On Saturday, the 15th of June, the jubilee 20th edition of Grossmann Fantastic Film and Wine Festival came to a conclusion. At the closing ceremony, the following awards were given:
VICIOUS CAT for best feature film:
THE FUNERAL / CENAZE
Turkey; 2023
Directed by: Orçun Behram
The award was received by director Orçun Behram.
Special mention:
YOU’RE NOT ME / TÚ NO ERES YO
Spain; 2023
Directed by: Marisa Crespo, Moisés Romera
The award was received by directors Marisa Crespo and Moisés Romera.
NOISY CAT for best music documentary:
SOUNDTRACK TO A COUP D'ETAT
Belgium, France; 2023
Directed by: Johan Grimonprez
Special mention:
CRASS – THE SOUND OF FREE SPEECH
UK; 2023
Directed by: Brandon Spivey
SLAK'S VICIOUS CAT for best short film:
FASTEN YOUR BELTS
Russia; 2024
Directed by: Mikhail Morskov, Vitaly Dudka
Special mention:
SPLASHBACK
Croatia; 2023
Directed by: Luka Hrgović, Dino Julius
MELIES D'ARGENT, the European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation award for best European fantastic short film:
THE FENCE / LA VALLA
Spain; 2024
Directed by: Sam Orti
Special mention:
THE COST OF FLESH / AU PRIX DE LA CHAIR
France; 2023
Directed by: Tomas Palombi
AUDIENCE AWARD for best feature film:
THE SOUL EATER / LE MANGEUR D'ÂMES
France, Belgium; 2024
Directed by: Alexandre Bustillo, Julien Maury
VICIOUS CAT WINE CHAMPION for best wine:
TRAMINER 2023 (Vino Plemenič)
Jury motivations:
VICIOUS CAT
Jury: Mladen Djordjević, Andrej Košak, Matjaž Javšnik
An extraordinary directorial journey which blends body horror, love story and zombie necrophilia, and successfully reveals the core of Turkish patriarchal society. A road trip which shows the real faces of the merchants of death.
Special mention:
In the atmosphere of Rosemary’s Baby, with much skill and without underestimating the audience, the Spanish directing duo asks us about the fundamental interpersonal relationships and faces us with a dilemma of choosing the lesser evil. It’s up to the audience to decide who is the executioner.
NOISY CAT
Jury: Igor Vidmar, Vinko Barić, Mitja Hlupič
Without mercy and uncommon, the musical-political, or better put political-musical documentary Soundtrack to a Coup d’etat reveals the relationship between contemporary music and politics through the history of American jazz and a crucial point of decolonization – the independence of Congo in 1960 – from the collaboration of good old Satchmo with American propaganda radio “Voice of Freedom” to the direct action by Max Roach and Abby Lincoln in protest against the US-ordered assassination of the legal premier Patrice Lumumba. Outstanding!
Special mention:
Sound of Freedom documents the crucial event of direct politization and struggle for the freedom of expression of early punk with an album by anarcho-punk band Crass.
SLAK'S VICIOUS CAT
Jury: Julian Richards, Loïc Tanson, Dejan Babosek
A social satire exposing human nature in an extreme situation underlined by a bold staging and filmmaking telling a suspenseful story in one shot.
Special mention:
Special mention for their achievement in bringing the past to life with a witty social satire, immense precision and extraordinary set pieces.
MELIES D'ARGENT
Jury: Julian Richards, Loïc Tanson, Dejan Babosek
For holding up a mirror to today’s society, reflecting about the absurdity of war with courageous filmmaking underlined with gripping visuals and heartbreaking characters.
Special mention:
Special Mention for innovative storytelling with radical choices giving way to gripping suspense.
