Prague Independent Film Festival announced the winners of the 2019 edition with the experimental art-house film M by Finnish director Anna Eriksson receiving the Grand Prix and best feature film awards. The film, loosely inspired by the last days of Marilyn Monroe, initially premiered at the Venice’s International Film Critics’ Week in 2018. Anna Eriksson took upon herself multiple duties during the making of the film; she directed it, played the lead role, edited the film and composed the score.
American film Night Walk, directed and written by Aziz Tazi, took home two awards, for best screenplay and best actor (Mickey Rourke). It initially premiered at the Moscow International Film Festival. Night Walk tells the story of a man wrongly convicted for the killing of his wife. The film also stars Sean Stone and Eric Roberts.
Bulgarian film Away from the Shore by Kostadin Bonev received the awards for best directing and best cinematography.
2019 Prague Independent Film Festival Winners
Grand Prix – M (director Anna Eriksson)
Gustav Meyrink Prize – The Snow Queen 4 (directors Robert Lence, Alexey Tsitsilin
Best Director – Kostadin Bonev (film Away from the Shore)
Best Actor – Mickey Rourke (film Night Walk)
Best Feature Film – M (director Anna Eriksson)
Best Short Film – Aji (director Anastasia Berezovsky)
Best Student Film – Hinge (director Lisa Ann Mayo)
Best Music Video – Dark like the Night. Karenina 2019. (director Radda Novikova)
Best Art Direction – Land of Winter (director Tommy Creagh)
Best Documentary – To tell a Ghost (directors Chris Piotrowicz, Stefan Ehrhardt)
Best Original Screenplay – Night Walk (screenplay Aziz Tazi)
Best Cinematography – Away from the Shore (Cinematography Konstantin Zankov)
Best Animated Film – Burning Bright (director Aaron Bierman)
Best Experimental Film – We are in a Dream (directors Henna Välkky, Eesu Lehtola)