Taipei, July 9 (CNA) French actor, film and theater director, and screenwriter Samuel Theis won the Grand Prize for his coming-of-age drama "Softie" at the Taipei Film Festival's International New Talent Competition, the organizers said on Friday.
"Softie" stood out from 11 other nominated works because of how it "utilizes a realistic approach to portray how a tender young soul is strengthened throughout the episode he confronts," the jury said in a statement.
Theis was also commended for presenting a "marvelous precision of cinematic technique," where his "mature capability of directing is confidently demonstrated in the actor's performance, making the powerful salvation in the finale lingering in our hearts," the jury said.
Moreover, the film also won the Taiwan Film Critics Society Award, which was presented for the fifth year, for radiant performances and masterful camerawork that "captures the protagonist's resilience in a coming-of-age narrative that goes beyond the pain and confusion of growing up."
The 95-minute color film set in a tough neighborhood in Eastern France tells the story of 10-year-old Johnny, who is sensitive, intelligent and interested in all kinds of things way beyond his years.
Things start to change when a new teacher from out of town, Mr. Adamski, takes over Johnny's class. Johnny is Intrigued by the sophisticated young teacher, Mr. Adamski, who believes in the boy and wants to open a new world to him.
Theis said the film was based on his own personal experience when he was 10 and lived in difficult conditions because his family was poor at the time.
He described the film as a portrait of childhood and the region of Eastern France.
"I was very interested in showing how this age of a 10-year-old is really an age where you are able to have a lot of enchantment, where you dream a lot, have a lot of feelings, and discover a lot of things. But also, there is gravity, there is also a lot of seriousness at this age," Theis said.
Born in Creutzwald in 1978 and raised in Forbach, Theis studied Acting at ENSATT in Lyon and Scriptwriting at La Fémis in Paris.
"Softie" is the second feature film directed by Theis, who co-directed his debut feature, "Party Girl."
Meanwhile, "Beautiful Beings" by Icelandic director Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson, his second feature film, won the Special Jury Prize.
In a statement, the jury said the director's "surreal vision penetrates the angst of a group of teenagers in an Icelandic village, delivering a punch of realism as well as a touch of fantasy."
"Witnessing the director's courage in challenging the existing narration pattern and visual language, we look forward to seeing his further potential in the future," the jury said.
The winner of the grand prize and special jury prize receive NT$600,000 (US$20,159) and NT$300,000, respectively.
The International New Talent Competition is Taiwan's only award for debut and second feature films made by new filmmakers from around the world.
The competition, which is part of the Taipei Film Festival, selects 10 to 12 films each year, and focuses on the potential of new directors in their structuring, storytelling, grasp of themes, and aesthetic style.
The festival, which opened on June 23, will conclude with the Taipei Film Awards ceremony on Saturday, where in addition to acting and technical awards, 30 films, including feature films, documentaries, shorts and animated films will compete for the top prize of NT$1 million.
This year, the 2022 Taipei Film Awards received 400 submissions in total, consisting of 51 feature films, 75 documentaries, 209 short films and 65 animations.
