ODESA, JULY 22nd, 2013, CONTEXT-PRICHERNOMORIE ― On Saturday, 20 July, at the Odesa National Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet has hosted the closing ceremony of the IV Odesa International Film Festival, Context-Prichernomorie correspondent reports.

On July 20, the IV Odesa International Film Festival Closing Ceremony was held in The Odesa National Theatre of Opera and Ballet.

The Red Carpet before the Odesa Opera House traditionally gathered all honorary guests of the festival. The participants in the festival competition programmes— directors Ihor Podolchak (“Dellirium”), Valentyn Vasyanovych (“Credenza”), Alisa Pavlovskaya (“I Don't Wanna Die”), Craig Viveiros (“The Liability”), Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Groß (“In Bloom”), Alexander Veledinsky and producer Valeriy Todorovsky (“The Geographer Drank His Globe Away”); Russian actors Alexander Kuznetsov and Olga Kabo, and also the creative team of the film “Eternal Homecoming” headed by Kira Muratova walked along the Red Carpet. Traditionally, Odesa mayor Oleksiy Kostusev, Head of Odesa Regional State Administration Eduard Matviychuk, Head of the Ukrainian State Film Agency Kateryna Kopylova and members of Ukrainian National Film Award Jury attended the IV OIFF closing. Special guests of the Closing Ceremony — Nonna Grishayeva, actress and TV-host, Ostap Stupka, Ukrainian actor, native Odess citizen Mikhail Zhvanetskiy, writer, and all members of the International Competition Jury — Andriy Kurkov, Ukrainian writer, Tanya Seghatchian, British film producer Franziska Petri, German actress Nana Djordjadze, successful producer Alexander Rodnyansky, closed the Red Carpet procession.

This year for the first time, the prize for the Best Ukrainian Feature Film was awarded on the Opera House stage. The honorary guests of the festival, actors Alexander Kuznetsov and Olga Kabo, awarded “Paradjanov” directors Olena Fetisova and Serge Avedikian the Golden statuette and money prize of UAH 50,000. The authors of the movie thanked Odesa Film Festival, at which the film project was presented within pitching session of last year.

Franziska Petri and Andriy Kurkov, members of the International Competition Jury — awarded the actor ensemble of Lika Babluani and Mariam Bokeria — film “In Bloom” — the Prize for Best Acting. It is the first award for the young actress.

Ritesh Batra “The Lunchbox” director won the Prize for Best Director. Unfortunately, the Indian guest could not stay for the festival closing ceremony because of the Indian premiere of his film and sent a video-address, in which he thanked all the viewers for their warm welcome.

Alexander Rodnyansky, Head of the International Competition Jury awarded the Russian director Alexander Veledinsky the International Jury Prize for Best Film for the picture “The Geographer Drank His Globe Away”. “We made the decision within couple of minutes and it was unanimous,” Mr Rodnyansky told.

By the results of the public vote, Alexander Veledinsky also won the OIFF Grand Prix — Golden Duke statuette and money prize of Euro 12,000 — for his picture “The Geographer Drank His Globe Away”. The OIFF president Viktoria Tigipko entered the stage to award the Main Prize to the director. “I value the opinion of the viewers, and the fact that their decision coincided with the opinion of the jury — we could only dream of it.”

Screening of “A Castle in Italy”, the film nominated for Palme d'Or award at the Cannes Film Festival closed the IV Odesa International Film Festival. The partially autobiographic picture by director, scriptwriter and actress Valeria Bruni Tedeschi is a story of a family decadence set in an ancient family mansion.

The closing ceremony was hosted by Alexey Sukhanov and Masha Efrosinina.

After the end of the awarding ceremony at the press briefing Viktoria Tigipko noted that number of visits increased by 15% this year and that OIFF plans to expand the festival locations. OIFF president also announced the date of the 5th Odesa Film Festival — it will be held from 11 till 19 July 2014.