At Reims Polar, the exciting chase of the jurors in pursuit of their favorites has come to an end. Last week, from April 1st to 6th, this international crime film festival showcased nine films with a variety of styles in the official selection, along with six other productions in the Blood New Competition, celebrating the fresh voices in crime cinema. Passionate filmmakers and experienced actors deliberated side by side to present the awards for this fifth edition, providing audiences with a sharp roadmap of the most striking thrillers of the year. Here’s a quick recap for you!
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Germany, Sri Lanka, Turkey: The Crowning of International Thrillers
To judge this global journey of thrillers, Reims Polar turned to Bruno Podalydès, the jury president, supported by the talented actors Anne Le Ny (Intouchables, Le Torrent), Arnaud Valois (120 Beats Per Minute), and Alice Taglioni (Under the Skirts of Girls). This wonderful group awarded the Grand Prize to the sun-soaked Islands by the German Jan-Ole Gerster, and named two films ex-aequo for the Jury Prize: the first French-Tamil feature by Lawrence Valin, Little Jaffna, and The Things You Kill by Alireza Khatami, which is set not in Iran (Chronicles of Tehran) but in Turkey, tackling themes of male violence, earning it the Critics' Prize. Another award: the Police Prize for Undercover by the Spanish Arantxa Echevarria, a film that tells the story of a policewoman who goes undercover in the Basque terrorist organization ETA.
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New and Stunning Belgian Blood
While some films were favorites right from the start of the festival, others surprised everyone: like the very short We Believe You (1h18). The Belgian duo Arnaud Dufeys and Charlotte Devillers tell the story of Alice, who must fight for custody of her children in front of a judge. Will it dethrone the chilling Until Proven Innocent by Xavier Durand? It certainly follows in the footsteps of its success, winning the Grand Prize in the New Blood competition, as well as the Young Jury award chaired by Sami Bouajila (Indigènes, The Witnesses), even celebrating in a unique way the performance of the mother, Myriem Akheddiou. A memorable ceremony to fill your watchlist until next year.
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