Shahrbanoo Sada’s “Wolf and Sheep” took top prize at the annual Directors Fortnight sidebar, which runs concurrent to Cannes each year.
Sada’s Afghan drama, about a group of child shepherds lost in fantasy, was celebrated in addition to several categories from the SADC, or the French equivalent of the Writer’s Guild of America (read a full list of winners below).
Directors’ Fortnight, or Quinzaine des Realisateurs, is an independent section that runs concurrently with the Cannes Film Festival. The section was launched in 1969 as a more adventurous but non-competitive alternative to the main festival.
Recent films at Directors’ Fortnight included “Whiplash,” “Dope,” and the Oscar nominees “Embrace of the Serpent,” “Mustang,” “No,” “Ernest & Celestine” and “The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.”
The complete Directors Fortnight Winners 2016:
Art Cinema Award to a feature film
“Wolf & Sheep,” dir. Shahrbanoo Sadat
SACD Award to a French-language feature film
“The Together Project” (aka “L’Effet Aquatique”) dir. Solveig Anspach
SACD special mention
“Divines” dir. Houda Benyamina
The Europa Cinemas Label to a European feature film
“Mercenary” (aka “Mercenaire”) dir. Sacha Wolff
Illy Prize to a short film
“Chasse Royal” dirs. Lise Akoka, Romane Gueret
Illy special mention
“The Beast” (aka “Zvir”) dir. Miroslav Sikavica