“Wolf & Sheep” Afghan fantasy drama gets Cannes Directors’ Fortnight Prize

PanARMENIAN.Net - “Wolf & Sheep”, an Afghan fantasy drama, claimed the Art Cinema Award at the Directors’ Fortnight (aka Quinzaine des Realisateurs) section of the Cannes festival, Variety reports.

The award was announced on Friday, May 20 evening at an event in Cannes. The Directors’ Fortnight section is essentially non-competitive, but a number of its commercial and cinema industry sponsors arrange prizes.

“Wolf,” which also goes by the title “The Story of an Afghan Community,” is a depiction of rural where everyone is a storyteller and children rule the hills as shepherds. It is directed by Shahrbanoo Sadat a woman screenwriter and director who was previously in the Directors’ Fortnight in 2011 with short film “Vice Versa One.”

“Wolf” also has Cannes connections. It was previously pitched at the Cannes Cinefondation Residency program in 2013, when Sadat was just 20. Production and finance came from Scandinavia and Afghanistan.

The film beat other contenders including favorites: “Neruda,” “Risk,” “Ma Vie de Courgette” and “Raman Raghav.”

Sponsors Awards at the 2016 edition of Cannes Directors’ Fortnight / Quinzaine des Realisateurs

Art Cinema Award to a feature film “Wolf & Sheep,” dir. Shahrbanoo Sadat

SACD Award to a French-language feature film “The Together Project” (aka “L’Effet Aquatique”) dir. Solveig Anspach

SACD special mention “Divines” dir. Houda Benyamina

The Europa Cinemas Label to a European feature film “Mercenary” (aka “Mercenaire”) dir. Sacha Wolff

Illy Prize to a short film “Chasse Royal” dirs. Lise Akoka, Romane Gueret

Illy special mention “The Beast” (aka “Zvir”) dir. Miroslav Sikavica