At the award show ending the film festival CPH PIX 2012, Brazilian first-time director Kleber Mendonça Filho, won the main competition, the New Talent Grand PIX, for 'Neighbouring Sounds'. The audience award went to the irresistable Canadian film 'Monsieur Lazhar'.

Saturday night on the 28th of April, the international jury at CPH PIX selected Brazilian Kleber Mendonça Filho as the most promising talent among the ten competing first-time directors in the main competition.

The jury consisting of Mia Hansen-Løve from France, Matthias Glasner from Germany and Anurag Kashyap from India emphasized the formal qualities of 'Neighbouring Sounds'. But they also stressed the feeling of personal insight into contemporary Brazil and the nuanced depiction of the people in the small town of Recife, where the director also lives. Even though the story is simple and often funny, the jury feels that the movie has a strong feeling of authenticity and honesty.

The New Talent Grand PIX comes with a prize of 30.000 Euro to help the director make his next movie.

Falardeau wins the audience award for the second time

Saturday night also saw the result of the competition for the audience award with a big win for the deeply charming Canadian 'Monsieur Lazhar' beating films like Michael Winterbottoms 'Trishna' and American indie stunner 'Martha Marcy May Marlene'. The national newspaper Politiken supports the winning film with extra publicity.

Film reviewer from Politiken, Kim Skotte, presented the award. He says about 'Monsieur Lazhar':

- Philippe Falardeu wins the audience award for the second time, and when you have seen his 2009 winner, 'It's Not Me, I Swear' and now 'Monsieur Lazhar', it's not difficult to tell why the Danish audience have taken this charming and wise Canadian filmmaker to heart.

About the films:

Winner of the New Talent Grand PIX 2012: Kleber Mendonça Filho for 'Neighbouring Sounds'

The global middle class' fears of social unrest and violence are dissected with surgical precision in a Brazilian drama, which, like a Western, takes place in a single street, and where a private security guard is both a good cop and a bad cop.

Is it still called paranoia, when everyone's afraid? And if not, what else do you call it?

Winner of Politiken's audience award 2012: 'Monsieur Lazhar' by Philippe Falardeau

Canada's Oscar nominee portrays a middle-aged Algerian immigrant, who is seeking political asylum in Quebec and ends up as a teacher at a primary school, where the children are traumatised, to varying degrees, after a tragic incident.

The director, Philippe Falardeau, won the audience award at CPH PIX 2009 and this time, he is again in a league of his own, when it comes to directing children.