The Imitation Game, the war drama-biopic of English genius Alan Turing received both critic appreciation and Oscar buzz, but the Capri Hollywood Festival was the latest film festivity which welcomed the Morten Tyldum movie with a Best Picture Award. The 26 December 2014 – 2 January 2015 Italian film festival greeed the Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley starring production and its director with another award, as Morten Tyldum was the recipient of the Best Director category.
The Hollywood Reporter traced the announcement of Pascal Vicedomini, festival producer, regarding The Imitation Game and its merits – both historical and revolutionary: “This is an extraordinary work, an almost historical document narrating an unknown story, a tribute to a visionary genius who was persecuted and to whom we owe freedom in Europe.” It is these aspects the ones which helped Morten Tyldum and its team leave the Italian awards as double recipients.
Many other Oscar contenders received acclaim at the festival, with Timothy Spall gaining the Best Actor award for his lead role in Mike Leigh’s Mr. Turner. The female variant of the former prize was based on a tight battle with both Jennifer Aniston (Cake) and Amy Adams (Big Eyes) leaving the Capri Film Festival as recipients of the Best Actress category. The Visionary Award went to Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman, starring Michael Keaton and Emma Stone. The Family Award was received by no other than Boyhood, a ‘’moving 12 years epic’’ and a courageous project of Richard Linklater. Big Hero 6, the long-time box office survival, was awarded as the best Animated Movie of the Year. The Rising Stars Award went to Ellar Coltrane (Boyhood) and Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Beyond the Lights). Poland also left as recipient, with Ida scoring as Best Foreign Film (also a favorite of its category in the Oscar run).
That the Capri Hollywood Festival awarded mostly grand festivals contenders is proven also by a second declaration by Pascal Vicedomini, which claimed (via Deadline): ‘’This year, Capri, Hollywood was able to present the best of this cinematic season, many of which are contenders for year-end honors including the Golden Globes, the BAFTAs and the Academy Awards. Thanks to a number of the world’s ‘majors’ that trust our work and are willing to premiere their movies at our festival.”
List of Capri, Hollywood winners:
Best Picture – The Imitation Game
Best Actor – Timothy Spall (Mr. Turner)
Best Actress – Jennifer Aniston (Cake)
–Amy Adams (Big Eyes)
Best Director – Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game)
Visionary Award – Birdman
Family Award – Boyhood
Animated Movie of the Year – Big Hero 6
Best Foreign Film – Ida (Poland)
Rising Stars – Ellar Coltrane (Boyhood)
– Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Beyond The Lights)
Breakout Actors – Ryan Gage (The Hobbit)
– Eline Powell (Quartet)
Cult Awards– Luca Zingaretti
– Nastassja Kinsky
Mediterranean Awards – Marco D’Amore (Gomorra)
– Moran Atias (Third Person)
European Film of the Year – Human Capital
Best European Movie – L’arte della felicità
Educational Award – Anita B.
The Italian American Icon Award – David O. Russell
Lifetime Achievement Award – Brenda Blethyn
The Capri Legend Award – Francesco De Gregori