Rungano Nyoni How to become a guinea fowl achieved top honors at the 20th Zurich Film Festival, winning the Golden Eye for best film.
The Zurich competition jury, led by Lee Daniels, praised the film for its spectacular cinematography, exquisite sound design and breathtaking performances. Nyoni's follow-up to her debut I'm not a witch is a surreal, seriecomic family drama about sexual abuse, set in the Zambian capital, Lusaka. How to become a guinea fowl premiered in the Un certain Regard section of Cannes this year, winning best director for the Welsh-Zambian director.
By Shiori Itō Black Box Diaries it won the Zurich Audience Award and was awarded the award for best documentary. The extraordinary investigative film follows the five years Itō spends attempting to bring to justice the older, more powerful man who sexually assaulted her. The film, which premiered at Sundance, won recognition from the documentary jury for its courageous and personal approach to tackling misogyny.
Jasmin Gordon's Swiss family drama The brave ones (The brave) won the Critics' Award at the Zurich Film Festival. In the film, Ophélia Kolb plays Jule, a single mother of three who struggles to keep up appearances and forms an unlikely and deep friendship with a Muslim woman.
The awards of the 20th Zurich Film Festival were presented on Saturday evening during a gala ceremony at the Zurich Opera. Honorary Golden Eye Awards have previously been presented to Jude Law and Pamela Anderson for their contributions to cinema. Kate Winslet and Swiss comedy legend Emil Steinberger received lifetime achievement awards. The film industry's Game Changer Awards went to Roeg Sutherland, co-head of Media Finance at CAA.
See the full list of winners below.
Golden Eye feature film competition
How to become a guinea fowl
Golden Eye documentary competition
Black Box Diaries
ZFF Critics Award
The brave ones
ZFF Jury Prize for Children
Leeuwin
ZFF Audience Award for Children
Die Heinzels – Neue Mützen, Neue Mission
Audience Award
Black Box Diaries
Film Award of the Churches of Zurich
The brave ones
Best International Film Music
Ahmed Soroko
Golden Icon Award
Kate Winslet
Golden Eye Award
Jude Law
Golden Eye Award
Pamela Anderson
Golden Eye Award
Alicia Vikander
A tribute to… Award
Edward Berger
Lifetime Achievement Award
Emil Steinberger
Lifetime Achievement Award
Howard Shore
Game Changing Award
Roeg Sutherland