Look Both Ways wins big overseas
Award-winning Australian feature Look Both Ways has continued its successful run on the international festival circuit, winning major awards from film festivals in which it has screened.
Written and directed by Melbourne filmmaker Sarah Watt, and produced by Bridget Ikin of Hibiscus Films, Look Both Ways has won major awards at three international festivals this year, continuing a dream run for the low-budget feature, which was released in Australian cinemas last August by Dendy Films.
The film, which stars William McInnes and Justine Clarke, won a top honour at the NatFilm Festival in Denmark on Sunday night.
A popular festival on the international circuit, Natfilm awards the TV5Monde Critics' Prize, sponsored by the French-language television channel, to acknowledge the best film of the nine new directors selected by festival organisers. Look Both Ways also won two major awards at the Mar del Plata Film Festival in Argentina on March 19 - Best Screenplay and Best Actress for Clarke — and the Critics Award at the Rotterdam Film Festival in January.
According to the Danish critics, Watt’s first live-action feature is 'manages to entertain, at the same time as it captures the zeitgeist and the big and small worries of everyday life. In a playful way it deals with life and death, and tells the audience that it's not always best to look both ways - sometimes it's better to just dive in.'
'What I’m really thrilled about is the range of international awards that it has won,' says Look Both Ways producer, Bridget Ikin. 'It seems to strike a chord with people in so many countries, and that is fantastic for something that has a real Australian quality.'
The film opens across the US on April 14 and the UK in June, and was recently released in Australia on DVD.
Look Both Ways began its winning streak even before its release when it won Best Film Script in the 2004 Queensland Literary Awards.
It picked up the prestigious Discovery Award at the 2005 Toronto Film Festival.
Last year it also won four awards at the Australian Film Institute Awards, including Best Film for Ikin, Best Director and Best Screenplay for Watt and Best Supporting Actor for Anthony Hayes. Watt also won Best Director and Best Screenplay at the if Awards, while Denise Haratzis won Best Editing; the film won the FIPRESCI Prize at the Brisbane International Film Festival, and picked up five awards at the Australian Film Critics Circle awards, including Best Film, Director, Actor (for William McInnes), Screenplay and Editing. It was voted most popular film at the Adelaide and Brisbane Film Festivals, and at the Australian Film Festival in London, this year.
Look Both Ways: a winning streak
Discovery Award: Toronto Film Festival, 2005
FIPRESCI Award, Brisbane film Festival, 2005
4 AFI Awards, 2005:Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor (Tony Hayes)
5 Film Critics Circle awards, 2005:Best Film, Director, Actor (William McInnes), Screenplay, Editing
3 IF Awards, 2005: Best Director, Screenplay, Editing
Most Popular Film: Adelaide Film Festival, 2005Brisbane Film Festival, 2005Australian Film Festival, London 2006
Best Screenplay: Mar del Plata Film Festival, 2006Best Actress (Justine Clarke): Mar del Plata Film Festival, 2006
Critics Award: Rotterdam Film Festival 2006
Critics Award: NatFilm Festival (Denmark) 2006
[release from Dendy Films]
Written and directed by Melbourne filmmaker Sarah Watt, and produced by Bridget Ikin of Hibiscus Films, Look Both Ways has won major awards at three international festivals this year, continuing a dream run for the low-budget feature, which was released in Australian cinemas last August by Dendy Films.
The film, which stars William McInnes and Justine Clarke, won a top honour at the NatFilm Festival in Denmark on Sunday night.
A popular festival on the international circuit, Natfilm awards the TV5Monde Critics' Prize, sponsored by the French-language television channel, to acknowledge the best film of the nine new directors selected by festival organisers. Look Both Ways also won two major awards at the Mar del Plata Film Festival in Argentina on March 19 - Best Screenplay and Best Actress for Clarke — and the Critics Award at the Rotterdam Film Festival in January.
According to the Danish critics, Watt’s first live-action feature is 'manages to entertain, at the same time as it captures the zeitgeist and the big and small worries of everyday life. In a playful way it deals with life and death, and tells the audience that it's not always best to look both ways - sometimes it's better to just dive in.'
'What I’m really thrilled about is the range of international awards that it has won,' says Look Both Ways producer, Bridget Ikin. 'It seems to strike a chord with people in so many countries, and that is fantastic for something that has a real Australian quality.'
The film opens across the US on April 14 and the UK in June, and was recently released in Australia on DVD.
Look Both Ways began its winning streak even before its release when it won Best Film Script in the 2004 Queensland Literary Awards.
It picked up the prestigious Discovery Award at the 2005 Toronto Film Festival.
Last year it also won four awards at the Australian Film Institute Awards, including Best Film for Ikin, Best Director and Best Screenplay for Watt and Best Supporting Actor for Anthony Hayes. Watt also won Best Director and Best Screenplay at the if Awards, while Denise Haratzis won Best Editing; the film won the FIPRESCI Prize at the Brisbane International Film Festival, and picked up five awards at the Australian Film Critics Circle awards, including Best Film, Director, Actor (for William McInnes), Screenplay and Editing. It was voted most popular film at the Adelaide and Brisbane Film Festivals, and at the Australian Film Festival in London, this year.
Look Both Ways: a winning streak
Discovery Award: Toronto Film Festival, 2005
FIPRESCI Award, Brisbane film Festival, 2005
4 AFI Awards, 2005:Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor (Tony Hayes)
5 Film Critics Circle awards, 2005:Best Film, Director, Actor (William McInnes), Screenplay, Editing
3 IF Awards, 2005: Best Director, Screenplay, Editing
Most Popular Film: Adelaide Film Festival, 2005Brisbane Film Festival, 2005Australian Film Festival, London 2006
Best Screenplay: Mar del Plata Film Festival, 2006Best Actress (Justine Clarke): Mar del Plata Film Festival, 2006
Critics Award: Rotterdam Film Festival 2006
Critics Award: NatFilm Festival (Denmark) 2006
[release from Dendy Films]
posted by WilliamWatch at 9:53 PM
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