Indian Romance and Slapstick French Animation Win Top Awards At Filminute 2016

TORONTO - Nov. 1, 2016 - PRLog -- New Delhi-based filmmaker Rohin Raveendran has taken the top award at the 11^th edition of Filminute, the international one-minute film festival. PAIJANAisa quietly captivating romance set in the overcrowded chawls of Mumbai. Like all the films in the competition, the film is deftly delivered in exactly 60 seconds.

The 2016 Filminute jury, which included Taiwanese master filmmaker Hou Hsiao-Hsien, awarded the working-class drama for its strong direction & powerful social commentary.

The People's Choice award, selected this year by audiences in 165 countries, went to the charming slapstick French animation VOLTIGE by director Brunel Léo. "Hilarious," "Lovely," and "made me fall off my chair laughing" were some of the online comments the film received. It was also hailed for the performances of its "leading men," drawing comparisons with Laurel and Hardy. As for the fate of the Fiat 500 at the core of the story, "we leave that for you to discover when you watch the film," said festival co-founder and head of jury, John Ketchum.

Throughout the festival, audiences were invited to rate the films. This year's Top Rated film award went to CUTTING ROOM by Canadian directors Nathan White & Richard Colmer. The film creatively presents a bittersweet moment built around a man opening up to the camera. Fans awarded it a 4.8 out of a possible 5 stars.

17 countries were represented on the 25-film shortlist this time including a record five Spanish films, as well as three American films, and two films each from Iran, France & Germany.

The 2016 8-member international jury was made up of Hou Hsiao-Hsien, author John Vaillant, FIPRESCI journalist Barbara Hollender, writer/artist Nayla Elamin, filmmakers Motke Dapp and Guillaume Renusson and Filminute co-founders John Ketchum and Sabaa Quao. Together, and in addition to Best Filminute, they awarded 5 Jury Commendations to: Fish (Iran), Voltige (France), Just Kids (Spain), To Ring or Not To Ring (Romania), and Backtrack (USA).

Filminute also continued its tradition of partner awards with both Cineuropa and CineCoup. The Filminute 2016 CineCoup Prize, awarded by the Canadian Film Accelerator, went to A2042 (Spain). The Cineuropa Audience Award this year went to Love at First Light (Ireland).

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About Filminute

Filminute is the international one-minute film festival that challenges filmmakers, writers, animators, artists, designers, and creative producers to develop and submit the world's best one-minute films.  www.filminute.com

Every year, from October 1 – 25^th, the Filminute festival presents an extraordinary array of 25 films online, for viewers around the world to enjoy, share and discuss.

Press Kits For Winning Films

http://www.filminute.com/pages/press-kit

Press Office

For Further Information, please contact:

Filminute PR Office    press@filminute.com

John Ketchum    john.ketchum@filminute.com

Ioana Diaconu   ioana.diaconu@filminute.com

FILMINUTE 2016 WINNERS

BEST FILMINUTE

PAIJANA http://www.filminute.com/films/2016/paijana/

ROHIN RAVEENDRAN (India)

PEOPLE'S CHOICE

VOLTIGE http://www.filminute.com/films/2016/voltige/

BRUNEL LEO (France)

TOP RATED

CUTTING ROOM http://www.filminute.com/films/2016/cutting-room/

NATHAN WHITE & RICHARD COLMER (Canada)

5 JURY COMMENDATIONS

FISH  http://www.filminute.com/films/2016/fish/

SAMAN HOSSEINPUOR (Iran)

VOLTIGE http://www.filminute.com/films/2016/voltige/

BRUNEL LEO (France)

JUST KIDS http://www.filminute.com/films/2016/just-kids/

LUCIA G-LUBEN (Spain)

TO RING OR NOT TO RINGhttp://www.filminute.com/films/2016/to-ring-or-not-to-ring/

RAZVAN DU (Romania)

BACKTRACK http://www.filminute.com/films/2016/backtrack/

NATHAN HONG FISHER (USA)

FILMINUTE 2015 PARTNER AWARDS

FILMINUTE 2015 CINECOUP PRIZE

A2042 http://www.filminute.com/films/2016/a2042/

DAVID CASTRO GONZALES (Spain)

FILMINUTE 2015 CINEUROPA AUDIENCE AWARD

LOVE AT FIRST LIGHT http://www.filminute.com/films/2016/love-at-first-light/

CAROLINE GRACE-CASSIDY (Ireland)