Holocaust film scoops best debut feature prize
THE CURTAIN came down on the 2015 Jewish Film Festival last weekend with its prestigious Best Debut Feature Award going to Hungarian director Laszlo Nemes for his Holocaust film Son of Saul.
Jury director Nik Powell, who heads the National Film and Television School, saidthefilm,aboutacampinmateforced to burn the bodies of Holocaust victims, said it was “rare to come across a debut film of such power. Indeed, it is rare to come across any film of such power.”
Mr Nemes said having his film shown at the festival was “very special”.
Sunday’s gala in central London was the culmination of a fortnight in which 83 films were shown at 123 screenings in 16 cinemas across the country,
Organisers expected tickets sales to have exceeded last year’s total, with over a third more screenings selling out than in 2014.
UK Jewish Film chief executive, Michael Etherton, said that he was “delighted by the overwhelming audience response”.