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| Jury statement: The video tapes and films submitted to the Jury were extremely diversified, and no prominent tendency or trend was to be found. The viewing and discussing of the about 50 works in competition has been a pecularly intense activity, above all because of the short time imparted and of the thematic and formal diversity: documentary works, fictions, video art, animation, feature long works and very short ones. Besides, the Jury has noticed that several of the works presented were installation works transformed into monotapes for the occasion, which implies a strong problem of compatibility within this competition of cinema-like screened works. The works distinguished by the Jury represent a series of propositions full of promesses that are expected to further develop. In its discussions, the Jury focused on the qualities of these works rather than on the critical details that were also pointed out. It is to say that none of the distinguished works was unanimously chosen, at least for what concerns the palmares order. But every distinguished work has recollected a large majority of the Jurors votes, thus allowing to present a largely consensual palmarès. Grand Prix de la Ville de Genève (CHF 15’000.-): Mamta MURTHY, Colours Black, India With this first film, Mamtha Murthy has found an impressive and accurate form of representation for a tabou theme: the sexual abuses of children and their devastating and traumatic consequences. Murthy exposes her formal construction very clearly: she combines scenes played by children or scenes prepared from the point of view of children with adults off-voices, testifying about the abuses they were victims of. Murthy’s visual language is precise and coherent, formally and thematically speaking. The Jury pecularly appreciated this work for its clever and sensitive combination of social engagement and high quality esthetics. Prix Jeunes créateurs du Département de l’instruction publique de l’Etat de Genève: (CHF 5’000.-): Peter BRINSON, It Did it, Etats-Unis This works features the experience of a nervous breakdown and of its treatment with the fashionable Prozac. Irony and pseudo-scientific language are used as critical means to question neuro-psychiatry and the cliché of the melancholic artist. Brinson uses various materials such as computer animation, found footage, self-portrait and constant references to art and cinema history. The Jury was also very impressed by the inner coherence of the work. Two Prix du Centre pour l’Image Contemporaine, Saint-Gervais Genève (2 x CHF 2’500.-) Kristin LUCAS, Involuntary Reception, Etats-Unis The artist stages a fictional female character who, because of her peculiar sensitivity to electromagnetic waves, has to face specific dayly problems. In her basic monologue, only interrupted by some illustrative sequences, the character describes her disability and its consequences on her environment. The relationship between man and technology, often characterised by misfunctionning and raptures, is here pushed to its absurd limits. This video is part of a series of works developed by the artist around this same figure. Margot ZANNI, 4 Stücke- drame psychologique en couleurs, Suisse The various stories of four different movies are told by narrators that seem to have witnessed them. The identification of the storytellers with the characters is reinforced when the video is shot in locations seemingly identical to the ones being the four films locations. The Jury’s attention was pecularly catched by the relationship between the narrative spaces and the image space, as it is divided into four windows arranged sometimes as a diptych, sometimees as a triptych, in the end transforming into a large panoramic that arises the question of hors-champ. Prix spécial de l’Office fédéral de la culture (CHF 2’500.-) Kim Sop BONINSEGNI: An Italian Walk, Suisse This work is animated by great theoretical and esthetical ambitions. The making of the film is recounted by an off-voice, and the film thematises the question of constructing a fictional character for the narration’s sake. Travellings on landscapes are combined with still-shots of urban environments and audio tracks of historic movies, intricated with the main narration. No part of this puzzle is an illustration of another part, but each piece of the puzzle works together with the others within the frame of an identity search. Special mentions. Although the Jury has rewarded works of a certain length, it wishes to underline the qualities of certain short works that are remarquable, be it thematically or formally. Three short pieces are thus especially mentioned: Jeroen OFFERMANN, The Great Escape, Netherlands - One sole shot, almost a still-shot, represents an event that is as well minimal and surreal: the apparition of a giant Hovercraft on a Nederlands beach, that disappears within a minute. This double crossing of the frame can be understood in relationship with Dutch traditional landscape painting. Donigan CUMMING, Wrap, Canada - The artist shows us the act of speaking as an emotional phenomenon by using a series of close-ups on faces. The disfucntionning of sound and image, as well as of communication and emotions, are the basic themes of the work. Andrey PAOUNOV, Lucy Tsak Tsak, Bulgaria - When a film is made, a number of shots end up in the trashbin - and this video pays respect to those images. The video opens and ends on the editing table, and in the meantime present us a very short resumé of a clpa-woman’s life. Centre pour l’image contemporaine, 5 rue du Temple, CH-1201 Genève
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