We present the list of winners of the Sydney Film Festival that took place from June 7th – 18th, in Sydney, Australia.

Sydney Film Prize

On Body and Soul by Ildikó Enyedi – Hungary | 2017 – 116 min.

Following an 18-year break in feature filmmaking, Ildikó Enyedi has returned with this visually ravishing love story. Endre is the director of a Budapest abattoir. Slightly grizzled, he seems to have lived an eventful life that has eventually come to a stage of solitude. When Maria begins working as a quality controller at his company, Endre is clearly attracted to her. Their interactions, however, are extremely awkward. By chance, the two discover that each night they share exactly the same beautiful dream of a pair of deer frolicking in the woods. Despite their incredulity, they feel compelled to attempt a romance to match their shared visions, but real life proves more difficult. Enyedi contrasts idyllic dream sequences with gory images in the slaughterhouse, creating a compelling metaphor for the struggle for human connection. Spellbinding and mysterious, On Body and Soul touchingly shows love emerging out of the darkness.

Trailer

Documentary Australia Foundation Award

The Pink House by Sascha Ettinger Epstein – Australia | 2017 – 75 min.

Although prostitution is technically illegal in WA, the pink tin shed has been servicing the miners of this remote frontier town since 1904. But with the advent of fly-in-fly-out mining, and a deluge of cheap internet escorts, it could be the end for the historic icon and its staff. Filmed over several years and with unprecedented access to the inner workings of this unique brothel, The Pink House is an intimate portrait of two women bound together by the past and their precarious future.

Trailer

Dendy Live Action Short Award

Adele by Mirene Igwabi – Australia | 2016 – 14 min.

14-year-old Adele is torn between high school and her African family tradition, imposed on her in Australia.

Special Mention

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow by Sunday Emerson Gullifer
Australia | 2017 – 24 min.

An actor playing Lady Macduff in a production of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, by an internationally celebrated director, questions her calling.

Rouben Mamoulian Award for Best Director

Lost Property Office by Daniel Agdag – Australia | 2017 – 9 min.

Sometimes people can get lost in their work…

Yoram Gross Animation Award

Lost Property Office by Daniel Agdag – Australia | 2017 – 9 min.

Event Cinemas Australia Short Screenplay Award

Michael Cusack for After All – Australia | 2016 – 13 min.

After all is said and done… all that is left are memories. A man cleans out his childhood home remembering past conversations.

Special Mention

Johanna Garvin and Leah Purcell for The Milky Pop Kid – Australia | 2017 – 7 min.

With a twinkle in her eye, actor and disability consultant Jules attempts to share with actor Craig what life is like living with a disability. Jules however has the last laugh.

UNESCO Sydney City of Film Award

Leah Purcell

Foxtel Movies Audience Award
Best Feature
1. Ali’s Wedding directed by Jeffrey Walker (Australia)
2. Call Me By Your Name directed by Luca Guadagnino (Italy, France)
3. Rip Tide directed by Rhiannon Bannenberg (Australia)
4. That’s Not Me directed by Gregory Erdstein (Australia)
5. Brigsby Bear directed by Dave McCary (USA)
6. On Body and Soul directed by Ildiko Enyedi (Hungary)
7. God’s Own Country directed by Francis Lee (UK)
8. Sami Blood directed by Amanda Kernell (Sweden, Denmark, Norway)
9. The Woman Who Left directed by Lav Diaz (Philippines)
10. The Wound directed by John Trengrove (South Africa, Germany, The Netherlands, France)

Best Documentary
1. Roller Dreams directed by Kate Hickey (Australia)
2. The Last Goldfish directed by Su Goldfish (Australia)
3. Chauka Please Tell Us the Time directed by Behrouz Boochani and Arash Kamali Sarvestani (The Netherlands, Papua New Guinea)
4. The Opposition directed by Hollie Fifer (Australia)
5. Barbecue directed by Matthew Salleh (Australia)
6. The Workers Cup directed by Adam Sobel (UK)
7. RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World directed by Catherine Bainbridge and Alfonso Maiorana (Canada)
8. The Farthest directed by Emer Reynolds (Ireland)
9. The Pink House directed by Sascha Ettinger Epstein (Australia)
10. It’s Not Yet Dark directed by Frankie Fenton (Ireland)

To know more about this festival please go to the Festival Profile or to the Official Website.