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Tony Way as the unfortunate Lol in Richard Billigham’s “profound, authentic and compassionate” Grand Prix by Orange winner “Ray & Liz” 

On the last day of this year’s Luxembourg City Film Festival, the winners of the festival’s two main prizes, which were announced at the awards ceremony at Kinepolis on Saturday evening, will get a repeat screening.

The international jury awarded the Grand Prix by Orange to Rochard Billigham’s “Ray & Liz”, citing its “integrity” that “incites strong emotions the audience and confronts them with our human condition that is harsh, but needs to be faced.” The jury also said it was an “artistically radical film”--Billingham is better known as a photographer--that was “profound, authentic and compassionate”.

The jury also gave a special mention to Russian film “The Man Who Surprised Everyone” by Natasha Merkulova and Aleksey Chupov.

While the Grand Prix award may have been a surprise, the Documentary Award by BGL BNP Paribas went to a film that was a favourite among many festival goers, “Selfie” by Agostino Ferrente. The documentary jury said the chose the film for “its deep respect for the characters, its honest and creative film form. For its beautiful way to portray friendship in a complex and violent male environment.”

Other awards handed out at Saturday’s ceremony included the Critics Award going to “The Realm” by Rodrigo Sorogoyen, the Audience Award going to “Birds Of Passage” (which also received a special mention from the press jury).

The Youth jury picked “Styx” by Wolfgang Fischer as its prize, but also gave special mention to Jasmin Mozaffari’s “Firecrackers”. The School Jury Award went to “The Silent Revolution” and the Kids Jury Award was given to “Matti & Sami and the Three Biggest Mistakes In The Universe”.

And special guest Mike Leigh was given a Lifetime Achievement award.

“Selfie” will be screened at the Cinémathèque on place du Théâtre at 7 p.m. “Ray & Liz” will be screened at the Cinémathèque on place du Théâtre at 9 p.m.