Sold and co-produced by Wild Bunch, its first 45 minutes delivered what appears to be among the most critically-praised of cinema on this year’s Croisette as they capture a mesmerizing dance troupe rehearsal, club music performance as never seen before.
Noé’s movie then chronicles the troupe members inadvertently drinking LSD-spiked sangria, then descent into writhing physical and mental hell in a second half which received a mixed critical reception. The Art Cinema Award is granted by the International Confederation of Art Cinemas (CICAE).
“Lucia’s Grace” was praised by Directors’ Fortnight head Edouard Waintrop as a “truly deranged comedy.” The Europa Cinemas Label winner stars director-actress Alba Rohrwacher as a single-mother surveyor who encounters a feminist Madonna, standing by some TV sets in an electronics store. The practical Madonna then coaches the mother on taking control of her life.
The Europa Cinema Label consists in promotion by Europa Cinema, as well as incentives for cinema theaters to prolong the film’s run at theaters. “This a fresh and original film from Gianni Zanasi about accepting yourself and others – dramatic, amusing and entertaining with a twist of mystery,2 said a jury of four European exhibitors, adjudicating the award.
2018 CANNES DIRECTORS’ FORTNIGHT AWARDS
ART CINEMA AWARD
“Climax,” (Gaspar Noé, France, Belgium)
EUROPA CINEMAS LABEL
“Lucia’s Grace (Gianni Zanasi, Italy)
SACD PRIZE
“The Trouble With You,” (Pierre Salvadori, France)
ILLY SHORT FILM AWARD
“Skip Day,” (Patrick Bresnan, Ivete Lucas)