Lucrecia Martel’s documentary “Landmarks” (“Nuestra Tierra”) won the Best Film award in the official competition section of this year’s London Film Festival.
“Landmark” explores the murder of indigenous leader Javier Chocobar and the legacy of colonialism in Latin America. Commenting on the film’s selection, the competition jury, headed by President Elisabeth Carlsen, said: “With deep empathy and extraordinary journalistic and cinematic rigor, director Lucrecia Martel delves into the events surrounding the 2009 murder of Chuchagasta party leader Javier Chocobar in Argentina’s Tucuman province. Foregrounding current voices and neglected histories, Martel emerges with a portrait.” For and for Indigenous communities, giving them a measure of justice that courts have long denied them. In a very strong competition, our judges are proud of this unique achievement. ”
Other winners include Vincho Nchog’s “One Woman One Bra,” a humorous depiction of the fight to protect ancestral land, which won the Sutherland Award for Best Feature. David Bingon’s “The Travelers,” an intimate and hopeful portrayal of the perilous journey taken by a group of immigrants from Cameroon to Europe, has won a documentary competition. The winner of the short film competition was Saeed Zaga’s “Coyotes,” about the journey of a Palestinian doctor who is prevented from returning home by Israeli soldiers.
The London Film Festival concludes on Sunday night with the UK premiere of Julia Jackman’s fantasy fairy tale “100 Nights of Hero.” Meanwhile, voting for the LFF Audience Award continues until Monday, with the winners of Best Feature Film and British Feature Film being announced shortly.
