The audience
says en gaurd! The
Canadian Film Institute (CFI) announces that the winner of the inaugural audience award for Ottawa’s
30
th annual
European Union Film Festival is
The Fencer.
The Fencer
tops a popular and successful edition of EUFF as the CFI’s fest. The win for
The Fencer, Estonian’s selection for
the festival, caps off a great year for the fest, which enjoyed strong attendance in its first year at
The ByTowne.
The Fencer is
based on the true story of the Endel Nelis, an Estonian fencing champion who
arrives at the small town of Haapsalu after World War II to become a PE
teacher. Despite facing disapproval from his superiors, he begins to instruct
the children in fencing and soon discovers teaching as a passion. The film, a
co-production between Estonia, Finland, and Germany, is currently nominated for
a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film and is Finland’s official
submission in the Oscar race for Best Foreign Language Film. The film looks to
be a favourite among the titles vying for tomorrow’s nine-film shortlist of
submissions that will move on in the Oscar race. Fellow Oscar contenders
Baby(a)lone,
A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting On Existence, and
Son of Saul are also EUFF alums.
Toronto’s edition of
EUFF previously announced the Dutch
selection
Admiral as the audience
favourite, followed by
Cats Don’t Have
Vertigo (Portugal),
1944
(Estonia),
Liza, the Fox Fairy (Hungary),
and
To See the Sea (Czech Republic.)
