Prix Italia

ETGAR KERET, BASED ON A TRUE STORY (NPO, Netherlands) Direction: Stephane Kaas; Production: Frank Hoeve, Katja Draaier; Script; Stephane Kaas, Rutger Lemm; Actor: Etgar Keret; Producing organisation: Baldr Film; Coproducing organisation: NTR Television; Year of production: 2017 The Jury:  Inne Vandaele (VRT, Belgium), Renaud Allilaire (FRANCE5, France), Meike Klingenberg (ZDF, Germany), Carlos Maio (RTP, Portugal), Nebojsa Bradic (SBC/RTS, Serbia), Emma Cahusac (BBC, United Kingdom). The President:  Emma Cahusac (BBC, United Kingdom). Motivations: The Jury was impressed with its creative and original approach which perfectly captured the personality and aims of its subject. Despite none of us knowing the author, we were all captivated by the way the film used multilayered storytelling - blending animation with re-enactment with interview to weave the everyday life of this writer with his bizarre and yet universal stories. The use of animation was well-placed  and linked the surreal with the anecdotal and was the perfect way to bring the written word to life.  It brought out the performance of his work and enhanced the gentle and relaxed pacing and rhythm of the film. The film contained charm and wit and had a real affection for the characters and was surprising from the first scene to the last.