FIPRESCI GRAND PRIX FOR THE BEST FILM OF THE YEAR

Michael Haneke's ''Das Weisse Band (The White Ribbon)'' to receive the Fipresci Grand Prix at San Sebastian Festival

The film Das Weisse Band (The White Ribbon), directed by Michael Haneke, will receive the Fipresci (International Federation of Film Critics) Grand Prix for Best Film of the Year at the San Sebastian Festival opening gala on Friday September 18.

Michael Haneke (Munich, 1942) is one of contemporary cinema’s most greatly admired directors and a recipient of multiple plaudits for his work. Winner of the Golden Palm at Cannes 2009 for Das Weisse Band (The White Ribbon), Haneke has garnered countless accolades, including the Best Director Award for Caché (1995) and the Grand Jury Prize for La pianiste (The Piano Teacher, 2001), both at Cannes Festival. He has also carried off the Fipresci Prize at various festivals, and the award granted by the Federation at the European Film Awards, the first of which went to Benny’s Video (1992).

The Fipresci Grand Prix for Best Film was chosen by members throughout the world of the International Federation of Film Critics, who can vote for any feature film internationally premiered since July of the previous year.

Awarded annually at the San Sebastian Festival, the Fipresci Grand Prix at former editions have gone to the directors: Pedro Almodóvar (Todo sobre mi madre / All About My Mother, 1999 and Volver / To Return, 2006), Paul Thomas Anderson (Magnolia, 2000, and There Will Be Blood , 2008), Jafar Panahi (Dayereh / The Circle, 2001), Aki Kaurismäki (Miles Vailla Menneisyyttä / The Man Without a Past, 2002), Nuri Bilge Ceylan (Uzak, 2003), Jean-Luc Godard (Notre musique, 2004), Kim Ki-Duk (Bin-jip / 3-Iron, 2005) and Cristian Mungiu (4 luni, 3 saptamâni si 2 zile / 4 months, 3 weeks, 2 days, 2007).

For futher information please visit www.fipresci.org

DAS WEISSE BAND (The White Ribbon)

Director: Michael Haneke · Screenplay: Michael Haneke · Photography: Christian Berger Cast: Christian Friedel, Ernst Jacobi, Leonie Benesch, Ulrich Tukur, Burghart Klaussner Running time: 145 m. · Germany-Austria-France-Italy

A village in Protestant Germany, 1913-1914. On the eve of World War I. The story of the children and teenagers of a choir run by the village schoolteacher, and their families: the baron, the steward, the pastor, the doctor, the midwife, the tenant farmers. Strange accidents occur and gradually take on the character of a punishment ritual. Who is behind it all? Golden Palm at Cannes Festival. Fipresci Grand Prix for Best Film of the Year.