Wannes Destoop’s “Holy Rosita” Wins Top Prize at Torino Film Festival
Powerful storytelling about motherhood and societal pressures earns Belgian director the honor
“Holy Rosita,” the debut feature film from Belgian director Wannes Destoop, has been crowned the best film at the Torino Film Festival 2024. The poignant story, developed through the TorinoFilmLab, an audiovisual lab overseen by the National Cinema Museum, centers around Rosita, a young Belgian woman navigating the challenges of weight and societal pressures as she yearns for motherhood.
“My love for the marginalized is the main reason I make films and tell stories,” Destoop explained. “I want to shed light on people and contexts often hidden in the shadows, judged without a true understanding of their struggles. With ‘Holy Rosita,’ I wanted to craft a moving and hopeful journey, a story about mothers and children, about vulnerable souls labeled as outcasts by society, but who still deserve happiness.”
Destoop’s film resonated deeply with the jury, chaired by renowned Italian screenwriter and novelist Margaret Mazzantini. The jury, which also included Milcho Manchevski, Anne Parillaud, Giovanni Spagnoletti, and Krzysztof Zanussi, praised the film’s exploration of a timeless theme presented with a fresh and compelling lens.
“The dominant theme throughout the films was motherhood. It was striking to witness how
directors from such diverse backgrounds chose this topic and expressed it in unique ways, particularly at a time when humanity itself seems to be seeking its direction,” Mazzantini shared. “We anchored the viewing experience alongside a live audience, prioritizing their perspectives and tastes.”
Awards Honor Diverse Cinematic Voices
The Wonderfull Special Jury Prize (7,000 euros) was awarded to Chiara Fleischhacker’s “Vena”.
The award for best screenplay went to Abdelhamid Bouchnack for “L’aiguille”, which also took home several collateral prizes.
The award for best interpretation was shared by River Gallo for “Ponyboi” and the cast of “Madame Ida” – Flora Ofelia Hofmann Lindahl, Christine Albeck Bogi, and Karen-Lise Mynster. “Dissenter” received a mention thanks to the impactful work of Stakeholders Stanislav Gurenko and Andriy Al’Ferov.
Beyond Destoop’s triumphant win, the festival celebrated diverse cinematic voices across various categories. The World Premiere Project awards included the TorinoFilmLab Development Award, presented to “The World that Seemed More True to Me,” directed by Shahrokh Sharani (Iran).
Other Awards
The Documentary Competition, jurychaired by Roberta Torre, honored “Le retour du projectionniste” by Orkhan Aghazadeh with the top prize. “I’m Not Everything I Want to Be” by Klára Tasovská and “The Brink of Dreams” by Ayman El Amir, Nada Riyadh, shared the special jury prize and received a mention for “Higher than Acidic Clouds” by Ali Asgari. “The Brink of Dreams”- also developed at TorinoFilmLab.
Michela Cescon headed the jury for the Short Film Competition, which awarded all its prizes to talented filmmakers.
“Walk In” by Haneol Park won for best film (3,000 euros), lauded for its innovative storytelling. Maximilian Villwock’s “Fire Drill”), secured the Special Jury Prize, while a mention went to Colin Nixon’s “Someone’s Trying to Get In”.
The jury of film critics, comprised of Marco Lombardi (Italy), Giuseppe Di Salvatore (Switzerland), and Massimo Arciresi (Italy), bestowed the Fipresci prize (Prize of the International Federation of Cinematographic Press) on Chiara Fleischhacker’utility”Vena”. They praised its” ability to shape a powerful story of recovery from addiction.
The Jury recognized afirm Freedman’s compelling performance as crucial to conveying both the struggle and the strength within Vena, noting that “The film presented an emotionally profound narrative, carefully paced and exquisitely crafted. It showcased a maturity rarely seen in a debut film.”
What specific challenges does Rosita face in regards to societal expectations surrounding her body and motherhood?
## Interview with a Alex Reed about ”Holy Rosita”
**Host:** Welcome back to the show! We’re thrilled to be hearing about a fascinating victory at this year’s Torino Film Festival. Joining us today is [Alex Reed Name], a film critic who was present at the festival.
**[Alex Reed Name]:** Thanks for having me! I’m always excited to talk about independent cinema and the incredible work that comes out of these festivals.
**Host:** This year’s top prize went to “Holy Rosita,” the debut feature from Belgian director Wannes Destoop. Can you tell us a bit about what makes this film stand out?
**[Alex Reed Name]:** Absolutely. “Holy Rosita” is a profoundly moving film that explores the intense pressure women face regarding their bodies and the dream of motherhood. It tells the story of Rosita, a young Belgian woman grappling with societal expectations and her own desires.
**Host:** What did you think of Destoop’s approach to this sensitive subject matter?
**[Alex Reed Name]:** Destoop is masterful. He tackles a timely and complex theme with incredible sensitivity and avoids falling into clichés. He really allows you to connect with Rosita, to understand her struggles and her aspirations. [[1](https://www.lastampa.it/torino/2024/11/30/news/tff_trionfa_il_regista_belga_wannes_destoop_con_holy_rosita-14852699/)]
**Host:** The jury, led by renowned Italian screenwriter Margaret Mazzantini, seemed incredibly impressed. What resonated most strongly with them?
**[Alex Reed Name]:** Mazzantini mentioned the powerful exploration of motherhood as a unifying theme throughout the festival. “[…]directors from such diverse backgrounds chose this topic […] particularly at a time when humanity itself seems to be seeking its direction,” she said. “[Holy Rosita]” offered a fresh and compelling take on this universal experience.
**Host:** “Holy Rosita” is a definite must-see then. Thank you for sharing your insights with us, [Alex Reed Name].
**[Alex Reed Name]:** My pleasure. I hope viewers are as moved by this powerful story as I was.
