The producers of The Throne have returned their $10,600 prize, citing a desire to help the festival’s growth.
The team behind The Throne, which won Best Film at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (Nov 13-29) last week, have returned their $10,600 (€10,000) prize to the festival.
Production company Tiger Pictures and director Lee Joon-ik stated that they were impressed with the festival and they wished to donate their grant to help Black Nights become “a new European hub to create cinematic joy and fun.”
The Throne, which is South Korea’s Oscar submission for 2015, follows an 18th-century Korean ruling family. It also took the Best Music prize during the festival’s award ceremony on Nov 27.
The film’s screenwriter and producer, Cho Chul-hyun—who accepted the awards on behalf of Lee and music director Bang Jun-seok who were both absent—left a handwritten letter on Dec 1 to Festival Director Tiina Lokk explaining what Lee and Tiger Pictures wanted to do with the prize money.
For the past five years, Black Nights has worked on a budget of $1.7m (€1.5m). A third of their money comes from public funding from organizations such as Enterprise Estonia and Creative Europe. The rest is derived from ticket sales and sponsors.
Other winners
Another top winner at the ceremony was Under The Sun, the documentary about life under the North Korean regime, which picked up Jury Prize for Best Director and Special Jury Prize.
As previously reported, the categories included the new Tridens First Features Competition, which showcases debut features making their international premieres at the festival. Colombian drama Delivery won the section’s inagurual Best Film prize.
The full list of winners:
MAIN COMPETITION
Grand Prix for Best Film
The Throne [Sado]
Dir. Lee Joon-ik (South Korea)
Jury Prize for Best Director
Under The Sun [В лучах Солнца]
Dir. Vitaliy Manskiy (Russia, Germany, Czech Republic, North Korea)
Jury Prize for Best Actor
Isaka Sawadogo, The Paradise Suite
Dir. Joost van Ginkel (Netherlands, Sweden, Bulgaria)
Jury Prize for Best Actress
Martha Canga Antonio, Black
Dir. Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (Belgium)
Jury Prize for Best Cinematographer
Wojciech Staron, Dawn
Dir. Laila Pakalnina (Latvia)
Special Jury Prize
Under The Sun [В лучах Солнца]
Dir. Vitaliy Manskiy (Russia, Germany, Czech Republic, North Korea)
Best Music
Bang Jun-seok, The Throne [Sado]
Dir. Lee Joon-ik (South Korea)
TRIDENS FIRST FEATURES COMPETITION
Tridens Award for Best Film
Delivery [Nacimiento]
Dir. Martin Meija Rugeles (Colombia)
Tridens Award for Best Cinematographer
Peyman Shadmanfar, Two [Do]
Dir. Soheila Golestani (Iran)
Tridens Award for Best Music
Tristan Dewey & Tai Jordan, Pawno
Dir. Paul Ireland (Australia)
Tridens Estonian Film Award
The Fencer [Miekkailija]
Dir. Klaus Haro (Finland, Estonia, Germany)
OTHER AWARDS
Ecumenical Jury Award
The Paradise Suite
Dir. Joost van Ginkel (Netherlands, Sweden, Bulgaria)
Netpac Award
Stranger [Zhat]
Dir. Yeremek Tursunov (Kazakhstan)
Fitpresci Award for best debut film
Delivery [Nacimiento]
Dir. Martin Meija Rugeles (Colombia)
Audience Award
The Find [Находка]
Dir. Victor Dement (Russia)
Animation Film Festival Animated Dreams “Heino Pars” Grand Prix
The Bigger Picture
Dir. Daisy Jacobs (UK)
Children’s and Youth Film Festival Just Film Grand Prix
14+
Dir. Andrei Zaitsev (Russia)
International Short Film Festival Sleepwalkers Grand Prix
To Light [Valguseks / Valguseni / Valgusena]
Dir. Nora Särak (Estonia)
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