Turkish filmmaker Reha Erdem's "Koca Dünya" (Big Big World) won the special jury prize at the world's oldest film festival, the Venice Film Festival, continuing a theme for Turkish films at the prestigious festival.
Reha Erdem thanked the Horizons jury for the honor, saying that the film will make its debut in Turkey at the 23rd International Adana Film Festival, previously known as the Altın Koza International Film Festival, which will be held on September 17-25.
For the past three years, Turkish film have taken the special jury prize home; Emin Alper's Abluka (Frenzy) and Kaan Müjdeci's Sivas won the award in 2015 and 2014, respectively.
The film is about Ali and Zuhal, an orphaned brother and sister, who take their first step out in the real world. The two siblings are later separated from each other by a family who only decides to take care of Zuhal. After Ali learns that the adoptive family plans to make the teenage Zuhal their second bride, he commits a crime. The two leave this trauma and the city behind, making the woods their home. From there on they start their lives from scratch.
Twenty international movies featuring top Hollywood talent and auteur directors were in competition in the 73rd outing of the festival this year on Saturday.
The festival's top prize went to a black-and-white movie about a woman's thirst for revenge and her feelings of forgiveness after 30 years in jail for a crime she did not commit.
Director Lav Diaz described "Ang Babaeng Humayo" ("The Woman Who Left") as a testimony to the struggles of the Philippines after centuries of colonial rule and its aftermath, and he dedicated the Golden Lion award to his homeland.
The runner-up Grand Jury prize went to fashion designer Tom Ford's thriller "Nocturnal Animals", while the Best Director award was shared by Russia's Andrei Konchalovsky for the Holocaust drama "Rai" ("Paradise") and Mexico's Amat Escalante for "La Region Salvaje" ("The Untamed").
American Emma Stone took the Best Actress prize for her role in the musical "La La Land" and Argentine actor Oscar Martinez was named Best Actor for his performance in the comedy-drama "El Ciudadano Ilustre" ("The Distinguished Citizen").
German actress Paula Beer received the Marcello Mastroianni Award acknowledging an emerging performer, for her role in post-war drama "Frantz".
Noah Oppenheim took the best screenplay award for his work on Pablo Larrain's "Jackie", a portrayal of first lady Jacqueline Kennedy in the aftermath of the assassination of her husband U.S. President John F. Kennedy.
