news Fantastic Fest Awards 2021: ‘After Blue,’ ‘The Sadness,’ and More Win Big — Exclusive

Fantastic Fest 2021 is bringing its physical edition to an end on September 30, and IndieWire is exclusively revealing this year’s award winners below. Many of the winning features will be available to stream September 30 through October 11 as part of the virtual Fantastic Fest at Home, including “After Blue,” “Zalava,” “Name Above Title,” and “Let the Wrong One In.” All the award-winning short films will stream virtual as well.

This year’s Competition winner for Best Film is Bertrand Mandico’s “After Blue.” The movie is set on a mysterious planet populated entirely by women, where a teenager and her mother set out on a journey to find a murderous criminal.

“After Blue (Dirty Paradise) is a mutant-cinema dream,” Mandico said in a statement. “The dream of taking my actresses and collaborators towards an emotional lyricism of creation. The dream of giving spectators an out-of-format, intoxicating and disturbing fantasy. Thanks to the Fantastic Fest and its jury for their openness.”

Fantastic Fest 2021 featured 25 world premiere movies, including Scott Derrickson and Ethan Hawke’s “The Black Phone” and “V/H/S/94.” The annual Lifetime Achievement Award was given to composer Clint Mansell. Additional screenings included festival favorites such as “Lamb,” “Titane,” and “Last Night in Soho.”

“It was a big challenge to put the festival together this year, but it’s been fantastic to see how the audience and the filmmakers came together to celebrate cinema these past few days,” festival director of programming Annick Mahnert said. “Smaller independent productions got the same love as the bigger titles and the Fantastic Fest audience has shown tremendous curiosity toward all our films in spite of the festival being spread across other venues. The Jurors’ choices are a wonderful blend of different cultures, genres and world cinema, and we couldn’t be happier about it.”

Check out the full list of Fantastic Fest winners below. Director statements are listed below each.

HORROR
Best Film: THE SADNESS (dir ROB JABBAZ)
Best Direction: ROB JABAAZ, THE SADNESS
Special Mention: LET THE WRONG ONE IN (dir CONOR MCMAHON)

“Holy smokes! Thanks for the honor! I gotta thank Machi Big Brother, Jeffrey Huang. As well as Raven Banner and the lovely people of Taiwan, the island nation that has been my home for the better part of my adult life. Can’t wait to get started on the next project!” Rob Jabaaz (THE SADNESS)

NEXT WAVE
Best Film: ZALAVA (dir ARSALAN AMIRI)
Best Direction: JEAN LUC HERBULOT, SALOUM
Special Mention: NAME ABOVE TITLE (dir CARLOS CONCEIÇÃO)

“Zalava is a symbolic fantasy film within genre convention that can be about anyone who believes in what is often seen as irrational, superstitious, or dogmatic. This Iranian-Kurdish fantasy film caters to a universal audience, revolving around a relatable story about “belief” that can happen anywhere in the world. Receiving the honorable prize of the Best Film in the Next Wave section is a sign that tells us how the magic of cinema can bring our humanistic emotions together, and make us thrilled, amused and more considerate. Thank you, Cinema. Thank you, Fantastic Fest!” Arsalan Amiri (ZALAVA)

COMPETITION
Best Film: AFTER BLUE (dir BERTRAND MANDICO)
Best Direction: ESKIL VOGT, INNOCENTS, THE
Best Actor: FRANZ ROGOWSKI (LUZIFER and FREAKS OUT)

“After Blue (Dirty Paradise) is a mutant-cinema dream. The dream of taking my actresses and collaborators towards an emotional lyricism of creation. The dream of giving spectators an out-of-format, intoxicating and disturbing fantasy. Thanks to the Fantastic Fest and its jury for their openness.” Bertrand Mandico (AFTER BLUE)

“I am so happy to receive this award and I share it with my entire team – especially my incredible cast whose amazing talents must have made me look good in the eyes of the jury! I am very grateful to Fantastic Fest for being the US premiere of our film and giving the wonderful opportunity to be noticed ahead of its US release from IFC Films next year. THE INNOCENTS tells a story about the magic and often scary world of childhood, and I hope this prize is a sign that these themes can resonate far beyond Norway.” Eskil Vogt (THE INNOCENTS)

DRAWN AND QUARTERED
Best Film – HEART OF GOLD (dir SIMON FILLIOT)
Best Direction – KRISTIAN MERCADO FIGUEROA, NUEVO RICO
Best Artistry – SUNBELLY (dir JORDAN SPEER) and LAUNCH (dir LEAH SHORE)

“Me and the Nuevo Rico team are thrilled to receive this award. Nuevo Rico is really about our past and its relationship to our future. It’s about the things that bond us, and move us forward. It’s an ode to the things we have, and the things we lost. I hope this win inspires others to tell their story however weird, strange or unseen it feels. Thank you Fantastic Fest, it’s a dream.” Kristian Mercado Figueroa (NEUVO RICO)

FANTASTIC SHORTS
Best Film: LAST DAYS (dir DIPO BARUWA-ETTI)
Best Direction: ANNALISE LOCKART, INHERITANCE

“We’re thrilled to be accepting this award for THE LAST DAYS! Our entire team made this film with an abundance of love and care, to celebrate and honour Black voices, Black stories, and Black lives – so to be honoured by such an iconic festival means the world to us.” Dipo Baruwa-Etti (THE LAST DAYS)

“Thank you so much to Fantastic Fest and the Short Film jury. It was an honor to screen with such incredible films in the Fantastic Shorts Block – with my fellow genre nerds who I look up to. Making movies is a team sport, that’s why we love it. The magic of this film was made possible by my outstanding crew. So I just want to take this opportunity to shout out these absurdly talented folks: my DP Charlotte Hornsby, Gaffer Dan Debrey, Production Designer April Lasky, Costume Designer Nell Simon, Key Grip Garrett Doermann, Art Director Cooper Campbell, and 1st AD Willy McGee. Y’all are the best, let’s make another movie.” Annalise Lockhart (INHERITANCE)

SHORT FUSE
Best Film: YOU’RE DEAD HELEN (dir MICHIEL BLANCHART)
Best Direction: MARIA MARTINEZ BAYONA, SUCH SMALL HANDS
Best Dickhead Way to Subvert the Gender System: NIGHT OF THE LIVINGDICKS (dir ILJA RAUTSI)

“Wiwo! Thanks a lot for this amazing award! It was an honor to be part of such a great lineup. What a shame me and my time couldn’t be there to celebrate and share thrills with all of you! I never had the chance to visit Texas and the U.S in general but It’s so great to receive such love from a country that inspired mi and my work so much! Helen is dead long live Helen! Much love and bloody kisses from Belgium” Michiel Blanchart (YOU’RE DEAD HELEN)

SHORTS WITH LEGS
Best Film: DANGEROUS TYPE (dir Tipper Newton)
Best Direction: GONÇALO ALMEIDA ,GIRL FROM SATURN
Outstanding Example of Non Fiction Filmmaking in a Genre Film Festival: VO (dir NICOLAS GOURAULT)
Outstanding Example of Creative and Fun Use of Cinema for Social Commentary: MISTER POWERFUL (dir ORIOL BARBERÀ MASATS)

“Wow!! Thank you Fantastic Fest! I’m so honored to receive this award and to have been a part of an awesome group of short films at this years festival. I can’t wait to get out there and make another movie, thank you for the encouragement!” Tipper Newton (THE DANGEROUS TYPE)
 
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