BOB SWAIM, FILM DIRECTOR AND SCREENWRITER AND DIRECTOR OF EICAR’S INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT, WAS PRESIDENT OF THE JURY AT THE 19THEDITION OF THE FRÉJUS INTERNATIONAL SHORT FESTIVAL.
Swaim’s jury consisted of award-winning cinematographer and director Pierre-William Glenn, actors Jacky Nercessian and Jean-Louis Tribes, screenwriter-novelist Patrick De Lassagne, casting director Chrystelle Molinier, short film distributor Florence Keller, and DOP Jean-Louis Bompoint.
The Prix Hermès was given to the Chinese film, French Touch, directed by Cheng Xiaoxing, which the jury signaled out for its original tone, inventiveness, non conventional casting and photographic elegance. The Israeli short, Avé Maria by Basil Khalil won the Prix Aurelia, impressing the jury for its original humor, allegorical and anti-fanatic story.
“Short films are one of the best schools of learning the art and craft of filmmaking,” says Swaim, “and the rules are basically the same as in a feature.” Swaim also pointed out to the audience that the International Department at EICAR produces between 35 and 40 short films a year, a dozen of which are selected for a prestigious screening and competition in December at the Cinémathèque Française.
Swaim concluded, “It’s been an amazing festival with films coming from so many different cultures with so many different ways of seeing things.”
