'The Mother of all Lies' wins best picture at Sydney Film Festival
At the Cannes Film Festival, 'The Mother of all Lies' received the best director prize in Un Certain Regard section
June 19, 2023
Docu-drama The Mother of all Lies has won the best picture at the Sydney Film Festival.
The Asmae El Moudir-helmed project delves into of Morocco’s 1981 Bread Riots. The jury, declared the film “audacious, cutting-edge and courageous.” The film was awarded A$60,000 ($41,100) cash prize at the State.
At the Cannes Film Festival, The Mother of all Lies featuring doll-like figurines premiered in the Un Certain Regard section and received the best director prize, reports Variety.
The jury, consisting of Kashyap, Mia Wasikowska, Dorothee Wenner, Larissa Behrendt, and Visakesa Chandrasekaram, praised the film for its portrayal of the state, family, and individual through the juxtaposition of limited public materials and personal family memories.
In another development, Australian filmmakers Derik Lynch and Matthew Thorne were awarded the largest cash prize in the history of the Sydney Film Festival. Their documentary "Marungka Tjalatjunu" (also known as "Dipped in Black") follows Lynch, an artist from the Yankunytjatjara community, as he embarks on a road trip to his hometown (Aputula), triggering childhood memories. The filmmakers received the $20,000 cash prize from the Documentary Australia Award.
“This year’s festival was a huge success with a great number of film fans returning to the cinemas in 2023 attending over 400 film screenings, special events and talks. This year we presented 242 incredible films from across the globe and audiences were eager to take part in the festivities with over 100 sold out sessions,” said Sydney Film Festival CEO Frances Wallace.
The festival, now concluded, will take to the road.
