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| Jury Prize for in my Fathers Den At Spanish Film Festival 28 September 2004 Director Brad McGann's New Zealand movie In My Father's Den has won the Mercedes Benz Youth Jury Prize at the 52nd San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain. San Sebastian takes place each September and is one of Europe's leading five film events alongside Cannes, Berlin, Venice and Locarno. One of the two stars of the film - Matthew Macfadyen was at San Sebastian to introduce the film to audiences. The Youth Jury prize is sponsored by Mercedes-Benz and was voted on by 350 people from 17- 21 years of age, who were selected from schools and film academies from all over Spain and abroad to be at the Festival. Previous winners of the award include Agnes Brown (from American director Anjelica Huston) Elling by director Peter Naess (Norway) and Real Women Have Curves from director Patricia Cardoso (USA). The prize was announced during the weekend. In My Father's Den was written and directed by Brad McGann and is based on the novel by Maurice Gee. "It's both wonderful and reassuring to know that the film is appreciated by youth, in my opinion the hardest market for any filmmaker to reach. This award is a real honour to receive and I would like to thank the San Sebastian Youth Jury for recognising In My Father's Den as a film relevant to young people" said Brad McGann. The Youth Jury prize is one of only two audience awards handed out by the Festival - the other (general) audience award went to Walter Salles- Motorcyle Diaries. San Sebastian Festival Director, Mikel Olaciregui described In My Father's Den as a 'wonderful film with an impressive narrative technique'. Last week In My Father's Den won the FIPRESCI International Critics Prize at the Toronto Film Festival in Canada. In My Father's Den has already received considerable critical acclaim since its premiere at the opening night of the Sydney Film Festival in June. "A triumph" wrote Garry Maddox in the Sydney Morning Herald. "Not only is it one of the best films to hail from this part of the world, but it is also one of the best films I have ever seen" wrote Lawrie Zion in The Australian. "Artfully played and depicted with acute sensitivity" wrote Russell Edwards in Variety. "A packed house was gripped by NZ director-writer Brad McGann's assured debut feature" wrote Frank Hatherley in Screen International. In My Father's Den will be released in New Zealand by Hoyts Distribution (on behalf of Icon) on 7 October 2004 and in Australia through Icon Films on 28 October. A New Zealand-UK co-production, the film is produced by T.H.E. Film's Trevor Haysom and Little Bird's Dixie Linder and is financed by the New Zealand Film Commission, NZ On Air, Visionview and the UK Film Council. For further information please contact: Elizabeth Trotman, Hoyts Distribution DDI: +(64)
9 306 7525 Kathleen Drumm, NZ Film Commission DDI: +
(64) 4 382 7685
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