Drinks are on Mads Mikkelsen as Thomas Vinterberg’s Another Round wins The best film at the BFI London Film Festival’s inaugural Virtual LFF Audience Awards.
Thanks to the current climate with Covid-19, the virtual awards replaced the traditional in person ceremony. Also forcing the majority of the actual festival to go digital online, other films at London’s Southbank and some films touring around the country.
Another Round uses a bold premise to explore the euphoria and pain of an unbridled life. With Mads Mikkelsen‘s character Martin at the heart of the story as an unappreciated tutor, husband and father. Playing a once brilliant but now world-weary shell of a man, the ever surprising Mikkelsen delivers a touching, note-perfect performance – including surely one of his most lithe and memorable onscreen moments to date.
Related: BFI London Film Festival Review – Another Round (2020)
Thomas Vinterberg commented on the award: “Thank you to the audience at the London Film Festival for bringing this award to us. We are very proud to receive this from a British audience; it’s a great honour. We are so sad that we can’t be there.”
The films considered for the award were only films made available digitally . This meant the likes of Steve McQueen‘s Mangrove, Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland, Pixar‘s Soul, One Night In Miami and Ammonite were not considered.
Tricia Tuttle, BFI London Film Festival Director said: “There was never a moment in this utterly crazy year when we considered not delivering a BFI London Film Festival. We know LFF means too much to both filmmakers and audiences. So how fitting, then, that we put audiences in control of the Awards this year with our first Virtual LFF Audience Awards. And dammit, don’t our audiences have great taste?!”
Related: BFI London Film Festival 2020 Review – The Painter And The Thief (2020)
Other winners announced tonight were the Norwegian Documentary The Painter And The Thief. Benjamin Ree‘s film tells the story between an artist and the person who stole her paintings. “Thank you so much BFI London Film Festival and to all the people who have voted for the film; it’s a great honour for us to win this prestigious award. There’s two people I would like to especially thank and that’s Barbora Kysilkova and Karl-Bertil Nordland, the two main subjects of the film. The way Barbora approached Karl-Bertil at the trial, when he had stolen two of her most valuable paintings, was so moving to hear and that’s the reason I wanted to make this film: “I did not see the thief in him”, she told me, “I saw a human being”. Who would have known back then that the painter and the thief would become such good friends? I have missed being at the Festival this year (and visiting the BFI film store which has been my favourite since I was 11 – buying rare DVDs and books to learn more about filmmaking) but I would like to say that I’ve been really impressed by this year’s digital Festival.” said Ree.
Tommy Gillard’s homoerotic Shuttlecock won the best short film, a story of toxic masculinity on a badminton court. Anna West and David Callanan’s To Miss The Ending won the best XR (expanded reality) award. Wildfire director Cathy Brady won IWC Schaffhausen Filmmaker Bursary Award which celebrates first/second time directors.
Director Cathy Brady said: “I’m deeply honoured to receive the IWC Schaffhausen Filmmaker Bursary. In a year that has been so turbulent for so many, it feels like a safe harbour and for a first feature filmmaker, the chance to recalibrate, dream and immerse myself in the next project is such an incredible gift. Thank you IWC and BFI.”
