European Films

'Ma salama Jamil' director Omar Shargawi and lead actor Dar Salim pose for an exclusive portrait session by photographer Fabrizio Maltese. Photo (c): EF Images, all rights reserved.

The Tiger Awards, the three top prizes at the International Film Festival Rotterdam, where handed out yesterday evening in the Dutch port city. The Tiger Competition is a showcase for first and second films from filmmakers around the world. The 2008 Tiger Awards went to Danish film Ma salama Jamil (Go with Peace Jamil) from director Omar Shargawi, Wonderful Town by Thai director Aditya Assarat and Flower in the Pocket by Liew Seng Tat from Malaysia. Each prize comes with €15,000 and a guaranteed broadcast on Dutch TV by main sponsor VPRO. The Fipresci international critics' prize went to the Chilean film El cielo, la tierra, y la lluvia (The Sky, the Earth and the Rain) from José Luis Torres Leiva, while the Dutch critics lauded Gruz 200 (Cargo 200) from Russian director Alexei Balabanov.