German Film “Head-On’ Tops 2004 European Film Awards
by Eugene Hernandez
An image from “Head On,” winner of the top film prize at the European Film Awards. Image provided by Bavaria Film International.
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At the European Film Awards in Barcelona on Saturday, Fatih Akin‘s German film “Head-On” won the top award, named best European Film of the year. Akin was also named the best director in people’s choice award voting. Akin, born to Turkish parents in Hamburg, won the Golden Bear for his film at the 2004 Berlinale back in February. The movie, to be released next month by Strand Releasing, explores the world of second-generation Turkish immigrants in Germany and stars Birol Unel and Sibel Kekilli.
Alejandro Amenabar won the best director prize from the European Film Academy for “The Sea Inside” (Mar Adentro) and the film’s star Javier Bardem was awarded the best actor award on Saturday night.
The screenwriting award went to Agnes Jaoui & Jean-Pierre Bacri for “Comme Une Image,” while Imelda Staunton, star of Mike Leigh‘s “Vera Drake,” won the award for best actress.
Hubert Sauper‘s “Darwin’s Nightmare” was named the top documentary of the year, while Wong Kar-wai‘s “2046” won the prize for non-European film.
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A complete list of the 2004 European Film Awards winners, and runners-up, follows:
EUROPEAN FILM
“Gegen Die Wand” (Head-On), by Fatih Akin, Germany
EUROPEAN DIRECTOR
Alejandro Amenabar, for “Mar Adentro” (The Sea Inside),
Spain/France/Italy
EUROPEAN ACTOR
Javier Bardem, for “Mar Adentro” (The Sea Inside),
Spain/France/Italy
EUROPEAN ACTRESS
Imelda Staunton, for “Vera Drake,” UK/France
EUROPEAN SCREENWRITER
Agnes Jaoui & Jean-Pierre Bacri, for “Comme Une
Image” (Look At Me), France
EUROPEAN CINEMATOGRAPHER
Eduardo Serra, for “Girl With A Pearl Earring,” UK
EUROPEAN COMPOSER
Bruno Coulais, for “Les Choristes” (The Chorus),
France
EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Carlos Saura (Director), Spain
EUROPEAN ACHIEVEMENT IN WORLD CINEMA
Liv Ullmann (Actress and Director), Norway
EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY DISCOVERY 2004 – Prix Fassbinder
“Certi Bambino” (Stolen Childhood), by Andrea &
Antonio Frazzi, Italy
EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY CRITICS AWARD 2004 – Prix Fipresci
“Trilogia – To Livadi Pou Dakrizi” (Trilogy – The Weeping
Meadow), by Theo Angelopoulos, Greece
EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY DOCUMENTARY – Prix Arte
“Darwin’s Nightmare,” by Hubert Sauper,
France/Austria/Belgium
EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY SHORT FILM – Prix UIP
“J’Attendrai Le Suivant,” by Philippe Orreindy, France
EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY NON-EUROPEAN FILM – Prix Screen
International
“2046,” by Wong Kar-Wai, France/China
THE JAMESON PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS (Chosen by Europe’s film fans)
BEST EUROPEAN DIRECTOR
Fatih Akin, for “Gegen Die Wand” (Head-On), Germany
BEST EUROPEAN ACTOR
Daniel Bruhl, for “Was Nützt Die Liebe In Gedanken”
(Love In Thoughts), Germany
BEST EUROPEAN ACTRESS
Penelope Cruz, for “Non Ti Muovere” (Don’t Move),
Italy
