Cinema: Sarah Polley and Sundance

The Sundance film festival has just closed its 2007 edition and the jury has delivered its prize list. This year the jury included, among others, Catherine Hardwicke (revealed in this festival four years ago for her film ‘Thirteen’) and actress Sarah Polley ('My life without me' and 'The secret life of words').

The Grand Jury Prize for dramatic film went to "Padre Nuestro" by writer and director Christopher Zalla. Zalla's debut film is a dark thriller, the story of a Mexican youth (Jorge Adrian Espindola) who sneaks into the United States in search of his father (Jesus Ochoa) who he had never met, to have his identity ‘stolen’ by another illegal immigrant (Armando Hernandez), who he meets along the way. "Padre Nuestro" follows last year's "Quinceanera" as the second-straight Mexican-immigrant film to win the dramatic prize at Sundance.

The Audience Award for dramatic film however, went to "Grace Is Gone” directed by James C. Strouse, with actor John Cusack. It is a story of a man (disguised Cusack) who drives his daughters to a Florida theme park instead of telling them their mother has been killed serving in Iraq. Promising… The Documentary prize was given to Manda Bala (send a bullet), directed by Jason Kohn, about corruption in Brazil, known as one of the world's most corrupt and violent countries. The World Cinema Jury Prize (Dramatic) was awarded to Sweet Mud from Israel’s director Dror Shaul. The Directing Award (Dramatic) was presented to Jeffrey Blitz, director of Rocket Science.

The Sundance Film Festival is the most important showcase for U.S. and independent films (and international, to a certain extent). It is held each January in Park City, Sundance Resort, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, state of Utah. This film festival has introduced north-american audiences to some of the most innovative films of the past two decades.