March 21 (BTA) - The Brazilian science fiction thriller The Pink Cloud, written and directed by Iuli Gerbase, won the Grand Prix Award at the 25th Sofia Film Fest. The awards were presented on Saturday night at a ceremony at the National Palace of Culture.

German Lessons by director Pavel Vesnakov won two awards - the jury and the critics' award.

The film February by Kamen Kalev (pictured) received the award for best Bulgarian film from an international jury chaired by Teodor Ushev (animator, Bulgaria).

The award for Bulgarian short film went to Santiago (Bulgaria) directed by Andrey Koulev. Tanda (Bulgaria), by director Teodora-Kosara Popova, received an honourary diploma.

The award for best Balkan film was given by an international jury, chaired by Doron Eran (producer and director, Israel), to the film "Quo vadis, Aida?" (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria, Romania, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, France, Norway, Turkey) directed by Jasmila Zbanic.

The Balkan jury also awarded an honourary diploma to the film Oasis (Sia and Herzegovina) by director Ivan Ikic.

The award for best documentary was presented by an international jury chaired by Lech Kowalski (director, USA) to the film Acasa, My Home (Romania-Germany) by director Radu Radu Ciorniciuc.

The Bulgarian Film Critics Guild Award for a film from the Balkan Competition was awarded to Capital Letters (Romania) by director Radu Jude.

A youth jury chose the best film from the International Competition, which was Luzzu (Malta) directed by Alex Camilleri.

All foreign winners at the Sofia Film Fest sent video messages to the festival, expressing hope that they could attend the autumn edition of the film forum in September. RI/DT

/DT/

Source: Sofia