LOLA wins Méliès d’Argent Award

While I was at the Trieste Science+Fiction Festival I had the honour of being on the jury for the Méliès d’Argent Award with Giles Edwards and Loris Curci.

The film we chose was LOLA, Directed by Andrew Legge, co-written by Legge and Angeli Macfarlane, and starring Stefanie Martini and Emma Appleton in stellar performances.

This is a tight, time-travel story, with a unique black and white vision of an alternative past where saving the world could result in sacrificing an integral part of your culture. It’s both joyous and poignant, a celebration of the sisters’ intense and sometimes fraught relationship, plus the music and songs by Neil Hannon are impeccable.

Thankfully this low-budget wonder has secured a distribution deal via Signature Entertainment.

We also gave a special commendation to Vesper, directed by Kristina Buozyte & Bruno Samper, and co-written by Buozyte, Brian Clark & Samper. It had terrific performances by Raffiella Chapman, Eddie Marsan and Rosy McEwen and a beautifully realised post-apocalyptic world.

I was busy the entire week but I managed to see a little of Trieste, and it’s gorgeous. I felt so grateful to be given this opportunity.

Grazie mille to the festival and their team of enthusiastic and organised staff.