Approved for Adoption the major winner at Reel 2 Real
A hand-drawn animated feature from Belgium captured both of the major jury prizes at this year’s Reel 2 Real International Film Festival for Youth.
Approved for Adoption received both the Youth Jury Award for Best Picture (ages 13 and up) and the Adult Jury Award for Best Picture as the 16th edition of the festival wrapped up at the Vancity Theatre on Thursday (April 10).
Jung Henin and Laurent Boileau’s sepia-tinged but jagged memoir tells Jung’s own story as a Korean orphan adopted into a Belgian family. The film has won numerous awards since its release in 2012, including last year’s Grand Prix at the Zagreb Animafest.
The other major award-winners announced at the closing night ceremony included Regret!, a Dutch film about bullying which was honoured with the Edith Lando Peace Prize for "the film that best utilizes the power of cinema to further the goal of social justice and peace on earth."
The Youth Jury Award for Best Picture (ages nine and up) went to South Africa’s Felix.
The remaining prizes included:
Youth Jury Award for Most Innovative Short Film (ages 9+): “A Girl Named Elastika”
Youth Jury Award for Most Inspirational Short Film (ages 9+): ”Silent Voices”
Youth Jury Award for Most Innovative Short Film (ages 13+): ”Wind”
Youth Jury Award for Most Inspirational Short Film (ages 13+) : ”Snowflake”
Special Youth Jury Award: We Don’t Wanna Make You Dance
Special Youth Jury Award : Shana: The Wolf’s Music
Comments
1 Comments
Jane Henry
Apr 18, 2014 at 9:33pm
This was an outstanding festival with all really great films!
There is a reason that 'Approved For Adoption' was a major winner this year - it's a story that has never been told, and done so in such a compelling way, especially for children.
All the films from this year's festival are not to be missed. If you ever have a chance again, take it! You won't be disappointed. My favourites were 'Horizon Beautiful' and 'Shana - The Wolf's Music'