Colombian film sweeps the Lima Film Festival by winning four awards

The film was produced by Medio de Contenedor Producciones, in co-production with RTVCPlay, and is a co-production between Colombia, France, the Netherlands and Germany. Photo: Press ‘A man’

Best film, best Actor, Best fiction photography Y Official Fiction Jury Special Prize they earned the Colombian film A male recognition as the grand winner of the twenty-sixth edition of the Lima Film Festival.

In accordance with the decision of the festival jury, the director’s first film Fabian Hernandez was deserving of the award for Best Film, as it reflects “the honest and sensitive way to the mandates of marginal masculinity, highlighting its nuances without falling into manipulations, stereotypes or complacency.”

For their part, those responsible for the Special Prize of the Official Fiction Jury highlighted that A male “It is a film that immerses itself in the world of masculinity in a context of violence, with a great power of synthesis, forcefulness and honesty. And because it enables an emotional vibration that is scarce today in the cinema and not only in the cinema”.

The interpretation of Philip Ramirezwho plays the protagonist, was also awarded “for his acting power and his ability to convey emotions through different nuances in the work with the body and voice”.

The jury also recognized the work of the film’s cinematographer, sofia oggionifor the sensitivity and closeness to the story and the characters. The correspondence and coherence with history and the subtle intervention in the spaces in which it takes place”.

Regarding the recognition that the film has garnered in its passage through festivals – it is worth noting that its world premiere took place at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival – its director, Fabián Hernández said:

“Artistic recognition is very important for the journey of the film and it fills us with joy to continue making a team, visceral, honest cinema, without falling into manipulations, stereotypes, or complacency.”

For his part, the film’s producer, Manuel Ruiz Montealegre, praised the importance of supporting the Colombian film industry:

“In the context of the national situation regarding the validity of the tax incentives related to Film Law 814, we can say that our cinema continues to elevate Colombian culture on the international stage… we are sure that the Colombian public will accompany the film in its theatrical release”.

Regarding the latter, a date has not yet been defined for Un man to reach the cinemas of the country, however the general director of DOC:CO, the national distributor of the film, has confirmed that its national premiere will be within very little time.

The story focuses on Carlos, a character who, leaving his neighborhood, must show his masculinity to survive in a world where the law of the strongest prevails. The young man, who lives in a place with more people his age, has strong questions about life that, due to the social context in which he lives, he must follow. In a youth center, Carlos does everything possible to be accepted as a man: he takes care of his haircut, his clothes and even his way of walking and speaking. This duality is maintained when the protagonist goes out into the street and must maintain a surly, sullen and rough attitude to face the dangers that lie beyond the place where he lives.

It is there where the character –along with the viewer– enters into a Shakespearean dichotomy between being what his neighborhood dictates, a gang member, or leading a better life away from there. In that sense, the director, Fabián Hernández, indicates that there are many issues related to youth exposed in the footage.

“The film is torn between the intimacy that the protagonist has, where he can doubt even his sexuality, his femininity, his sensitivity”, as well as having to show, “from the outside” the virility and the pressure that is exerted from various sectors of society.

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Colombian film sweeps the Lima Film Festival by winning four awards