BEST FEATURE FILM


Hongse Kangbaiyin’ (The Red Awn) People’s Republic of China
Produced by Li Xudong.  Co-Produced by Lin Nianxiu, Sun Xiaoxi, Wang Shunsheng and Chen Weidong. 

Whenever the wheat becomes golden, thousands of floaters will leave their homes and migrate from one place to another to make a living by working in the wheat fields. A 50-year-old father leaves his wife and son in their hometown and, in order to make money, goes to the city for five years. The 17–year-old son grows up in the countryside alone. At summer’s end, the father returns and decides to drive the red combine during the harvest with his son. On their way, an irresponsible father and a resentful son try to rebuild their bond, to face their destiny.


‘Man Jeuk’ (Sparrow) Hong Kong
Produced by Johnnie To

Kei is an experienced pickpocket, a ‘sparrow’ in Hong Kong street slang, and he and his three partners make a good living picking the pockets of unsuspecting pedestrians.  Kei also enjoys a carefree lifestyle, riding his bicycle through the city to take photos with his vintage Rolleiflex. One day Kei is fascinated as the gorgeous Chun Lei comes into his sights. But Chun Lei is not only a beautiful face, she also has a mysterious past and as Kei and his partners fall for her, one after another, Chun Lei reveals her true intention.  The sparrows are to steal a key that is of great importance to her. At first the task seems simple but then another interested party appears on the scene, tycoon Mr Yen.


‘Om Shanti Om’ India
Produced by Gauri Khan

Om Shanti Om is the saga of Om Prakash Makhija a junior artiste in the golden days of 70’s Hindi cinema. He is in love with the superstar of the day Shantipriya.  Full of hope after saving her on set, his life and love comes to a tragic end when he witnesses her murder by the ambitious and ruthless producer Mukesh Mehra. Om dies trying to save his Shanti. But it is not the end of the story. Om Shanti Om is also the journey of Om Kapoor superstar of contemporary Bollywood, his journey to discover who he really is and in doing so avenge the death of Shanti.


‘Tulpan’ Kazakhstan/Russia/Switzerland-Poland-Germany
Produced by Karl Baumgartner, Valerie Fischer, Gulnara Sarsenova, Sergey Melkumov, Sergey Selyanov, Bulat Galimgereyev,  Elena Yatsura,  Henryk Romanowski, Thanassis Karathanos and Raimond Goebel 

Asa’s dream is to become a sheepherder and have a flock of his own.  We are introduced to Asa, handsomely turned out in his naval uniform and trying to impress the parents of the woman he wants to marry, Tulpan. Tulpan thinks his ears are too big and rejects him but Asa refuses to be discouraged. He desperately wants to achieve his goal of independence; away from the over-crowded yurt in southern Kazakhstan that he shares with his sister and her cynical husband who doesn’t believe Asa has what it takes.


‘Uc Maymun’ (Three Monkeys) Turkey/France/Italy
Produced by Zeynep Özbatur. Co-Produced by Fabienne Vonier, Valerio De Paolis, Cemal Noyan, Nuri Bilge Ceylan

A family dislocated when small failings blow up into extravagant lies, battles against the odds to stay together by covering up the truth.  In order to avoid hardship and responsibilities that would otherwise be impossible to endure, the family chooses to ignore the truth - not to see, hear or talk about it. But does playing ‘three monkeys’ invalidate the existence of truth?