Palm Springs 2006

In the framework of the Palm Springs festival (USA, January 5-16, 2006), our jury reviewed the official Best Foreign Language submissions to the Academy Awards and presented the "FIPRESCI Award for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year 2005" to Buffalo Boy (Mua Len Trau), the submission from Vietnam (2005). Director Minh Nguyen-Vo's feature debut is a coming-of-age journey through French Indochina shortly before World War II. A teenaged boy transports his family's buffalos to greener pastures during the seasonal floods and discovers the joys and challenges of masculine ritual.

Ion Fiscuteanu received the "FIPRESCI Award Best Actor" for his performance in The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (Moartea Domnului Lazarescu, Romania) directed by Cristi Puiu.
Meltem Cumbul received the "FIPRESCI Award Best Actress" for her performance in Lovelorn (Gönül Yarasi, Turkey) directed by Yavuz Turgul.

Details of the prize.

Reports:

Traps and Tribulations in the Oscar Game. The increase of films that will be in the running for Academy Awards may lead many to believing that Palm Springs has sold out to Hollywood. However, a conspicuous program of excellent foreign films made this year's festival a selection of opposites to please everyone. By Robert Koehler

Buffalo Boy - A Life in Water. A cycle is broken in Buffalo Boy. Water is the foundation and the condition for everything in Minh Nguyen-Vo's extraordinary film, which won The International Critics' Prize for the Best Foreign Language Film of 2005 in Palm Springs . By Henrik Uth Jensen

Buffalo Boy - Into the (real) Heart of Darkness. The plight of the Vietnamese is set straight in the debut feature of Minh Nguyen Vo who offers a truthful portrayal of a people, showing resilience in lives irrevocably altered by invasion. By Gideon Kouts

Actresses, Parts and Bullies: how to win a performance award in Palm Springs. In this account, films notable for their strong female performances that were sometimes overshadowed by the director's grander schemes have been given justifiable appraisal. By C.S. Roy

Actresses and Genres: The Victory of Meltem Cumbul. This year's competition has brought to bear great performances by some relatively unknown female actors who shone in their performances. However, one bright light from Turkey helped elevate her director Yavuz Turgul 's film to the FIPRESCI prize. By Kirill Razlogov

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