Culmination of the 19th edition of the Monte-Carlo Comedy Film Festival, organized by Ezio Greggio.

Members of the Jury, Paul Haggis (Presidente),Tom Leeb, Clara Ponsot, and Pierpaolo Spollon selected the coveted Prizes to honor the best of the best!

The Canadian Film Babysitter received 2 prizes, one for Best Film and the other to Steve Laplante foe Best Actor.

The spanish Director Dani De la Orden  was awarded Best Director for Mamá o papá, a film that also recognized Best Actress prize to Miren Ibarguren.

The Danish film Miss Viborg got the Special Jury Award for an outstanding first feature film.

Also, The  Monte Carlo Film Festival Jury gave an award to Odd-Magnus Williamson per Best Screenwriting with Nothing to Laugh About.

The italian comedy Una Boccata d’aria directed by Alessio Lauria received the Premio del Pubblico ( Popular Jury Prize).

Finally, the Short Comedy Award prize goes to A guide to dining out in Nairobi ( Kenya).

Best Film: BABYSITTER

The award for the Best Comedy of the 19th edition of the Monte Carlo CFF goes to Babysitter for its originality, for having obtained it through raw and politically incorrect irony, extraordinary staging and incredible dialogues. For the courage with which the director has chosen to tell the misogyny and the power with which she manages to reach the viewer.

Best Director: DANI DE LA ORDEN (Mamá o papá)

Dani De la Orden has been able to build an extraordinary storytelling through images, managing to tell with a fast pace and perfect shots a story capable of making people laugh and excite.

Best Actor: STEVE LAPLANTE (Babysitter’s journalist brother)

In an extremely difficult role to play, Steve Laplante was able to control his performance perfectly without ever falling into exaggeration. An actor who accompanies the emotional change of his character throughout the film, who takes a position before and the opposite one after, to finally return to the starting point, thus narrating the stereotype of the male gender in an excellent way.

Best Actress: MIREN IBARGUREN (Mamá o Papá)

Miren Ibarguren is magnetic, true and intense to the point of making you fall in love. In the role of a mother in the moment of separation, she was able to convey anger and desire for revenge, she told the joy and tenderness, mood changes and everyday life in a sublime way. A fun, spontaneous, extraordinary performance.

Best Screenwriting: ODD-MAGNUS WILLIAMSON (Nothing to Laugh About)

This special award, wanted by the Monte Carlo Jury for the first time, goes to the writing of “Nothing to Laugh About” for having been able to tell hope through a surprising development of a story that, despite the sadness of the facts narrated, manages to convey joy and offer a new point of view on the meaning of life.

Special Jury Award for an outstanding first feature film: MISS VIBORG

“An amazing movie, we were blown away by this movie”. A work that is a masterpiece.

GUESTS, GALA NIGHT AND WINNERS

Ezio Greggio, together with Cristina Marino (Il talento del Calabrone, Vacanze ai Caraibi), hosted the Gala award ceremony with international celebrities and winners of this edition in attendance. Stefania Sandrelli (Divorzio all’Italiana, C’eravamo tanto amati, Prosciutto, prosciutto) confirmed her presence as special guest, being honored with the Movie Legend Award.

Luca Argentero (Doc-nelle tue mani, Le fate Ignoranti -la serie, Come un gatto in tangenziale- ritorno a Coccia de Morto) received a lifetime achievement award.

The talented actress Ludovica Martino, known for the famous tv series Skam, together with the teenidol Lorenzo Zurzolo (Baby, Summertime, Eo) received the Next Generation Award as Best Under30 Performer.

Plus, Giancarlo Commare ( Skam, Ancora più bello, Sempre più bello, Maschile Singolare) was awarded as Monte Carlo Film Festival-Next Generation Comedy Award winner for his performance in the film Ancora più bello.

Chairman of the Jury Paul Haggis (Crash-contatto fisico, Million Dollar Baby) received the prestigious Movie Legend Award. Among the stars attending the gala, the showman Piero Chiambretti, the famous journalist Cesara Buonamici, the former Juventus footbal player Andrea Barzagli, the histrionic anchorman Alessandro Cattelan and the charming Turkish actor Can Yaman, who we will watch soon on tv in “Sandokan”.

During the evening the member of the Jury Tom Leeb performed Sun.

The event, in collaboration with EFG Bank ( Monaco), has always been held under the High Patronage of S.A.S. Prince Albert II de Monaco and of the Italian Embassy

Photo credits: ©MCFF-S.Chiappalone