The Official Competition jury said: “Our jury was incredibly moved by Adam Elliot’s Memoir of a Snail, which is a singular achievement in filmmaking. Emotionally resonant and constantly surprising, Memoir tackles pertinent issues such as bullying, loneliness and grief head-on, creating a crucial and universal dialogue in a way that only animation can. The jury is delighted to recognize an animated film alongside its live-action peers.”
Rounding out the winners of this year’s films screening In Competition are:
- Winner of the Sutherland Award in the First Feature Competition – On Falling (Dir. Laura Carreira)
- Winner of the Grierson Award in the Documentary Competition – Mother Vera (Dirs. Cécile Embleton, Alys Tomlinson)
- Winner of the Short Film Award in the Short Film Competition – Vibrations from Gaza (Dir. Rehab Nazzal)
The importance of human connection lies at the heart of On Falling, the nuanced portrait of a young Portuguese warehouse employee in Scotland.
The First Feature Jury said: “We would like to give the Sutherland Prize to Laura Carreira‘s On Falling, a richly-layered portrait of a world governed by corporate profit motive, as seen through the story of an immigrant woman whose alienation we feel deeply, told with masterful cinematic precision and understated, lived in performances. A powerful, mesmerizing and bold first feature. Congratulations to Carreira, we look forward to seeing where her cinematic journey goes next.”
Topping the Documentary competition is Mother Vera, which introduces us to a young Orthodox nun who must confront her past as she faces her desires and an uncertain future.
The Documentary Competition Jury said: “This exquisite film masterfully captures the inner transformation of its central character using evocative visuals that mirror her emotional journey. Each frame is rich with detail, and the directors’ sensitive approach allows the audience to intimately experience Vera’s perspective as her story evolves. The balance of aesthetic beauty and emotional depth makes Mother Vera a powerful meditation on personal growth and resilience, and the delicate treatment of momentous issues such as addiction, lost love and faith is executed with profound potency. The Grierson Award goes to Mother Vera, directed by Cécile Embleton and Alys Tomlinson.”
Winner of the Short Film Award is Vibrations from Gaza, a documentary offering a glimpse into the resilience of Palestinian Deaf children in Gaza, who are living with Israel’s military attacks.
The Short Film Competition Jury said: “Our winner is a film that used sound to send reverberations through our bodies and souls. Through its simplicity of storytelling, Vibrations from Gaza demands our presence, urging us not only to bear witness but to deeply reflect on the impact of growing up deaf in Gaza — a reality that many of us could never fully comprehend.”
The winners of the London Film Festival’s Audience Awards will be announced at the end of this month. Voting remains open for three Audience honors–Best Narrative Feature, Best Documentary Feature and Best Short Film.
