PortuguêsFelix, (adjective) – from the Latin Felix: ‘fortunate’, ‘satisfied’, and ‘happy’
Last night the Festival do Rio was proud to announce the winners of this year’s Felix awards. Awarded the prize for best fiction film was Tangerine, directed by Sean Baker; for best documentary was The New Man, directed by Aldo Garay; and the Special Jury Prize was given to Seafront, directed by Filipe Matzembacher and Marcio Reolon.
The jury– including filmmaker Daniel Ribeiro, director of The Way He Looks (Hoje eu quero voltar sozinho), Portuguese journalist and film critic Kathleen Gomes and journalist Gilberto Scofield – explained why they chose these films from the 25 short-listed.
“Tangerine locates transgender issues at the heart of a narrative that is both light-hearted and serious. Shot entirely using iPhones, this work is a sincere portrait of the diversity of relationships to be found in any big city: an existential and truly contemporary story.”
“The New Man is the fascinating story of an ex-guerrilla fighter, active during Nicaragua’s Sandinista revolution, now fighting to live as a woman and looking to make peace with past demons. One person’s journey of sexual discovery becomes a wider reflection of the complexity of human nature both in Latin America and globally.”
“Seafront film elegantly brings to the fore the melancholy and solitude of that all-too complicated coming-of-age process.”
The ceremony concluded with the awarding of the prestigious new accolade, the Suzy Capó Award for Felix Personality of the Year, conceived in homage to individuals fighting for the LGBT+ cause. The trophy is named after the late Suzy Capó, active in the selection of the festival programme and the impulse behind the creation of the Premio Felix, who will be dearly missed by all at the Festival do Rio.
The inaugural Suzy Capó award was bestowed upon Brazilian television actress and personality Rogéria, a well-known and enthusiastic promoter of gay and transgender rights, a household name for over 50 years. Rogéria also starred in the documentary Tie and Red Nail (De gravata e unha vermelha) that was awarded the Felix Prize last year.
All those celebrated for their commitment to the LBGT+ cause should be proud of their achievements and satisfied with their success. We, at the Festival do Rio, certainly consider ourselves fortunate to have such astounding representatives for gender diversity in the arts, and were extremely happy to be able to show our appreciation last night.
Last
night’s photos capture the evening in all its glamour and excitement.
Photos: ciadafoto
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