Sacred Heart Parish at Broadway and Ashford Avenue, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 US - SIGNIS in the World: SIGNIS had an important presence in San Sebastian 2004

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SIGNIS awarded three prizes, presented a book and announced its postproduction competition at the 52nd edition of the San Sebastian International Film Festival that was held from September 17th to 25th. The SIGNIS Prize was awarded to "MIDWINTER NIGHT'S DREAM" by Goran Paskaljevic (Serbia and Montenegro), "for its masterful narrative and visual style, for the deep humanity of its characters, the tenderness of their relationships, and for the basic message embodied by the young protagonist who is capable of evoking the best in those around her and thus portrays honesty and innocence in the hostile world of post-war Serbia." The SIGNIS Commendation was awarded to Amma Asante’s "A WAY OF LIFE" (United Kingdom), "for confronting with realism the drama of racism and for its genuine depiction of the current crisis facing family and social relationships and education. The jury also especially praises the interpretive work of the actors." The SIGNIS FuturTalent Prize was awarded to María Victoria Menis’ "EL CIELITO", "for witnessing to the importance of family and of the memory of the elderly, and for denouncing the reality of machismo while proposing an alternative image of male heroism." The award was given along with USD 2,000.- The SIGNIS Jury in the 52nd San Sebastian International Film Festival was formed by Alessandra Specialle (Italy), Guido Convents (Belgium), Adan Medrano (USA), Juan Orellana (Spain) and Juan Berasategui (Spain). SIGNIS, to celebrate its fifth anniversary in the Cinema in Construction Section in the Toulouse and San Sebastian festivals, awarded a SIGNIS Cinema in Construction 2004 Prize for the Argentine film "ILUMINADOS POR EL FUEGO" (Enlightened by Fire) by Tristan Bauer. The film "presents with a particular sensibility the Malvinas War drama through the stories of two veterans and their families who try to overcome the wounds that mark their lives. The Bauer film is an assertion in favor of the Culture of Peace and the Memory of the people as true ways for development and growth for all the human beings." The SIGNIS Cinema in Construction 2004 Prize went along with the amount of USD 10,000.- for financing the postproduction and for supporting its international distribution. The SIGNIS Cinema in Construction Jury was composed by Robert Molhant (Belgium), Guido Convents (Belgium) and Ricardo Yáñez (Argentina). The book Plano Secuencia: 20 Argentine films to reinforce democracy was presented in the context of the festival. One thousand copies of the book were offered to journalists and guests, and also in each San Sebastian Festival official promotion stand. The V Cinema Postproduction Competition for Latin America that will open on April 2005 was also announced in San Sebastian. The competition will be for first, second and third Latin-American films that are in the finishing process and that present in their stories human values that contribute to a Culture of Peace. The competition will award features, documentaries and short films for a total amount of USD 100,000. More information of the competition will be available on March 2005 in the Mar del Plata and Toulouse festivals. www.sansebastianfestival.com

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