WHEN I SAW YOU wins NETPAC's BEST ASIAN FILM AT BERLIN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2013
Tuesday, February 26, 2013 at 04:19AM When I Saw You (Lamma Shoftak) was awarded the NETPAC Prize for BEST ASIAN FILM at the Berlin International Film Festival.
The jury presented the award to writer/director Annemarie Jacir at the closing ceremony stating their decision was unanimous. Jacir dedicated the award to the cast and crew in Jordan and Palestine and in particular Mahmoud Asfa and his family. Asfa lives in Irbid refugee camp in Jordan and plays the role of Tarek in the film.
NETPAC Jury-Statement:
"As best Asian film in the Berlinale Forum 2013 we have unanimously chosen the beautiful and courageous LAMMA SHOFTAK ("When I Saw You") by Annemarie Jacir for its humanity and finely crafted depiction of hope, yearning and belief in a better future.
We were all impressed by the film's distinctive narrative perspective: that of conveying the longing for freedom of an oppressed people in an era when idealism, solidarity and justice still had meaning and belonged to a united opposition, while focusing on the passionate spirit of an innocent young boy who rejects the prevailing circumstances.
We were also all deeply moved by the extraordinary performances of the boy and his mother, played by Mahmoud Asfa' and Ruba Blal."
