Grand Prix – Best Film of 2016

Maren Ade’s “Toni Erdmann” Wins FIPRESCI Grand Prix 2016

The FIPRESCI Grand Prix 2016, awarded by the International Federation of Film Critics to the best film of the past year, goes to “Toni Erdmann” by Maren Ade. The German filmmaker will collect the award on Friday, September 16th, at the opening ceremony of the San Sebastian Film Festival, where the film will also screen as part of the Pearls program.

The Grand Prix was decided through a poll that gathered the votes of 475 members of FIPRESCI from around the world, who first nominated their favourite films among all feature-length works premiered since July 2015, and then chose from three finalists: “Toni Erdmann”, Duke Johnson and Charlie Kaufman’s “Anomalisa”, and Jim Jarmusch’s “Paterson”.

The FIPRESCI Grand Prix exists since 1999, and is the federation’s most representative recognition, as it is not chosen by a jury (like the International critics’ prizes awarded in many festivals to a film from the program), but is elected by all members among all feature-length films of the previous twelve months. In the past, this special award has been bestowed upon – among others – Michael Haneke, Cristian Mungiu, Aki Kaurismäki, Paul Thomas Anderson, Jean-Luc Godard, Richard Linklater and George Miller. In its 18 editions, this is the first time it goes to a film made by a woman.

“I feel extremely honoured to be chosen by the people who have seen the most films over the year. And thank you so much for giving “Toni” such a great start in Cannes,” she reacted, referring to the International critics’ prize that the FIPRESCI jury at the 69th Festival de Cannes gave her third film earlier this year. She had already won the International critics’ award for her second film, “Everyone Else” (Alle Anderen), at the BAFICI (Buenos Aires, Argentina) in 2009, after having collected two Silver Bears (Jury Grand Prix and Best Actress for Birgit Minichmayr) at the Berlinale. In 2005, her debut feature, “The Forest for the Trees” (Der Wald vor lauter Bäumen) won the Special Jury Prize in Sundance.

Read the articles about “Toni Erdmann” by Pamela Biénzobas / here and by Vecdi Sayar / here.