While it has pretty much zero influence on the awards season stateside, the European Film Awards, which are essentially the Euro version of the Oscars, presented their winners tonight and it looks like Lars Von Trier's brief moment as a pariah is over.
"Melancholia" tied Tom Hooper's "The King's Speech" as the big winner — each film earned three awards — taking home Best Film, European Cinematographer (well deserved recognition for Manuel Alberto Claro's work) and European Production Design. While Von Trier maintained his silence, he apparently sent folks at the ceremony a "friendly wave" instead. As for 'Speech,' Colin Firth added to his trophies with Euorpean Actor, while it also earned European Editor and People's Choice Award. Other notable winners included Tilda Swinton for her turn in "We Need To Talk About Kevin," Susanne Bier nabbed European Director from her fellow Dane for "In A Better World" while Wim Wenders' 3D dance film "Pina" took the prize for European Documentary.
Meanwhile, the Dardenne brothers took the Screenplay honors for "The Kid With The Bike" and in the only prize it earned all evening, the Oscar frontrunner "The Artist" only managed a Composer win for Ludovic Bource. And Terry Gilliam fans take note, the director's "The Wholly Family" won the Short Film award.
A compelling batch of winners to be sure — you can check out the complete list below. [THR]
EUROPEAN FILM 2011
Melancholia Dir. Lars von Trier
EUROPEAN DIRECTOR 2011
Susanne Bier for In a Better World
EUROPEAN ACTRESS 2011
Tilda Swinton in We Need To Talk About Kevin
EUROPEAN ACTOR 2011
Colin Firth in The King's Speech
EUROPEAN SCREENWRITER 2011
Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne for The Kid with a Bike
CARLO DI PALMA EUROPEAN CINEMATOGRAPHER AWARD 2011
Manuel Alberto Claro for Melancholia
EUROPEAN DOCUMENTARY 2011
Pina Dir. Wim Wenders
EUROPEAN ACHIEVEMENT IN WORLD CINEMA 2011
Mads Mikkelson
EFA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Stephen Frears
EUROPEAN CO-PRODUCTION AWARD – PRIX EURIMAGES
Mariela Besuievsky
EUROPEAN ANIMATED FEATURE FILM 2011
Chico & Rita Dir. Tono Errando, Javier Mariscal & Fernando Trueba
EUROPEAN EDITOR 2011
Tariq Anwar for The King's Speech
EUROPEAN PRODUCTION DESIGN
Jette Lehmann for Melancholia
EUROPEAN COMPOSER
Ludovic Bource for The Artist
EUROPEAN DISCOVERY – PRIX FIPRESCI
Oxygen (Belgium/Netherlands) Dir. Hans Van Nuffel
PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD
The King's Speech
EFA SHORT FILM AWARD
The Wholly Family