Moon Wins Best New British Feature Film At Eiff

Up where the MOON is shining so bright…

I’m sure you’ll want to join me in congratulating director Duncan Jones on the news that his debut feature MOON has scooped the Michael Powell Award for the Best New British Feature Film at this year?s Edinburgh International Film Festival.

The winners were revealed at the EIFF Awards Ceremony at Filmhouse this afternoon, and Festival Patrons, Sir Sean Connery and Seamus McGarvey, were among those presenting awards.

The Jury citation read: “We award Moon for its singular vision and remarkably assured direction as well as for the inspired manner in which it transcends genre. The central performance by Sam Rockwell embodies the film’s emotional complexity and compelling philosophical perspective.”

This year’s Michael Powell Jury were director Joe Wright (Atonement) who presided over the five-strong Jury: film critic Claudia Puig; actress Sacha Horler (My Year Without Sex); journalist and author Janet Street-Porter and Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon).

Earlier in the week Moon had also been leading the poll for the Standard Life Audience Award, but missed out to Tomm Moore?s animation The Secret Of Kells, at the last minute.

Well done to Duncan and Sam Rockwell and everybody else involved with making MOON such a success.

The 2009 EIFF prize winners

Michael Powell Award for Best New British Feature Film, sponsored by the UK Film Council
Moon ? Directed by Duncan Jones

PPG Award for Best Performance in a British Feature Film
Katie Jarvis ? Fish Tank

Best New International Feature Award
Easier With Practice? Directed by Kyle Patrick Alvarez

Standard Life Audience Award
The Secret Life Of Kells ? Directed by Tomm Moore

Best Documentary Award
Boris Ryzhy? Directed by Aliona Van der Horst

Skillset New Directors Award
Cary Joji Fukunaga ? Sin Nombre

The Rotten Tomatoes Critical Consensus Award
Humpday ? Directed by Lynn Shelton

UK Film Council Award for Best British Short Film
After Tomorrow? Directed by Emma Sullivan

Best International Short Film Award
Princess Margeret Bld ? Directed by Kazik Radwanski

Scottish Short Documentary Award supported by Baillie Gifford
Peter In Radioland – Directed by Johanna Wagner

McLaren Award for New British Animation in partnership with BBC Film Network
Photograph Of Jesus ? Directed by Laurie Hill