“Whiplash,” “The Good Lie” win at Deauville American Film Fest

PanARMENIAN.Net - “Whiplash” and “The Good Lie” took home the top prizes at the 40th Deauville American Film Festival on Saturday, September 13. The Miles Teller-starring “Whiplash” nabbed the grand prize, while Reese Witherspoon‘s “The Good Lie” took the second place Jury Prize, TheWrap said.

Damien Chazelle's “Whiplash” premiered in-competition at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival in the opening slot, going on to earn the top audience and grand jury awards. It is the story of a jazz drummer (Teller) seeking stardom under the watchful eye of his terse conductor (J.K. Simmons).

“The Good Lie” was written by Margaret Nagel and directed by Philippe Falardeau, got its premiere at the 2014 International Film Festival, wrapping up this weekend.

Other winners at the Deauville American Film Festival include David Robert Mitchell's “It Follows.” The horror film won the critics’ prize, while Saar Klein's “Things People Do” won the special 40th-anniversary prize. The Cartier prize for best first film went to Ana Lily Amirpour for “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night,” while the best first French film award went to Jeanne Herry's “Elle l'Adore.”

The Deauville jury included Cannes president Pierre Lescure and French directors Costa-Gavras, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Claude Lelouch, and Andre Techine. The Revelation jury included Anne Beres, Lola Bessis, Audrey Dana, Freddie Highmore, Clemence Posey, and Heloïse Letissier (better known as musical act Christine and the Queens).