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2012 AWARDS AT CWFF
Films from Azerbaijan, Serbia, Belgium, France, Germany, Russia, Mexico, Slovakia and South Africa were among the winners of the 5th edition of the Cape Winelands Film Festival (CWFF), which had its last screenings on 24 March 2012 in Stellenbosch and Cape Town. The programme included award winning features, documentaries and shorts from more than 48 countries.
Ilgar Najaf from Azerbaijan won the Grand Prix Award for Buta, a story about a lonely 7 year old boy (named Buta), who lives in a mountain village with his grandmother. He is befriended by an old man, a liquid soap merchant who once loved (and lost) Buta’s grandmother. The old man’s friendship and wise advice helps Buta to overcome his difficulties in life. Buta’s grandmother, in the meantime, is weaving a special carpet in memory of Buta’s mother. The carpet features a ‘buta’ pattern, which represents love. The boy is inspired by grandmother’s work, and decides to make his own “buta” made of rocks and stones, high on the top of the mountain…
The Award for Best Director went to Serbian director Miloš Radivojević. How I Was Stolen by the Germans tells the story of director and writer Radivojević’s childhood and how his life was influenced by the people he grew up with. As a child he felt neglected by his communist family and was taken care of by a German officer, who occupied his home during the Second World War and was the only person who offered him any love and warmth during his child-hood.
The First Feature Award went to Flemish film-maker Bavo Defurne for his sensitive film about first love, North Sea Texas.
A Special Mention Award from the feature jury was made for The Giants (Belgium).
Full list of Feature Film Awards
Grand Prix Award: Buta (Iilgar Najaf )
Special Mention: The Giants (Bouli Lanners)
Best Director: Milos Radivojevic (How I was Stolen by the Germans)
Best New Director: Bavo Defurne (North Sea Texas)
Best Actor: Zacharie Chasseriaud (The Giants)
Best Actress: Zoe Heran (Tomboy)
Best Script: Ruggero Dipaola (Apartment in Athens)
Best Cinematography: Gerardo Barosso (The Last Christeros)
Best Editing: Maros Slapeta (Visible World)
Best South African Feature Film : Otelo Burning ( Sara Blecher)
Special Mention Award : Lucky (Avie Luthra)
The Cape Winelands will again at the 2012 edition of this festival present a series of Masterclasses and workshops. These events are sponsored by the City of Cape Town and Wesgro.
Winner of the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes festival, Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s new film has the magic of a fairy tale and the simplicity of a folk tale. Wonderfully immersive, slow and dreamy, 
