Jonas Carpignano’s A CIAMBRA wins Europa Cinemas Cannes Label

Jonas Carpignano’s A CIAMBRA has won the Europa Cinemas Label as Best European film in the Directors’ Fortnight section, it was announced today by a jury of four exhibitors from the network. 2017 marks the fifteenth time the Label has been awarded in Cannes.
A CIAMBRA will now receive the support of the Europa Cinemas Network, with additional promotion and incentives for exhibitors to extend the film’s run on screen.

The jury issued the following statement: “Jonas Carpignano is very much an up and coming European director. A CIAMBRA is his second feature. It underlines the power and magic potential of cinema, transporting the audience into a rarely seen milieu, a Roma community in Southern Italy. The expressive dialect they speak has rarely been heard on the big screen and is very much a character in the film. A young 14 year-old boy (brilliantly played by Pia Amato) struggles to step into his big brother’s shoes. Superb performances and editing drive the engrossing narrative, with Carpignano’s verite style bringing the film to life without making social statements.”

Sold internationally by Luxbox, the film is a Stayblack (Italy), RT Features (Brazil), Sikelia Productions (USA) and RAI Cinema (Italy) production, co-produced with DCM Pictures (Germany), Haut et Court (France), Film i Väst (Sweden) and Filmgate (Sweden).

The script is by Jonas Carpignano. Tim Curtin is Director of Photography. Sound by Giuseppe Tripodi and editing by Affonso Gonçalves. The cast includes Damiano Amato, Iolanda Amato, Koudous Seihon and Pio Amato.

Jonas Carpignano spent his childhood between Rome and New York City. His first feature film MEDITERRANEA debuted at the Cannes Film Festival – Critics’ Week before receiving the award for the best directorial debut by the National Board of Review.
The Cannes Europa Cinemas Label Jury this year comprised Roger Gibson, Chichester Cinema at New Park, Chichester, United Kingdom; Paolo Moretti, Le Concorde, La Roche-sur-Yon, France; Hannele Pellinen, Kino Tapiola, Espoo, Finland and Joanna Zak, Kino Nowe Horyzonty, Wroclaw, Poland.

The Label is also awarded in Berlin, Venice, Karlovy Vary, and will be awarded for the fifth time this year at Locarno. Recipients of the Label honoured at Cannes in the past include: MUSTANG, 12:08 EAST OF BUCHAREST, LA PIVELLINA, LE QUATTRO VOLTE, THE REPENTANT, THE SELFISH GIANT, LES COMBATTANTS and MERCENAIRE last year.