Asif Kapadia, Tracey Seaward and Sam Taylor-Wood OBE; Sutherland jurors Tim Robey, Joanna Hogg, Saskia Reeves, Peter Kosminsky, Hugo Grumbar, and the artist Phil Collins. Best British Newcomer jurors Anne-Marie Duff, Tom Hollander, Edith Bowman, Stephen Woolley and Nik Powell; and Grierson Award jurors Mandy Chang of the Grierson Trust, Charlotte Moore, Head of Documentary Commissioning at BBC, Kim Longinotto and Adam Curtis.

Other guests included respected figures in the film world like Alfonso Cuarón , Sheharazade Goldsmith, Duncan Kenworthy, Aaron Johnson, Paul Gambaccini, Chair of the BFI Greg Dyke, Chief Executive Amanda Nevill and Festival Director Sandra Hebron.