Films Distribution Snatches Awards At The Berlin Film Fest Films Distribution Snatches Awards At The Berlin Film Fest Sébastien Lifshitz's WILD SIDE was recognized as one of the "most moving film of the festival, of rare artistic & political power" and was awarded two key prizes : the TEDDY BEAR and the LVT - MANFRED SALZGEBER PRIZE Both Mikhail and Jamel share Stephanie's bed, an arrangement which suits them all fine. A stay in the countryside to care for Stephanie's dying mother provokes a flood of emotions and memories. Transsexual Stephanie has inevitable flashbacks of her childhood as a boy. Illegal Russian immigrant Mikhail is tormented by horrific images of war. Arab street hustler Jamel desperately misses the love of his family. Comfort and passion are found in one another's arms... Cinematography by Agnes Godard (Claire Denis' BEAU TRAVAIL, Andre Techine's STRAYED). Sébastien Lifshitz's previous movies include LA TRAVERSEE (THE CROSSING - Cannes 2001 - Directors' Fortnight) and PRESQUE RIEN (ALMOST NOTHING aka COME UNDONE). Starring Stéphanie Michelini, Edouard Nikitine, Yasmine Belmadi. Wild Side will be screening at AFM The Argentinian director Fernando Solanas was present in Berlin this year with MEMORIA DEL SAQUEO : A SOCIAL GENOCIDE (Official Selection - Out of Competition) and was honoured with a GOLDEN BEAR for his lifetime's work. For 25 years, Argentina and its people have been enduring one of the worst economic and social collapses ever experienced by a country in time of peace. "Memoria del Saqueo" brings to light the mechanisms that led to this catastrophe, through the eyes of those who have lived through the tragedy and who are still trying to find ways to survive. Memoria Del Saqueo will be screening at AFM Marcos Bernstein (screenplay writer of "Central Station"), makes an impressive directorial debut with THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET (starring oscar nominee Fernanda Montenegro), which was critically acclaimed by the international press and was crowned by the International Confederation of Art Cinemas (the C.I.C.A.E. PRIZE) as the best art house picture of the Festival. Regina, a lonely 65 year old who works on the neighbourhood watch for the police in Copacabana, believes she has witnessed a murder in the building across the street, and ends up getting involved with the suspect in a potentially dangerous chain of events... Starring Fernanda Montenegro, Raul Cortez. The Other Side of the Street will be screening at AFM FILMS DISTRIBUTION & MERCURE INTERNATIONAL 6 rue de l'École de Médecine - 75006 Paris Tel: +33 1 53 10 33 99 - Fax: +33 1 53 10 33 98 www.filmsdistribution.com
