Lima Film Festival 2014: Wrap-Up And Winners

The night kicked off with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Peruvian filmmaker Francisco J. Lombardi, arguably one of the most important directors in the country. His career spans over 18 films, many of them classics of Peruvian cinema: among them, 1988's La Boca del Lobo ("The Lion's Den"), one of the best movies ever made about the country's "inner war" with the Shining Path terrorist group; 1996's film noir-influenced Bajo La Piel ("Under The Skin"); and 2000's Tinta Roja ("Red Ink") adapted from Chilean author Alberto Fuguet's novel of the same name.

Love him or hate him, it can't be denied that Lombardi is one of the longest-working filmmakers in Peru; 18 films is no small feat in a country where just making one movie is exceedingly difficult. The director is showing no signs of slowing down; he's currently working on a new film called Troika, scheduled for release in 2015.

The second honoree of the night was French director Bruno Dumont. Aside from presenting a retrospective of his work, the filmmaker was also on a personal mission: to find a house in Lima where artist Paul Gauguin was rumored to have lived for a period. Apparently, not everyone was aware of this fact, and Dumont did eventually find his destination.

After the tributes came the awards, and the big winner of the night was Colombian director Franco Lolli's debut film, Gente de Bien, a drama about class differences seen from a child's point of view. It's indicative of an up-and-coming, talented new wave of Colombian filmmakers.

With a band playing typical Peruvian folk music, the veteran festival closed out another year, already preparing for the 2015 edition.

The following is a partial list of winners:

Best Film: Gente de Bien - Franco Lolli

Best Director: Manolo Nieto - El Lugar del Hijo ("The Militant")

Best Debut Film: Gueros - Alonso Ruiz Palacios

Best Actress: Leandra Leal - O Lobo Atras da Porta ("Wolf at the Door")

Best Actor: Milhem Cortaz - O Lobo Atras da Porta ("Wolf at the Door")

Best Screenplay: Rubén Mendoza - Tierra en la Lengua

Best Documentary: Eco de la Montaña - Nicolás Echevarría

Honorable Mention: El Color que Cayó del Cielo - Sergio Wolf

Audience Award: Conducta - Ernesto Daranas

Second Audience Award: Relatos Salvajes ("Wild Tales") - Damián Szifron